Man Struck Father in Head and then Strangled Him to Death in Illinois; Mum left Devastated after Losing Two Family Members
A man from Marseilles is facing detention until at least next week after being charged with murder. Logan Petre allegedly assaulted his father by striking him in the head and strangling him during the early hours of Saturday.
A 21-year-old individual named Petre made an appearance in La Salle County Circuit Court on Monday, where they were formally charged with first-degree murder. If Logan Petre is found guilty of Leo Petre’s murder, he would face a prison sentence of 20 to 60 years, without any chance of probation.
Logan Petre is currently facing three open cases, and due to a unique aspect of the Illinois murder statute, he may potentially receive consecutive prison sentences totaling up to 90 years if found guilty of a home invasion charge related to a break-in that occurred in the summer of 2023.
Public Defender Ryan Hamer requested more time to thoroughly examine the evidence in Leo Petre’s death before engaging in a discussion about whether Logan Petre should be held in custody during the murder trial.
Judge Cynthia M. Raccuglia of La Salle County Circuit has agreed to schedule a detention hearing on Wednesday, June 26 at 11 a.m.
Petre, who appeared in court on Monday with restraints, averted his gaze several times as La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro presented the unfolding details surrounding the tragic incident that led to Leo Petre’s untimely demise over the weekend.
Based on open-court statements, the Marseilles police were called to the Petre residence on two separate occasions. According to Navarro, the incident occurred just before 10 p.m. on Friday, when Logan was reportedly intoxicated and causing a disturbance outside the residence. Leo Petre successfully convinced his son to enter the premises, resulting in the Marseilles police deciding not to press charges, according to Navarro.
Police quickly returned to the scene after receiving a distressing report that Leo had been discovered unresponsive with severe injuries to his head, face, and neck, according to Navarro.
During an interview, Logan Petre acknowledged the occurrence of a verbal argument, as reported by Navarro. Navarro admitted to physically assaulting and strangling his father, according to his statement.
According to Navarro, the evidence presented during Monday’s hearing indicated that Logan used his fists to assault his father, rather than a bludgeoning instrument. However, the autopsy revealed that Leo Petre died from strangulation. According to Navarro, the autopsy revealed evidence of prolonged choking, ruling out the possibility of accidental death as reported in ShawLocal News.
Trial dates are currently pending and will not be discussed until after the detention is resolved on June 26th. Petre’s arrival could be sooner than expected. The case has been assigned to Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. and prosecutors have filed a motion for substitution of judge, invoking a statutory provision that allows them to request a change of judges without providing an explanation.
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