I have followed this story for years. I covered both trials. I have met and come to like the family members of both the defendant and the victim, the young boy whose body has never been found. There are no winners here. There is no joy.
One young man, who could have had a wonderful, happy, successful future is facing 20 to 60 years in prison, and another will never come home. His family will never really know what happened to him – or his body. Read link to Chicago Tribune story below.
Share, like, comment, let me know you stopped by. And until next time, PLEASE love each other….Too much sadness in the world.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-brian-carrick-verdict-20130403,0,4742818.story
Amanda Marrazzo 
Hi Amanda,
I’m writing from Sydney, Australia.
I’m doing extensive research on oalmost 2,400 “no body” homicide trials and I read with interest the guilty verdict in the retrial of Casciaro.
Do you have any information as to the length of jury deliberations? One report states “about 7 hours” while another report states “almost 8 hours”.
Also, can you help me with the following:
(a) Court case docket number
(b) Courtroom number (ie: if the building holds more than one court).
(c) Email address of the Prosecuting and Defense attorneys.
Your help is much appreciated.
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Hi Steven, please email me at ermarr@comcast.net, thank you! Amanda
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I honestly can’t understand this conviction. Can you shed some light on why the DA was so dead set on going after Mario? It seems to me like they focused on the wrong guy here. Disposing of a body and covering up a murder is no small crime, but I don’t think it adds up to Murder 1 for the guy who didn’t deliver the blows or even necessarily order them. What am I missing?
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I just interviewed the McHenry County State’s Attorney today for an after trial story running in the Chicago Tribune tomorrow. Mario is in jail because he is the person prosecutors believe is ultimately responsible for getting Shane in the cooler with Brian, which then led to Shane hitting and killing Brian. Under the law first degree murder with intimidation, which is what Mario was found guilty of, is when someone is killed by another person who was directed by ANOTHER person, verbally or implied, to do something and that led to murder. I know it is complicated. Many of course think Shane should also be in prison, but prosecutors made a deal with Shane Lamb in order to get his testimony of what happened, so he got immunity for his testimony, this is a tough topic for many to wrap their heads’ around. You are not alone it is just confusing. The prosecutors really wanted Mario convicted in this crime, they believe he is ultimately responsible for putting this huge thug in a small cooler with this skinny little boy….I know it’s a tough one!
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I had a vague understanding of the law before and the description helps. However, I don’t think that the punishment fits the crime. Perhaps by the letter of the law he’s guilty of murder, but i frankly don’t agree that it should have been applied here. If we were talking about an organized crime boss saying deliver a message or take care of things, then it’s reasonable to assume what’s implied. However, I don’t think Mario had even the tiniest worry that the kid might end up dead. Murder implies intent in my mind, and I don’t think there was intent. Overly broad law and unfair application in my opinion. Thank you for the response.
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I understand why they went after mario, but shane lamb is a 5 time felon! Who at the young age of 14 shot an elderly woman working at a hostess bread store! This guy is a nut job who belongs in prison for life! He has also been in trouble recently for beating up 2 men badly. So giving a guy immunity from a muder he commited with his own 2 hands is so baffling to me! The prosecuters knew what terrible things this animal has done in the past and yet he goes free and can now kill someone else and destroy more families! If mario was involved he does belong in prison, but im sure the prosecuters could of figured out a way to charge mario without giving a monster immunity and putting shane lamb where he belongs in a cage like an animal! Justice will not be served until that monster is behind bars for what he did to brian! I feel terrible for both families and I hope that one day they will be able to find peace.
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Hi Skyla, thank you for your comments! I’m curious though how do you know the details of what Shane did at 14? I did not have those details….I only knew it came out in court that he was charged with attempted murder at 14 … I’d like to know more! I agree, there is more than just a chance we will see him in court again and soon…I worry who will make him made enough again to get very hurt if not killed… I know about that recent bar fight too, it is quite troubling.
