Prosecutors show interrogation video in second day of Petre trial

The second day of Logan Petre’s bench trial began with prosecutors showing taped statements Logan made to Marseilles police officers the morning of his arrest.

On Monday, prosecutors showed some of Logan’s five-hour interview with Marseilles Police Sergeant Dan Ellis. They previously had shown other portions of the interview May 28.

Logan, 22, of Marseilles is facing up to 60 years in prison if a La Salle County Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni convicts him of killing his father without cause. He faces multiple felony charges, among which is first-degree murder in connection with the beating and asphyxiation death of his father, Leo Petre.

Logan previously waived his right to a jury trial, leaving the decision in the hands of Vescogni.

Throughout the interview, Logan told police that his father “got what he had coming to him.”

In a taped statement, Logan said his father initiated the fight on Father’s Day weekend in 2024, forcing Logan to resort to self-defense. Logan accused Leo of consistently bullying and belittling him.

The confrontation began after his neighbors reported him to the police for mooning them, Logan told Ellis during the interview. He said that when he tried to explain to Leo that the neighbors were calling for every little issue, his father wasn’t willing to listen. Logan said that Leo was only concerned for his reputation.

No witnesses were present at the struggle itself, but Logan said his father initiated it when he stood up from his chair and slapped Logan in the face twice.

“All I did was take him down,” Logan said in the taped statement.

During his integration with Ellis, Logan said Leo head-butted him twice and called him “lazy,” along with other names. At first, Logan said he fought with Leo, but didn’t kill him. Logan’s statements later changed. He told police that, at the end of the struggle, Leo had said “you’re going to kill me.”

Logan told Ellis during his interview that his father had been antagonizing him since he was 15 and that he just wanted his father to stop.

“It’s not like I intended to kill him,” Logan said during his interrogation.

Logan told police during the interview that he washed his clothes and face after the first. When his grandmother, Leo’s mother, came downstairs, she wanted to call an ambulance. Logan said he told his grandmother that they could “figure it out,” but she called the police. Logan said he went to take a shower.

“She wasn’t on my side,” he said during his interview with Ellis.

When Ellis left the room, Logan reportedly was heard mumbling to himself, “I can’t believe my grandma called them.”

During his interview, Logan said over and over again that he believed his father’s death was a part of “God’s plan.”

Public Defender Ryan Hamer highlighted a bruise on Logan’s forehead and the toxicology report, which showed Leo had ingested alcohol, adding that his blood-alcohol content was above the legal limit. Hamer also pointed to the toxicology report revealing cocaine in Logan’s system. Ellis testified Monday that cocaine and alcohol are factors known to cause aggression.

During the interview, Marseilles Police Chief Todd Gordon asked Logan, “Do you feel any remorse?”

“I wish I could,” Logan said. “I don’t think he deserves any remorse. … If I’m the bad guy for not feeling any remorse – then I’ll be the bad guy.”

The trial resumes at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 15. With no jury seated, Vescogni has the option of holding the trial intermittently.