A former Round Lake Beach man has been found guilty of murder in the death of a woman killed in a 2018 home invasion and robbery in Zion, according to Lake County prosecutors.
A jury returned guilty verdicts Friday in the trial of Zavian D. Wells, 31, for the murder of Kaleah Beville, 36, on Feb. 16, 2018.
Authorities said Wells and another man, Tracy Davis, entered an apartment in the 2800 block of Edwina Boulevard that day after seeing a video clip on social media in which a man was showing off money he had won in a personal injury lawsuit.
Police said Wells and Davis opened fire inside the residence during a robbery attempt. Beville was killed and two other people suffered wounds that were not life-threatening, according to police.
Detectives were able to obtain and enhance surveillance video to read the license plate number of a Chevrolet Impala they said was driven by the assailants. They traced the plate to an address in Round Lake days after the shooting and arrested Wells.
Davis was arrested and charged in January 2023. He is awaiting a December trial, according to court records.
Wells’ trial began on Aug. 26 before Judge Victoria Rossetti. Jurors heard closing arguments in the case Friday and returned their guilty verdict that night, according to prosecutors.
“Two people were injured and one person died as a result of this brutal attack back in 2018,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said Tuesday. “Our experienced Violent Crimes Unit has once again secured justice for our community.
“Our investigators, victim counselors, trial prosecutors, and administrative staff have worked together to make sure that this exceedingly complicated case was solved; that victims were supported; and that the jury saw the truth of what happened,” he said.
Wells faces a minimum sentence of 51 years in prison on the first-degree murder conviction. He was also found guilty of attempted murder, prosecutors said.
