Fugitive in 2016 Illinois Attorney Murder Captured in Mexico

John Panaligan, on the run for nearly eight years, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. for the murder of Victor Jigar Patel.

John Panaligan, 57, was arrested in Tepic, Mexico, for the 2016 strangulation murder of attorney Victor Jigar Patel in Northbrook, Illinois.
Panaligan had been on the U.S. Marshals' '15 Most Wanted Fugitives' list since 2020, following his alleged use of an alias to lure Patel to his office.
The motive for the murder is believed to be linked to a lawsuit Patel was handling against Panaligan at the time.
Panaligan fled to Canada shortly after the murder and was later believed to have been hiding in Mexico with assistance from associates.
He appeared in court in Cook County for a pretrial hearing and remains in custody, with his next court date set for November 13.