Chicago Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Murder During Robbery
A Chicago man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for beating another man to death with a Grey Goose vodka bottle during a robbery on the Northwest Side.
Oscar Cruz, 45, and Peter Krzystyniak, 55, were homeless when they entered a shed in the 5700 block of West Diversey Avenue on October 1, 2023, prosecutors said. Surveillance video showed Cruz coming and going from the structure multiple times, but Krzystyniak was never seen leaving, officials said.
At some point late that night or early the next morning, Cruz attacked Krzystyniak, striking him repeatedly in the head with a Grey Goose vodka bottle, according to prosecutors. A worker in the area later discovered Krzystyniak’s body inside the shed.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office determined he died from craniocerebral injuries caused by blunt force trauma.
Chicago police officers arrested Cruz hours after the body was found. Prosecutors said he had Krzystyniak’s backpack, phone, computer, and wallet at the time of his arrest. During questioning, Cruz allegedly admitted to hitting Krzystyniak with the bottle but claimed he acted after being pushed.
A jury convicted Cruz on October 30 of three counts of first-degree murder and one count of robbery. Now, Judge Mariano Reyna has imposed a 40-year prison term, which will keep Cruz incarcerated until July 2063.
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