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Congressman Krishnamoorthi hails arrest of accused in attorney murder case

John Panaligan was arrested after a seven-year manhunt for the 2016 murder of a Northbrook attorney of Indian origin

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi / Facebook @United States Marshals Service

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has lauded the efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service for the recent capture of the alleged killer of an Indian-origin attorney in Illinois in 2016.

The Service announced the arrest of John Panaligan earlier this week. He was wanted for allegedly killing attorney Victor Jigar Patel at Patel’s office in Northbrook, Illinois, on Dec. 7, 2016.

At the time of his death, 36-year-old Patel was representing clients suing Panaligan in civil court. Panaligan’s recent arrest in Tepic, Mexico, followed by his extradition, marks the end of a seven-year manhunt that landed him on the U.S. Marshals' Most Wanted Fugitives list in 2020.

The Congressman acknowledged the long fight for justice, noting that Patel’s wife had first sought his help nearly seven years ago. He thanked the Northbrook Police, U.S. Marshals, and other agencies involved in Panaligan’s capture, expressing hope that the arrest and trial will bring the Patel family the closure they need.

Panaligan allegedly tricked Patel into coming to his law office by booking an appointment under a fake name. Authorities say Panaligan, disguised in a way caught on security cameras, killed Patel in the office. Two days later, Panaligan was stopped at the Canadian border for trying to smuggle a firearm but was allowed back into the U.S. He was later questioned by Northbrook Police about Patel’s death.

Investigators carried out several searches of Panaligan’s property, gathering enough evidence to make him the main suspect in the murder.

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