Background: The Schaumburg, Ill. neighborhood where Abhijit Patel allegedly killed his father (Google Maps). Inset: Abhijit Patel (Cook County Sheriff”s Office).
An Illinois resident contacted his mother during her work hours to suggest she “check on” his father, following an alleged fatal incident, as per official reports.
On Saturday, 28-year-old Abhijit Patel was apprehended and remains in custody without bail, facing charges of first-degree murder. During his initial court session on Monday, Cook County prosecutors revealed that while at work, his mother attempted to reach both her son and her 67-year-old husband, Anupam Patel. Upon receiving no response to her calls, she returned to their residence in Schaumburg, where her son informed her that he had “taken care of his father” and advised her to inspect the situation.
Upon investigation, prosecutors stated that she discovered Anupam Patel in bed, covered in blood.
According to a report from a local Patch journalist, Anupam Patel, who was diabetic, had his glucose levels tracked by his wife through a mobile application. It was customary for him to call her at 8 a.m. to report his glucose readings. On that particular Saturday, the expected call did not come, and her concern grew when she noticed his glucose levels dropping.
The prosecutors further detailed that upon her arrival at the home around 10:30 a.m., she found the garage door unlocked, which was unusual. Inside, her son allegedly confessed to using a sledgehammer to kill his father. After discovering her husband’s condition, she immediately called 911.
When law enforcement arrived, Abhijit Patel raised his hands as they took him into custody. Officers discovered a sledgehammer beside the bed where Anupam Patel’s body was located. He was declared dead at a nearby hospital. The autopsy indicated that he suffered at least two blows to the head, resulting in a fractured skull and broken nose.
Police said that when they questioned Abhijit Patel, he told them he had a “religious duty” to kill his father. He claimed that his father purportedly abused him as a child, but that his doctors said his claims were “delusional.” Court records obtained by local news outlet Arlington Cardinal stated that Abhijit Patel had previously been admitted to a psychiatric hospital and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Prosecutors said that Abhijit Patel had an order of protection against him that forbade him from contacting his father, whom he had threatened to kill before. The order went into effect in January 2025 and was meant to last until January 2027.
Abhijit Patel’s disturbing behavior was not limited to his father, prosecutors said. In November 2024, he allegedly made concerning comments on social media and in group chats to his fellow students at the University of Illinois Chicago. He was banned from campus until he was evaluated by a psychiatrist.
Abhijit Patel was charged with first-degree murder and ordered by a judge to be held without bond. He was also ordered not to contact his mother. His next court date is scheduled for Dec. 19.
