Man accused in murder-for-hire plot in suburban Beach Park facing felony charges

BEACH PARK, Ill. — Felony charges have been filed against a man accused of shooting and injuring a man in suburban Beach Park as part of a murder-for-hire plot.

Lake County deputies say an investigation into the alleged plot began on Wednesday after a man was shot while warming up his car outside of his home in the 38400 block of North Sheridan Road in Beach Park.

Deputies believe the victim was sitting in his car around 5:20 a.m. when someone opened fire. After being shot, a relative of the man drove him to the hospital for help and he was later flown to a trauma center.

As authorities searched for answers in connection with the case, they eventually identified a suspicious vehicle that had been spotted slowly driving through the area a day before the shooting.

Detectives reviewed surveillance video and were able to locate a vehicle matching the description of the suspicious vehicle.

Sheriff’s detectives then obtained the license plate of the vehicle and used license plate reading cameras to confirm it had been in the area around the time of the shooting.

Deputies notified Beach Park authorities that the vehicle may have been used in the shooting and shortly after, Mount Pleasant police located the owner of the vehicle, 28-year-old Cristian Ruval-Cavatorres, a Mount Pleasant resident.

Authorities later located Ruval-Cavatorres in a different vehicle and took him into custody following a traffic stop.

After speaking with the suspect, deputies determined that Ruval-Cavatorres was allegedly responsible for the shooting. Additionally, they discovered evidence that indicated he had been hired by someone to shoot and kill the victim.

Detectives later executed a search warrant and recovered a firearm believed to have been used in the attempted homicide and a telephone that Ruval-Cavatorres is believed to have allegedly used to communicate with the person who commissioned the murder.

Ruval-Cavatorres has since been charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm. He is currently in custody at the Racine County Jail, pending extradition to Lake County.

Following the first suspect’s arrest, detectives located the person who allegedly hired Ruval-Cavatorres on Thursday in the 1600 block of Park Avenue, North Chicago.

The person who allegedly hired Ruval-Cavatorres was also taken into custody and authorities said charges against them are currently pending.

“Senseless acts of violence have no place in our society. I am extraordinarily proud of the hard work of all our staff involved in this investigation. Our detectives swiftly uncovered a significant amount of evidence that led them to the offender, as well as to identifying and arresting the individual who ordered the shooting. We will continue to hold relentlessly violent offenders accountable,” Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.

Officers say the victim injured in the shooting remains hospitalized in critical condition.