Marseilles murder case looking more like it will be tried in 2025

A Marseilles man could stand trial later this year for allegedly killing his father, but the window already is closing on a jury trial in 2024.

Logan Petre, 21, appeared Tuesday at an unscheduled hearing in La Salle County Circuit Court on multiple felony charges led by first-degree murder. He left with an Oct. 31 status hearing – a mental health evaluation remains pending – and with a diminishing chance of standing trial before the new year.

Murder carries a mandatory prison sentence of 20 to 60 years, but Petre could face an extended sentence if convicted of other felonies filed before and after his father Leo’s death.

Although the pending exam does not affect Petre’s right to a speedy trial – by law, the clock is stopped when mental health issues are raised – it could push the jury trial into 2025, as lining up witnesses becomes complicated as the holidays approach.

Leo Petre died of asphyxia after a beating in his Marseilles home on Father’s Day weekend. Logan Petre was then out on bond – released on traditional cash bond before the SAFE-T Act took effect – and has since been charged with aggravated battery in connection with beating a fellow inmate in the La Salle County Jail.