Man charged with attempted murder in St. Charles shooting

A McHenry County man is facing an attempted murder charge following a home invasion Saturday in St. Charles.

It's also possible that Panagiotis Koutroumbis, 26, of Wonder Lake, could be charged with first-degree murder for the death of an accomplice, a prosecutor said Monday.

That man - 26-year-old James Gherardini - died of a gunshot wound to his chest, St. Charles police said Monday afternoon.

Police responded at 7:37 p.m. Saturday to an apartment on the 100 block of Walnut Drive. When they arrived, Koutroumbis was dragging Gherardini out of the apartment, police said.

Police believe Gherardini was shot by a 25-year-old St. Charles man who had received a call from someone in the apartment.

As the St. Charles man entered the apartment, he was shot in the abdomen, according to police. He is still in the hospital.

According to police, Koutroumbis, Gherardini and at least one other person entered the apartment through an unlocked sliding patio door, then restrained people using zip ties. A Kane County prosecutor said that the men demanded money and drugs. The prosecutor said Koutroumbis dragged Gherardini in an attempt to conceal the death.

Koutroumbis is being held on $1.5 million bail. He is charged with attempted first-degree murder, home invasion with a weapon and aggravated unlawful restraint. He would need to post $150,000 to be freed pretrial.

The prosecutor said another person is in custody; that person's name has not been released.

Police said they believe other offenders may have fled.