Glendale Heights man acquitted of killing father

A Glendale Heights man accused of suffocating his elderly father with a pillow was found not guilty Friday of first-degree murder.

A DuPage County jury deliberated about three hours before acquitting George Panos, 47, in the January 2010 death of 78-year-old George Panos Sr.

Prosecutors said the defendant confessed multiple times to smothering his ailing father with a pillow. But an autopsy found no signs of foul play on the victim, who suffered from serious ailments including Parkinson's disease and emphysema.

“Obviously, we're happy with the verdict,” Public Defender Jeff York said. “I hope Mr. Panos makes the best of the second chance he's been given.”

Panos was expected to be released from jail Friday.

His attorneys argued he made incriminating statements in the case amid a narrowly focused investigation by officers eager to arrest him.

The probe turned to Panos after a young roommate came forward and told detectives Panos offered $50 for someone to kill his father just hours before the victim was found dead.

Investigators subsequently recorded Panos telling the roommate that his father “didn't want to be a burden anymore,” and that “this is what he wanted.” He made additional statements indicating his father had more than $35,000 in the bank and a $10,000 life insurance policy, prosecutors said, and that he used a red pillow to commit the killing.

At trial this week, York and Assistant Public Defender Kristen Nevdal sought to downplay the defendant's statements and discredit the roommate, who admitted on the stand that he lied during earlier grand jury testimony.

They also accused police of wearing “blinders” by insisting in interviews that Panos, an ex-con, killed his father for one of two reasons.

“He's given multiple-choice test with only two answers — mercy or money,” York told jurors in closing arguments. “There was no none-of-the-above for George.”

The victim's doctor testified the 78-year-old breathed with a respirator, had difficulty swallowing, and weighed less than 100 pounds in the months leading to his death.

“George had a lot of reasons to die,” Dr. Paul Menet testified. “It was not unexpected.”

At one time, the younger Panos also faced charges of solicitation of murder, but they were dismissed.