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Man charged with shooting, killing next-door neighbor in unincorporated Antioch

Man accused of murdering neighbor after quarrel over leaf blower
Man accused of murdering neighbor after quarrel over leaf blower 00:48

ANTIOCH, Ill. (CBS) -- A neighbor has been charged with the murder of a man in unincorporated Antioch near the Wisconsin state line a couple of weeks ago.

Authorities said it all stemmed from a quarrel about a noisy leaf blower.

Ettore Lacchei, 79, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting that killed his next-door neighbor, William Martys, 59.

Lake County Sheriff's police said on Wednesday, April 12, Martys was using a leaf blower in his yard in the 40700 block of North Black Oak Avenue. Lacchei got into a quarrel with Martys and shot Martys in the head, police said.

Martys' was found unresponsive in the driveway that evening and was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he died.

Lake County Sheriff's detectives found the gun likely used in the murder – and it was located near Lacchei's property line, police said.

After a search warrant on Tuesday, Lacchei was arrested at his home and charged.

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Ettore Lacchei Lake County Sheriff's Office

"We understand from interviewing witnesses that this neighbor had confrontations with many different neighbors that live up and down that street," said Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Chris Covelli. "This wasn't the first time that he was seen with a firearm."

Antioch police and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force assisted in the investigation.

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