Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Algonquin, IL: Police: Boy, 16, killed father

ALGONQUIN – Authorities aren’t discussing a motive, but court records allege a long, abusive past for a man who police said was shot to death Monday night by his 16-year-old son.

David Szalonek of 1461 Westbourne Parkway was charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of Brian Szalonek, 51. David Szalonek is being held at the Kane County Juvenile Detention Facility on $2.5 million bail.

Algonquin police responded to the residence about 7:47 p.m. Monday for a report of a suspicious incident and found the victim, Brian Szalonek, dead of a gunshot wound.

According to court documents, more than one order of protection previously had been taken out by David Szalonek’s mother, Jerilyn, against the victim. In court documents, Jerilyn Szalonek accused her husband of physical abuse and withholding financial assistance to the family.

McHenry County court records showed that Jerilyn Szalonek sought orders of protection against her husband at least twice while the family was living in Lake in the Hills.

Both times, emergency orders of protection were granted, but the case was dismissed before a longer order was entered.

In 2004, Jerilyn Szalonek said her husband threw a candle at her and punched her in the head during an argument about a loan. Jerilyn Szalonek she took out the loan in her husband’s name after he refused to buy groceries and necessities for their three children, according to her request for an order of protection. She accused him of threatening to continue to beat her until the loan, which had a high interest rate, was paid, according to the request.

She also said that he had choked her and threatened her life in 1987 and hit her and threw a box of books at her in 1997. She wrote that he had counseling after both those incidents but resumed verbally and physically abusing her.

“My children have seen only a few things, but it’s enough for me to question my safety even when I am with him,” she wrote in 2004. “I need to be away from this man, and I need healing.”

Neighbors say the family has two other sons, one a second-grader and the other attending college.

According to one neighbor, it was not unusual to hear arguments at the house.

“In the summertime, we walk our dogs a lot, and during those walks, you could frequently hear yelling coming from the house’s open windows,” she said.

David Szalonek is enrolled at Jacobs High School as a freshman and has attended District 300 schools since seventh grade, District 300 spokeswoman Allison Strupeck said. Some neighbors said they thought that the boy had been home schooled.

“The preliminary investigation indicated that his peers were never in danger and that it was strictly a family-related situation,” the district said in a statement.

A phone message was sent to families of Jacobs students early Tuesday, and staff members are available to assist students who show signs of needing support.

Szalonek’s next court date is scheduled for Feb. 18.

• Northwest Herald reporter Jillian Duchnowski contributed to this report.

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