Highland Park man accused of killing brothers waives extradition

The Highland Park man accused of murdering his two older brothers and burning down their late mother’s house last week has waived extradition proceedings in St. Louis and is expected back in Illinois within a week.

Jeffrey S. Austwick, 54, was charged Friday with the June 3 murders of his brothers, 63-year-old Marc and 60-year-old John Austwick, in Highland Park.

Austwick waived extradition at a Tuesday court hearing, but remains in the custody of the City of St. Louis Division of Corrections.

“We have received the extradition order and are arranging to have a team drive down and extradite him back to Lake County,” said Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli. “I anticipate that he will be in Lake County custody in the next seven days.”

Authorities said the brothers’ bodies 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. June 3.

Authorities said Jeffrey Austwick shot his brothers when they went to the home to discuss disposition of their mother’s property, then set the building on fire before fleeing.

He was arrested early Friday at a park in St. Louis, according to the sheriff’s office.

The investigation has been conducted by Highland Park police and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force.