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I grew up in mchenry county and I had friends who knew him when he shot the lady. I was 16 when he did it, it was just so crazy that someone so young could do something so vicious and only a few years later go on to kill someone! I feel that after all this guy has done before he killed brian he should of never had the chance to do something so awful! The guy is a complete psycho! My husband and a lot of my friends went to school with mario and brian so this whole case has really been a very tense topic. To be honest I feel like a lot of things from this case arent right, like the fact that every witness for the prosecuters were felons that didnt come forward with info until they had some major charges against them on unrelated cases, strange if you ask me! I have heard from people that they have seen shane out at bars and he would brag that he killed brian after he was granted immunity! Sick! I feel that our justice system failed a lot of people in this case except for a cold blooded killer who without a doubt will seriously hurt or kill another person eventually and it will be our justice systems fault!!! Im not saying mario is innocent in all this, but I do know people who say without a doubt he isnt capable of something so awful and I know people who just arent sure. I just hope that they didnt convict tge wrong guy because they took the words of a bunch of criminals. I just hope the carrick family can have some peace finally.
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Thank you for your response! There are many many people who feel the way you do! It is hard for me to explain this trial to people because of the fact that Shane is a free man. I have so many questions about him, like who are his parents, how did he grow up, what made him like this guy with no conscience or knowing of right and wrong? Does he have siblings? Does he or did he have a girlfriend? Who are his friends? Does he have real friends? Did he ever? Feel free to email me privately ermarr@comcast.net thanks! PS I have no doubt I will be covering a trial one day where Shane is accused with another murder, this time he won’t get a deal.
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Amanda, GREAT BLOG! Everbody in Johnsburg has been affected by this tragedy. The Carricks lived right around the corner from me, and I have known all the parties involved in this case since they were kids. Im surprised to hear however that you had little data on Shane. The prosecutors unfortunatly will have to look themselves in the mirror when their star witness does some serious damage to another person. The police could have walked down to the Johnsburg HS one week after this happened and found out what was going on with the proper investigation. The lead detective in this case was killed in a car accident when he was tasked to take the crime scene photos to be developed. It has been one tragedy after another in this case, and letting Shane Lamb walk is another one! Mario is probably guilty of something but 1st degree murder isnt it. He needs to spend some time incarcerated for sure but 20 to 60 yrs while this ext. dangerous individual is free is ludicrous.
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Thank you for the great comment! So much tragedy here! And, yes, I agree!!! Shane should be in prison for this……There are so many details in previous stories that never made print, I think I may write up a whole new story on this case and post it with the many court room details that were cut! And throw in some other details that I have had over the years that also never made print…I’ll take whatever input you can share as well! Think I’d get readers? Thank you again for stopping by!!!
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Youll get plenty, there is an undercurrent of weirdness in Johnsburg, that if you havent spent any time in the community you are unaware of.
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If you want some input, Ill be glad to provide you with some. You have my email address
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I went to school with Shane and will tell you he is a complete lowlife, it will not take long for him to be locked up again.
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to amanda , did it ever bother you about how many times shane lied on the stand……….that whole blarney’s island incident.with a prominent attorney testifying that shane said that he was told what to say and was threatened that if he didn’t testify that they would charge him with murder?….
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i feel so helpless first time in my life
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Eugene, please dont give up!!, I pray for you and your family every day, I pray for the Carricks every day. Justice was not even remotely served. Appeal, appeal, appeal. One day God will correct this injustice one way or another. The state has left us vulnerable to the devil they cut a deal with. You are not alone. This is not justice for Brian or your brother.
