Man Beat Dad to Death With Weed Wacker: Cops

A Woodridge man faces first-degree murder charges for allegedly striking his father in the head multiple times with a weed trimmer.

Yashesh S. Desai, 21, of 3 Plover Court in Woodridge was charged Monday in connection with the death of Sanjiv J. Desai, 47, according to DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Woodridge Police Chief Steve Herron.

A judge ordered him held on $2 million bail in the slaying.

Woodridge police responded at 3:07 a.m. Sunday to a 911 call from someone saying his brother had just killed their father, Herron said. When officers arrived, they found Sanjiv Desai lying on a futon in the Plover Court home's computer room.

The man suffered from "massive head wounds," Herron said. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital from severe trauma to his head.

Prosecutors allege Yashesh Desai struck his father several times earlier that morning with a weed wacker while the man was asleep on the futon.

Woodridge police arrested Desai on the scene.

“Sanjiv Desai’s life was tragically taken from him, allegedly by his own son,” Berlin said in a statement.

“I would like to thank the Woodridge Police Department for their quick apprehension of Mr. Deasi."

Desai was charged with one count of first-degree murder. Those charges carry a minimum 20- to 60-year sentence, Herron said.

A request by Assistant State’s Attorney Helen Kapas was approved Monday for Desai to undergo a psychological examination.

This is the latest in a string of deaths involving children killing their parents. In June, Steven M. Cole, 41, was charged and held on $1 million bond for allegedly stabbing his father in the heart and eye and hitting him in the head with a crowbar.

An autopsy showed that Stuart Cole suffered multiple head, neck and chest trauma in addition to numerous defense wounds.

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