Marseilles man accused of killing his father on Father’s Day opts for bench trial

A Marseilles man accused of killing his dad on Father’s Day weekend waived his right to a jury trial Wednesday. Logan Petre will stand trial before a judge May 28.

Petre, 21, made an unscheduled appearance Wednesday in La Salle County Circuit Court on multiple felony charges led by first-degree murder for allegedly beating and asphyxiating Leo Petre. He would face 20 to 60 years with the possibility of additional time for felonies filed before and after Leo’s death.

Petre was scheduled for a jury trial Monday, but that was scuttled after Petre opted against leaving his fate in the hands of jurors. Defense attorneys sometimes advise their clients to let judges, rather than juries, handle sensitive or inflammatory matters.

Still unsettled is which judge will hear his case. Petre’s jury waiver comes a day after his trial judge, Cynthia M. Raccuglia, announced her retirement. An appointee won’t be named until after the application period ends March 10, so Petre will appear for final pretrial conference April 3, by which time he may know which judge will try him.