Will County judge convicts Naperville man in wife’s stabbing

A Will County judge on Wednesday found a Naperville man guilty for attempted murder in the December 2019 stabbing of his wife.

Patrick O’Brien, 62, was found guilty of attempted first degree murder and attempted domestic battery in the three-day bench trial that ended Wednesday.

The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office announced the verdict by Circuit Judge John O’Connor.

According to a news release from the state’s attorney’s office, O’Brien was separated from his wife at the time of the stabbing but returned to their Naperville home to get personal items.

“The victim was in the kitchen when O’Brien grabbed a large kitchen knife and pointed it at her,” according to the release. “O’Brien proceeded to chase after the victim who ran to a neighbor’s house for help where she was stabbed in the chest. The neighbor heard the victim’s screams and threw O’Brien off the victim.”

O’Brien “stabbed himself multiple times in the torso,” according to the release. “The incident was caught on the neighbor’s home surveillance system.”

A sentencing date has been scheduled for Nov. 2. O’Brien is eligible for a sentence of 6 to 30 years, the state’s attorney’s office said.