90 years for man convicted of murder in 2009 Channahon shooting

February 27

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that a Joliet man who was found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a Channahon man has been sentenced to 90 years in prison.

Matthew Edwards, 21, also was found guilty of attempted first-degree murder in December at the conclusion of a bench trial.  Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak’s sentence on Wednesday included 50 years for the murder count plus a consecutive 40 years for the attempted murder count.

Edwards shot Joshua Terdic in the head during a home invasion at Terdic’s Channahon apartment on July 7, 2009. Terdic died 10 days later.  A female victim, Lauren Vasilakis, also was shot but survived.

Three other defendants also were convicted and sentenced in connection with the murder and home invasion. Jason Orasco, 29, of Channahon, was sentenced to 75 years in prison, and Ashley Hill, 21, of Joliet, was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Hill pleaded guilty to home invasion and testified against a fourth defendant, Mary Vetor, 27, of Joliet, who hatched the plan to steal money and drugs from Terdic. Vetor drove Edwards and Orasco to Terdic’s apartment and supplied the weapons — a gun and a baseball bat. Vetor was sentenced to 61 years in prison. Edwards is the final defendant to be convicted and sentenced.

Assistant State’s Attorneys Michael Fitzgerald, who heads the office’s Felony Division, Christine Vukmir and Daniel Walsh prosecuted the cases and secured the sentences. The murder was investigated by the Will County Major Crimes Task Force.