Schizophrenic Man Kills Father with Sledgehammer Despite Active Protection Order: A Family Tragedy in Illinois

Abhijit Patel, 28, is currently being held without bail and prohibited from any contact with his mother following a tragic incident in Illinois.

An Indian-origin man has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing his 67-year-old father with a sledgehammer at their family residence in Schaumburg, Illinois. Despite having an active protection order filed against him by his family, Abhijit Patel was still residing in the family home when the deadly attack occurred over the Thanksgiving weekend.

According to Cook County prosecutors, the victim, Anupam Patel, was discovered by his wife on November 29, unresponsive with severe head injuries in their bedroom.

On the morning of the incident, Anupam Patel's wife had departed for work at approximately 5:42 am, leaving her husband and son alone in the house. The victim, who was unemployed due to complications from diabetes, regularly monitored his glucose levels which were connected to his wife's phone.

Typically, Anupam would contact his wife around 8:00 am to report his blood sugar readings. When this routine call didn't occur and she noticed his glucose levels dropping dangerously, she grew concerned and attempted unsuccessfully to reach both her husband and son by telephone.

Increasingly worried, she returned home around 10:30 am to find the garage door unexpectedly open. Her son told her he had "taken care of Dad" and suggested she should "go check on him."

Upon entering the bedroom, she discovered her husband covered in blood and immediately called emergency services.

First responders arrived shortly thereafter and pronounced Anupam Patel dead at the scene. A sledgehammer was found nearby. A subsequent autopsy revealed the victim had sustained at least two powerful blows to the head, resulting in a fractured skull and broken nose.

Abhijit Patel surrendered immediately when police arrived. During interrogation, he claimed he had a "religious obligation" to kill his father, accusing him of childhood molestation. However, he acknowledged being under medical treatment and that his doctors considered these allegations against his father to be "delusional."

Medical records confirm that Abhijit has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had previously required hospitalization for treatment.

In court, prosecutors revealed that Abhijit admitted to bringing a sledgehammer into his father's room while the victim was awake in bed. He confessed to striking his father multiple times before placing the weapon beside him and leaving the room.

At the time of the murder, Abhijit was under a court order prohibiting contact with his father due to previous death threats, yet his parents had permitted him to remain in the family home. This protection order remains active until January 2027.

Currently held without bail and forbidden from contacting his mother, Abhijit Patel's next court appearance is scheduled for December 19.