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thanks buck, not sure who you are but it makes me believe that there are people in johnsburg who see this as a sham…………..One side not that was stunning to me is a comment that the lead prosecutor made in the nw herald.He said that he held mario casciaro squarely responsible for mrs. carricks death.Mrs. carrick was an amazing woman that raised 13 kids….5 of those kids worked at our store…….mrs. carrick passed away of breast cancer a few years ago…….so this guy actually thinks that mario is responsible for her getting the horrible disease of cancer? with that kind of mindset anything is possible
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Eugene, with that comment about Mrs. Carrick, he has cemented himself in place as an idiot. I know you feel helpless but you are not. You must appeal. You are only helpless if you give up, which by virtue of being on this blog you have not. This is your brother, this is your family, you must fight!!. Do not let yourself be steamrolled by this injustice. ask Amanda for my email, if you need to unload, I am here. I will respond, and I will not remain silent. Remember, you are not alone. There are some tools I will share with you about who to contact. Will you appeal?
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Mark S., Skyla, Lincoln, Steve Banic, please chime in and support Eugene, thats what these blogs are for!! This is a call for action Tell your friends, ask them to comment, take the fight back to the courts
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Amanda, please right another story, we as civilized citizens should not accept this verdict. I am angry. Do you think that when Shane eventually kills someone again with his “bad temper” the DA will be considered the “blunt force instrument” in the trial?
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waiting to see what happen s on april 30th……….just surprised that nobody has actually written either the trib or nw herald to comment about this tragedy. Obviously if i did it wouldn’t carry much weight because he is my brother.If there is a consistent awarenes people will read the stories more and realize that something like this could happen to one of there own.I have had so many people come and visit me in my store from johnsburg and mchenry that are absolutely stunned , heartbroken and angry about this whole thing. This blog is great but it is an undercurrent. Letters need to be sent to editors of papers.
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Ill do it today
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I wrote the Herald Eugene, Ill do the Trib next
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thanks buck and mri guy.
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It is a terrible shame that the murdering sociopath directed to intimidate Brian is free. Do you realize that, had your brother called the police when this happened, Shane Lamb would be in jail? Brian’s family would have been spared the torture of uncertainty, and buried the boy with dignity. And perhaps now, instead of facing sentencing, Mario would be close to getting out of prison, with time to make a life and enjoy a family of his own.
That one murderer is free does not absolve your brother. Not legally, or morally. I am sorry for your pain, but please try to understand: he is not a worthy cause.
When Brian died–and I hope for your brother and your family that he was already gone–Mario chose to lie. He tried to get away with it. Given likelihood of prison, and the criminally awful conditions to which we subject prisoners, trying to avoid it is not irrational. Almost anyone would have thought about it. And many would have tried. So, for whatever reasons–nefarious or fearful–he made that bet.
The pain caused by this choice is well documented. And it let one killer go free. It is a tragedy. To blame prosecutors for pursuing partial justice, when Mario has made full justice impossible, is absurd.
Take look at your own family and whether or how, by encouraging or enabling Mario to make that bet, and to continue to avoid responsibility, it has a role in this outcome. Perhaps if he tells the truth, in addition to it being the right thing to do, he will receive a lighter sentence. I wish you the best in this struggle.
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to rose, i respectfully disagree. He was offered deals as late as 2009-2010 that would have gotten him a concealment charge and very minimal jail time if any. All he had to do is say what happened.I highly doubt that mario would bankrupt his own family. He is not an idiot he has a heart and its huge……..rose doesn’t it bother you that rob renders blood was enmeshed with brians in that cooler and outside of it?……….beyond a reasonable doubt i would say.
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Once again there is no justice for anyone here. Now we have this predator roaming the county once again. How this trial was held in McHenry county in the first place still amazes me with 10 years of publicity before these trials. How in Gods name can they cut lose a person who admitted hitting Brian resulting in his death. What happened to people who supposedly help cover this up. There are just to many loose ends and bad deals here. There is HUGE reasonable doubt here. Eugene dont give up! Rose, I disagree
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thanks buck……….amazingly no letters to the editor that have made print……….i guess the powers that be just want this story to go away.
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hearing has been postponed until aug. 21st
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