Brute force or self-defense? La Salle County judge to decide

Prosecutors allege that Logan Petre killed his father without justification. Petre’s lawyer argues the late Leo Petre had been drinking, used cocaine and forced Logan to resort to self-defense.

Logan Petre, 22, of Marseilles, faces up to 60 years if La Salle County Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni doesn’t buy his claim of self-defense. Petre waived a jury trial in La Salle County Circuit Court, leaving it to Vescogni to decide whether he was justified in killing Leo Petre died on June 15, 2024, which was Father’s Day weekend.

At the bench trial begun Wednesday, the sequence of events was largely undisputed. Logan Petre was detained by Marseilles police after a complaint of disorderly conduct and then handed over to his father. Once inside the family home, an argument ensued. Early the next day, police were summoned after Leo was found unresponsive.

Pathologist Scott Denton testified that Leo Petre died from manual strangulation. Denton said the autopsy he conducted yielded multiple clues that Leo was choked past the moment he lost consciousness. Denton further testified he found broken bones indicating “severe force” had been applied to Leo’s neck.

Toxicology results showed that Leo Petre had ingested alcohol – his blood-alcohol content was above the legal driving limit – and revealed a byproduct of cocaine. Denton said neither the alcohol nor the cocaine were contributing factors in Leo’s death.

The two Marseilles patrol officers who responded to the complaint against Logan said Leo was calm and restrained when they brought Logan home. Sgt. Mike Byrd testified he’d known Leo many years and even seen him drinking.

“Ever see him get physically violent when he was drinking?” prosecutor Jeremiah Adams asked.

“No,” Byrd answered.

“Ever see him get physically violent at all?” Adams pressed

“No,” Byrd replied.

At the outset, Public Defender Ryan Hamer said he plans to argue self-defense, and his line of questioning suggests he intends to argue Leo grew angry and/or unreasonable under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.

Was there a struggle? Wednesday’s evidence was mixed. Hamer spotlighted a bruise and/or lump on Logan’s forehead. On the other hand, the pathologist testified he found no injury to Leo’s hands but numerous blows to his head and face, suggesting Leo bore the brunt of any physical altercation.

There were no eyewitnesses to the struggle itself though Leo’s mother, testified she rose from her bed in the middle of the night and found Leo lying blooded and lifeless. Logan, she said, urged her to help dispose of bloodied cloths. She refused and, when Logan was out of the room, sent for help.

Logan Petre was charged with murder after five hours of taped statements to Marseilles police. Adams, in his opening statement Wednesday, said Logan variously told police “You can’t prove anything” and then, “If he (Leo) was going to die, I’m glad it was me who did it.”

A portion of the video was played in open court before Vescogni adjourned Wednesday. So far, the incriminating comments attributed to Logan Petre have not been played in open court; but Logan has haltingly acknowledged some complicity.

In a long, meandering interview, Logan initially denied engaging his father – “I just walked away” – and, when asked about his bloodied hands, speculated he brushed against something.

Then, Logan kept saying he was going to jail. When pressed to explain why, however, Logan acknowledged there was an argument but that it was “only verbal.”

“I didn’t kill him,” Logan said. “I’m just saying, what happened to him might have been for a reason.”

The trial resumes at 1 p.m. Monday, June 2. With no jury seated, Vescogni has the option of holding the trial intermittently.