Lake Villa Man Killed During Robbery In Alley ID'd: UPDATE

LAKE VILLA, IL — A 58-year-old Lake Villa man who was robbed, severely beaten and found dead in an alley by authorities over the weekend has been identified as Jerry Griffith, according to a news release from the Lake County Coroner's Office. Preliminary autopsy results show he died of multiple traumatic injuries, Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper said in a news release Wednesday. Two Lake Villa Township men, Jordan Toney, 19, and Buddy W. Johnson, 20, remain in custody on a $5 million bail and are charged with murder in connection with Griffith's death, according to online jail records.

Authorities said Griffith was walking home at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday after making a purchase at a local business when Johnson and Toney robbed him, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office. During the robbery, both men are accused of severely beating Griffith in an alley in the 300 block of East Grand Avenue in Lake Villa, according to police. The man fell to the ground, and authorities found him dead when they arrived at the scene, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Toney and Johnson both allegedly fled after the attack, police said.

The death was initially considered suspicious due to the injuries on the man's body and police later took Johnson and Toney into police custody as "people of interest" until charges were filed Monday. Toney, of the 39000 block of North Poplar Street in Lake Villa Township, and Johnson, of the 21600 block of West Birch Street in Lake Villa Township, are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder.

Authorities said the victim did not know Johnson or Toney.

"This man did nothing wrong. He was an innocent victim, minding his own business when he encountered evil in that alley," Lake Villa Chief of Police Craig Somerville said in a news release.

He added that the "incident is not reflective of the community of Lake Villa, a family orientated town populated by great people."

"This was a tragic, senseless act of random violence that, unfortunately can occur anywhere," he said.

PHOTO CAPTION: (LEFT) BUDDY JOHNSON AND (RIGHT) JORDAN TONEY/PHOTOS VIA THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE