Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Unincorporated Palos Park Couple Murdered in Their Home

A man and woman were found dead in their Palos Township home.

The couple's teen son has been charged with their murders. Here is the latest:

Updated at 1:25 p.m. with cause of death.

Updated at 5:10 p.m. with information on a person of interest.

Find out what's happening in Paloswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A man and woman were found dead in their home Sunday morning in unincorporated Palos Park, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.

John Granat, 44, and Maria Granat, 42, were found dead in their home on the 12700 block of 81st Court, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

Find out what's happening in Paloswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office said an autopsy was performed Monday morning and the case was ruled a homicide. The couple died from multiple blunt force trauma, officials said. 

The Cook County Sheriff's Office says that investigators are questioning a person of interest who remains in custody as of Monday evening. There is not believed to be any threat to the community and residents should not feel in danger, according to a news release.

At 7:12 a.m. a 911 call was made indicating there were two deceased residents inside the home, according to a sheriff's office news release.

The call came from someone inside the home. An investigation quickly revealed the deaths to be suspicious, and detectives began questioning neighbors and family members.

Television news vans now line the quiet wooded street where the couple lived. A large pond sits beside the stately brick home with carefully manicured landscaping.

Updated, 3:00 p.m., Sept. 12: Neighbors describe the Granats as a quiet couple who kept to themselves.

Ernie Vanier says, "they were nice people, they just kept to themselves."

Mike, who lives behind the Granats' block, declined to give his last name but said sheriff's officers were racing down the street when he left for church on Sunday morning.

He returned home to find squad cars lining the street. Sunday night police began shining flashlights between the houses on his block.

He too said the Granats kept to themselves and were quiet neighbors.

Check back for updated news throughout the day.


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