A teenage girl from Chicago who has been charged with killing an Uber driver randomly attacked the man with a knife and a machete that she had just stolen from Walmart, authorities say.
Eliza Wasni, 16, kept her eyes mostly to the floor Wednesday afternoon as a Cook County judge ordered her held without bond in the killing of Grant Nelson of Wilmette — an act prosecutors called "heinous" and "not provoked in any manner."
Prosecutors said Nelson, 34, had picked up Wasni a few blocks from a Walmart in Skokie and, minutes into the ride, near the corner of Touhy and Lincoln avenues in Lincolnwood, she began stabbing Nelson. He managed to pull over his Hyundai and run to a nearby condominium building lobby, where he pushed buzzers yelling, "Help me, help me. I'm going to die," Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Cunningham said.
Wasni took off in Nelson's car but quickly struck a median and then ran off on foot, the official said. She was found nearby wearing just a bra and leggings; a blood-stained Chicago Cubs shirt was found nearby, and a trail of blood led responding officers to the condominium lobby and then to the seriously injured Uber driver, Cunningham said in court. Police were able to use the Uber app on his phone to see that "Eliza" was the name of his most recent customer, the prosecutor said. Source
LINCOLNWOOD, Ill. (WLS) -- A 16-year-old girl was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of an Uber driver in north suburban Lincolnwood.
Eliza Wasni, 16, was charged as an adult with first-degree murder, the Cook County State's Attorney said. At an appearance in bond court, prosecutors called the attack heinous and unprovoked. Wasni was denied bail.
During her bond hearing, Cook County prosecutors said 34-year-old Grant Nelson, of Wilmette, was Wasni's third Uber driver early Tuesday morning , picking her up after she stole and knife and machete from a Walmart in Skokie.
Prosecutors said she then stabbed Nelson repeatedly from the back seat, and he jumped out of the car and ran for help at a nearby building.
"The victim runs to the lobby door and is heard banging and screaming, 'Help me, help me, I'm going to die,'" said Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Cunningham.
Prosecutors said Wasni tried driving off in Nelson's car, but hit a median. Then police responding to 911 calls found her hiding, still holding the knife and machete. They said she was told repeatedly to put them down, and when she didn't she was Tased. Source