Men found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in 2022 beating of Highland Park man

Two local men were convicted of second-degree murder on Saturday, three and a half years after their killing of a Highland Park man, according to information from the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.

A trial that began April 13 ended six days later with a jury finding Nicholas Caban, 23, and Jacob Firestone, 22 — who were 20 and 18, respectively, at the time of the crime — guilty of beating to death Matthew Ascaridis, 45, on Sept. 17, 2022, on Fort Sheridan Beach in Highland Park.

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement that the prosecution’s case featured “conclusive evidence that (Ascaridis) was killed due to excessive violence from these two offenders.”

“We are thankful that the jury closely followed the forensic and circumstantial evidence in order to see the truth and to convict both offenders on all counts,” Rinehart said. “The investigators with the Major Crimes Task Force, the Coroner’s Office, our trial team, and our victim advocates did an outstanding job on behalf of Matt and our entire community. We will continue to support the family as we prepare for the sentencing hearing.” 

According to previous Record reporting and the county’s statement, Ascaridis lived near Fort Sheridan Beach and began hearing loud noises near his home around 11 p.m. Sept. 16. Testimony given at the trial shows Ascaridis called police multiple times, but he left his home to investigate the noise around 1 a.m, after learning a police response would not be immediate.

Ascaridis reportedly then approached Firestone and Caban about the noise, leading to a “violent confrontation.”

Firestone and Caban, who each were injured in the altercation, reportedly did not call police until four hours later to report the incident and were then transported to an area hospital.

According to a police statement at the time, Highland Park police responded to the beach after 5 a.m. and located Ascaridis at the shoreline near Cliff Road at Fort Sheridan Beach. The county coroner later determined Ascaridis died of multiple injuries, and the Lake County Forest Preserve Police led the investigation.

Firestone was charged on Sept. 20 with obstructing justice for allegedly hiding a cellphone and wheel barrow. And both men were charged in March 2023 with second-degree murder.

During the trial, Lake County’s Dr. Eimad Zakariya reportedly detailed Ascaridis’ injuries, which included “catastrophic injuries to the spinal cord.”

The county says prosecutors argued in closing arguments that Caban and Firestone beat Ascaridis and left him alone on the beach to die from his injuries.

Second-degree murder has a sentencing range of 4-20 years to be served at 50%, the county says.

Caban and Firestone will next be in court on June 18.

Ascaridis was a married father of two and financial professional, according to his LinkedIn page, and reportedly was for 12 years a youth hockey coach in Winnetka, as well.

A GoFundMe online fundraiser launched in honor of Ascaridis and his family had raised more than $88,000 in six days toward its goal of $150,000.

Highland Park’s Jamie Stronberg and Deerfield’s Lisa Zaslavsky began the fundraiser and called Ascaridis, “a kind, hard-working, salt-of-the-earth guy who always greeted friends and family with his warmth and a smile.” She added that the purpose of the GoFundMe is to “take as much financial burden” off the family as possible.

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