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

Dec 17, 2025 02:53 pm CST

A 28-year-old Indian-origin man diagnosed with schizophrenia has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing his father with a sledgehammer in their Illinois home. Despite having an active protection order against him, Abhijit Patel was living with his parents when the tragic incident occurred. He claimed to investigators it was his "religious obligation" to kill his father, though doctors had previously identified these allegations as delusional.