Police seek lawsuit defendant regarding 2016 strangulation death of suburban Chicago lawyer
An adverse appellate ruling may have been the motive in last December’s strangulation death of a lawyer in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, according to the lawyer’s widow.
An arrest warrant has been issued for 51-year-old John Panaligan of suburban Aurora, report the Chicago Tribune, the Sun-Times Media Wire, the Aurora Patch and a press release posted by the Daily North Shore. He is wanted in the slaying of 36-year-old Jigar Patel.
Panaligan was the defendant in a suit involving his business, Vital Wellness Home Health Inc. Patel represented the plaintiff. Panaligan lost an appeal in the case shortly before the slaying.
Patel’s widow, Amy, told a television station in the Philippines that she believed her husband was getting closer to learning the truth about Panaligan’s business before the slaying.
Police believe Panaligan left for Mexico in January, according to the press release. He owns property in the Philippines and has family there. He has also made money transfers to foreign bank accounts, some of which are in the Philippines.
Police have issued an international alert for Panaligan’s arrest, according to the Tribune.
