#40: Chef is accused of slashing friend's throat while on bond for allegedly stabbing his own brother to death

A chef who is awaiting trial for allegedly stabbing his own brother to death is now charged with slashing the throat of a friend who visited his home to give him a morale boost this week. Nestor Soto, age 42, is the 40th person accused of killing, trying to kill, or shooting someone in Chicago this year while on felony bond.

Nearly four years ago, prosecutors charged Soto with killing his 25-year-old brother, Ivens, in the brother’s suburban home after they spent the night drinking. When Forest Park police arrived, they found Nestor Soto making whimpering noises, but shedding no tears, as he stood in blood-caked clothing, Assistant State’s Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said.

Officers reportedly found Ivens Soto lying on top of a knife in the kitchen atop dark and dried blood.

Soto, who was the owner of Whistle Pig restaurant in Bucktown at the time, posted a $25,000 cash bond to go home on electronic monitoring.

While fighting the murder case, Soto lost his job and his wife and children left him, Scadutto said. On Tuesday evening, a long-time friend of Soto’s picked up a case of beer and bottles of rum and vodka, then went to Soto’s Portage Park home to lift his spirits, according to Scadutto.

The men talked and drank for several hours until around 3 a.m. Wednesday when, while seated in the kitchen, Soto allegedly asked the friend for his thoughts about the pending murder case.

Scadutto said the victim told Soto that he thought Soto was guilty.

Soto stared at the man for several moments, got up, walked behind the man, and slashed him under the chin with a knife that he pulled a cutlery set, Scadutto said. Soto then swung the knife and sliced the man from the back of his neck across his throat, and to his collar bone, according to Scadutto.

The man put his hands up, but Soto allegedly continued to swing the knife at him, cutting both of the man’s hands.

Scadutto said the victim ran from Soto’s house, fell down the stairs, and ran into a nearby street where a CPD patrol car happened to be passing by. The officers applied QuikClot bandages and pressure to slow the man’s blood loss until an ambulance arrived.

Doctors told police the cut to the man’s neck stretched seven or eight inches and he will be scarred for life, Scadutto said.

Officers arrested Soto at his home on the 4900 block of West Irving Park shortly after the alleged attack.

Private defense attorney Steven Fine claimed the victim actually attacked Soto and said Soto suffered cuts to his arms and hands during the incident. Fine also said Soto denies allegations that he killed his brother.

Judge Arthur Willis ordered Soto held without bail on the new charges. He also held Soto without bail for violating the terms of bond in the murder case.

Editor’s note: This report continues our coverage of individuals who have been charged with murder, attempted murder, or trying to kill a person while on bond for a pending felony case. CWBChicago began our series of reports in November 2019 after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans publicly stated, “we haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the court’s bond reform initiative.

The actual number of murders and shootings committed by people on felony bail is undoubtedly much higher than the numbers seen here. Since 2017, CPD has made arrests in just 4% of shootings and 31% of murders, according to the city’s data. You can support CWBChicago’s work by becoming a subscriber today.

#40: Chef is accused of slashing friend’s throat while on bond for allegedly stabbing his own brother to death

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