Northbrook murder suspect captured in Mexico
An Aurora man suspected of killing a Northbrook lawyer was captured Monday in Mexico, the U.S. Marshals Service announced Wednesday.
John Panaligan, 57, was put on the marshals’ “15 Most Wanted” fugitives list in 2020.
He has been charged with killing Victor Jigar Patel of Prospect Heights. Patel was found strangled to death in his office on Dec. 7, 2016.
At the time, Patel, 36, was representing plaintiffs suing Panaligan’s home health care company, Vital Wellness Home Health Inc., in a long-running case.
“I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to the men and women of the Marshals Service, as well as to the officials from the Government of Mexico,” U.S. Marshals Director Ronald L. Davis said in a news release. “I hope this arrest brings some measure of comfort to the Patel family and serves as a stark reminder to fugitives from justice that there is no place to hide.”
Northbrook police and the U.S. Marshals’ Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force worked on finding Panaligan.
Authorities allege Panaligan lured Patel to the office by scheduling an appointment using an alias. He wore a disguise, police say.
Panaligan was detained two days later at the Canadian border for allegedly smuggling a gun into Canada and was allowed to return to the United States. Police interviewed him about Patel’s death.
An arrest warrant for first-degree murder was issued in February 2017.