Judge rejects lowering $10M bond for Crestwood man charged in 2020 killing of Lockport mom, infant

A Will County judge on Friday declined to lower a $10 million bond for a Crestwood man accused of strangling his ex-girlfriend and smothering her infant child to death in October 2020 in Lockport.

Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak denied a reduced bond for Anthony Maggio, 28, of Crestwood after a hearing between Maggio’s attorney, Michael Clancy, and Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Koch.

Maggio was arrested and booked into jail Dec. 14 after he was charged with first-degree murder for the slayings of Ashtin Eaton, 32, and her 14-month-old daughter Hazel Bryant. The charges alleged that Maggio strangled Eaton and smothered Bryant on Oct. 2, 2020.

Inside the courtroom Friday, a crowd of Eaton’s family and friends applauded Bertani-Tomczak’s decision.

“We’re kind of feeling joyous right now that he is staying in jail, where he belongs,” Eaton’s cousin Crystal Bryant said.

After the hearing, Clancy said, “It’s going to be a trial case.”

Koch declined to comment because the case is pending in court.

Clancy had requested a lower bond for Maggio, contending in a March 15 motion that his client has no previous criminal history. Clancy also asserted that the evidence in the case against Maggio was lacking.

Clancy’s motion said that although lab results found Maggio’s DNA could not be excluded from Eaton’s T-shirt and fingernails, DNA from at least four men was found on her shirt. DNA from at least two men was found under her fingernails, the motion said.

When asked Friday about the evidence in the case, Lockport Deputy Police Chief Ron Huff said police cannot release anything publicly because it could jeopardize Maggio’s right to a fair trial.

We’re kind of feeling joyous right now that he is staying in jail where he belongs.”

—  Crystal Bryant

The Lockport Police Department collaborated with the Will County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations team and Will County State’s Attorney’s Office in the investigation.

Eaton’s obituary said she was a Lockport High School graduate who was employed for several years at Amazon in Joliet, where she “excelled and was greatly appreciated and loved.”

Bryant’s obituary said she was the “light of everyone’s life and a bright little star whose light went dim way too soon.”