$3M Bond For Suspect In Teacher's Stabbing Death
Updated 02/06/12 - 10:45 a.m.
WHEATON, Ill. (CBS) -- Two men who had never met are now forever connected; one man is dead, killed in a stabbing at a bar in Naperville; the other is being held on $3 million bond, charged with murder.
As CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports, the victim -- 24-year-old Shaun Wild, of Wisconsin -- was a 2nd grade teacher. He was stabbed to death early Saturday morning at Frankie's Blue Room, a nightclub in Naperville.
Daniel Olaska, 27, allegedly stabbed Wild and two other men during a fight at the bar.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports prosecutors say Olaska has confessed, and even reenacted the stabbings.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports
Podcast
RELATED: In Wake Of Stabbing, Naperville Councilman Fights Lenient Liquor Law
Authorities said they are dumbfounded how what started as a low-key barroom argument escalated into deadly violence.
"I've had a lengthy police career and I've never heard of anything that made less sense than this particular stabbing," Naperville Police Chief David Dial said.
Wild and Olaska, two strangers, sat down next to each other at Frankie's Blue Room early Saturday.
Authorities said another bar patron, William Hayes III, made fun of Olaska drinking beer from a wine glass. In the ensuing argument, Olaska allegedly pulled out a 5-inch folding knife.
Wild, a friend of Hayes, rushed over to stop the fight, but Olaska allegedly stabbed him to death. Olaska also allegedly stabbed Hayes and a third man, bouncer Rafael Castenada.
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said, "This is an utterly senseless act of violence, and there is literally no explanation for the actions that took place."
Dial said, "The suspect in this matter took a knife out and lunged forward and stabbed the victims, and he continued to stab victims; after a first one, a second one, and a third one."
Olaska's parents declined to comment at his court appearance Sunday morning, when bond was set at $3 million; but they were accompanied by a dozen parishioners from Grace Christian Fellowship church, who were attempting to raise $300,000 needed to bail out Olaska.
Off camera, they said they were baffled, and that the stabbing was an aberration in Olaska's life.
Defense attorneys pointed out after court that Olaska has no criminal history, earned a master's degree in aviation administration from Middle Tennessee State University, is an aviation manager at Schaumburg Airport and was active at the church.
But authorities said, after he was in custody, Olaska admitted to the stabbings and acted them out. The entire incident was captured on surveillance video, which police said will be entered in evidence.
Authorities also said it does not appear that Olaska was under the influence of any drugs.
A tearful vigil was held at Naperville's North Central College Saturday night for Wild, a recent graduate, as the community tried to help his parents heal.
Wild was in his first full year of teaching 2nd grade at Spring Brook Elementary School in Naperville. The school's Web site went into detail about how excited Wild was to be a teacher.
"Our crisis team will be on hand to help students cope with Shaun's death," principal Dave Worst said in a statement. "Counselors will remain in place for as long as necessary to handle individual needs during the grieving process."
Late Sunday afternoon, Hayes' parents issued a statement about their injured son, who remained hospitalized at Edward Hospital in the intensive care unit.
"We are devastated by the Wild family's loss and wish to express our deepest sympathies," they said. "Willie's prognosis remains positive and we hope to have him home soon."
