Naperville

Suburban Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Naperville Bar Stabbing

Daniel Olaska was charged in the fatal stabbing of a school teacher at a Naperville bar in 2012

A jury found a suburban man guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday in the 2012 fatal bar stabbing that claimed the life of a Naperville school teacher.

Daniel Olaska, 30, had pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of 24-year-old school teacher Shaun Wild. He also pleaded not guilty to two additional counts of attempted murder in the injuries of Willie Hayes and bar employee Rafael Castenada.

While Olaska was found guilty of the first-degree murder charge, jurors found him not guilty of both counts of attempted murder in the injuries of Hayes and Castenada.

Prosecutors said Olaska stabbed them with a pocket knife during a Feb. 4 brawl inside Frankie's Blue Room.

Olaska argued self-defense as his motive for the attack, but the prosecutor told the jury Olaska was aiming for the victims' hearts and was not justified in taking the action.

Assistant State's Attorney Demetri Demopoulos held up frames containing the shirts Wild and Hayes were wearing and the knife that was used in the stabbings.

The defense argued Olaska was acting in self-defense because Hayes, who was Wild's friend, acted aggressively toward Olaska and caused him to fear for his life. Defense attorney Ernest DiBenedetto said the security footage shows Hayes antagonized Olaska, despite witness testimony that Hayes was trying to shake Olaska's hand.

Closing arguments ended Wednesday afternoon, and the jury reached their verdict just before 10 p.m. after nearly six hours of deliberations.

Olaska had no criminal background prior to the stabbing incident. He has been in custody since his arrest shortly after the 2012 incident.

His next court appearance was scheduled for April 9. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Wild, of Deer Brown, Wisc., graduated from North Central College in 2011. It was his first year as a second-grade teacher at Spring Brook Elementary School. Hayes, of Lemont, was a senior at North Central College at the time of the attack and played defensive end for the football team.

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