Algonquin eye doctor denied bond in stabbing death of Schaumburg girlfriend
An Algonquin eye doctor accused of murdering his Schaumburg girlfriend by stabbing her 20 to 30 times last weekend will be held without bond in Cook County Jail, a judge decided Monday.
Anthony R. Prate, 55, of the 1400 block of Spring Hill Drive, is charged with first-degree murder for killing his girlfriend of the past few months, 48-year-old Malgorzata B. "Margaret" Daniel during an argument after a dinner party she hosted Friday night at her house on Arbor Glen Boulevard, authorities said.
During Prate's bond hearing, prosecutors said the topic of death arose during the party, which was attended by two of Daniel's neighbors who met Prate for the first time. The discussion appeared to upset Prate to the extent that he left the room for a noticeably long period and when he returned he appeared agitated, authorities said.
Assistant state's attorneys said Prate became more agitated around midnight, leading into early Saturday morning when Daniel apologized for Prate's behavior as her neighbors were leaving. Prate told Daniel she didn't need to apologize for him, according to testimony.
Just after 12:15 a.m., one neighbor sent Daniel a text thanking her for the dinner. But shortly after 1:30 a.m., in what prosectors described as "an extremely flat affect," Prate called 911 and indicated Daniel was "gravely wounded."
Prate reportedly told the operator he and Daniel had been fighting with the same knife and the weapon was on the floor.
When Schaumburg police officers arrived at the house, they reported a knife was in Daniel's right hand and she was on her back, bleeding and not breathing in the kitchen area.
Officers unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate her. She was pronounced dead at the scene, prosecutors said.
The Cook County medical examiner determined the death to be a homicide caused "sharp force injuries."
Detectives learned that during the 20 minutes before the 911 call, Prate contacted three family members and mentioned stabbing Daniel.
According to prosecutors, Prate admitted to multiple people and agencies that he stabbed Daniel "a lot of times."
When Prate appeared in court, his hand was bandaged. A man was removed from the courtroom by sheriff's deputies after angrily shouting at Prate. That man and other grieving acquaintances later declined to comment outside the courtroom.
In seeking a bond amount, Prate's attorneys argued he has been a contributing member to society, the criminal charge was based on a domestic incident and that Prate had fully cooperated with police and investigators. They also said Prate has been raising two children, ages 17 and 19, on his own since the death of his wife in a car crash eight years ago.
But Circuit Court Judge Jill Marisie-Cerone set no bail, citing a motivation for Prate to flee and his self-reporting of mental health issues.
After the initial bond hearing, Prate's attorneys had their client brought back to the courtroom to argue he had no mental health issues.
Speaking to court employees, Marisie-Cerone said Prate had admitted he had mental health issues and that he took medication for anxiety.
Marisie-Cerone said Prate's admission about mental health issues qualified as a self-report. She said she had the right to consider multiple factors in establishing his bond and that he would remain in custody while awaiting his next hearing.
That hearing was scheduled for Dec. 19 at the Cook County Courthouse in Rolling Meadows.