Highland Park man accused of murdering his older brothers, setting home on fire

A Highland Park man is in custody and awaiting extradition from Missouri in the shooting deaths of his two brothers earlier the week.

Lake County authorities said late Friday that 54-year-old Jeffrey S. Austwick was charged with the murder of his older brothers, 63-year-old Marc and 60-year-old John Austwick.

The bodies of the two men were found with multiple gunshot wounds outside the home on the 1700 block of Park Avenue West that Jeffrey Austwick shared with his mother, who recently died.

Neighbors reported the house on fire at about 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Authorities believe Jeffrey Austwick shot his brothers who had come to discuss disposition of the property that was owned by his mother, then set the building on fire and fled.

He was arrested early Friday at a park in St. Louis, Missouri, according to a news release from the Lake County sheriff’s office.

Both the deaths and the fire remain under investigation by Highland Park police and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force.