A husband and wife have been charged after prosecutors say they lured two victims into an attempted armed robbery in Waukegan, leading to their accomplice being stabbed to death by the victim.
Joseph P. Crago, 35, of Grayslake, and Carrie E. Crago, of Grayslake, were both charged with attempted armed robbery, a Class 1 felony, and attempted robbery, a Class 3 felony.
The Waukegan Police Department and Gurnee Fire Department responded around 9:55 p.m. on May 4 to the 12700 block of West Harrison Avenue in Waukegan for a report of a stabbing.
Fire officials said an adult male subject was found in the street and had been stabbed.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the subject as Adam Hoth, 42, of Grayslake.
Hoth was critically injured and unresponsive when officers arrived.
Officers began performing first aid and started CPR on Hoth until paramedics took over care and transported him to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, fire officials said.
Banek said an autopsy conducted on Hoth, who died in the emergency room, showed he had suffered multiple sharp force injuries.
The Waukegan Police Department Major Crime Scene Unit (MCSU) was called to process the scene.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) were called to investigate the incident.
Then-Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said at the time that numerous witnesses were interviewed and evidence was analyzed, which led detectives to determine the incident was a robbery attempt that “went terribly wrong.”
The subject who stabbed Hoth was in the area with his friend to purchase a motorcycle that was listed for sale on social media.
Chastain said the two were lured to an address on Harrison Avenue and told to contact the residents at the home.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Vukovich said Hoth and Carrie Crago, who is married to Joseph Crago, initially met up with the victims at a Walgreens nearby before Carrie Crago directed them to the residence on Harrison Avenue, telling them the motorcycle was there.
Joseph Crago texted one of the prospective buyers after Carrie Crago left and told him to go to the front door of the home, at which time a family who spoke Spanish answered, Vukovich said.
The residents at the home, communicating through Google Translate, knew nothing about the motorcycle purchase meetup and had nothing to do with the transaction.
The two prospective buyers began to walk back to their vehicle to leave when they were approached by Hoth and Joseph Crago, who attempted to rob them of their money, Chastain said.
Hoth threatened the victims with a brick and announced a robbery but the victim refused to comply.
Hoth told the victims he knew they had the money that they brought to purchase the motorcycle, Vukovich said.
One of the victims called 911 after Hoth smashed the passenger side window of the victim’s truck with the brick to gain access and steal money.
One of the victims tried to remove Hoth from the truck and they began fighting. Hoth hit him in the head and the victim stabbed Hoth with a pocketknife, Vukovich said.
Hoth realized he was stabbed and walked away before collapsing on the ground.
Joseph Crago, who was the one who used his Facebook account to list the fake motorcycle and communicate with one of the prospective buyers, then fled the scene, Vukovich said.
Video footage, prior police encounter reports, phone records and a photo lineup led to the identification of Joseph and Carrie Crago.
Vukovich said Joseph Crago admitted to posting the motorcycle for sale online and said he knew Hoth was trying to get some money and knew there was going to be a robbery.
Investigators also interviewed Carrie Crago, who said that her husband and Hoth were trying to obtain money and it was her husband who came up with the “stupid idea” to use his actual Facebook account to sell the fake motorcycle, Vukovich said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and confirmed no charges would be filed against the victim who stabbed Hoth because he was acting in self-defense.
The charges were filed against the Cragos in September following a grand jury indictment. Carrie Crago was processed on the warrant earlier this month and appeared for a detention hearing.
A judge denied prosecutors’ request to hold her in custody but granted the request to hold Joseph Crago in custody following his detention hearing, which was held in September.
Carrie Crago was scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday afternoon and Joseph Crago is scheduled to appear in court again on January 12 for a case management conference.