Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Orland Park, Il: Woman in Orland Park murder-suicide had protection order

An Orland Park woman found dead in her home with her estranged husband Tuesday was killed by “an assault and cervical injury,” according to police and autopsy results from the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Her husband died of a gunshot wound to the chest. His death was ruled a suicide, police said Wednesday.

The couple, identified as Karen Lolis, 48, and Angelo Lolis, 55, were in divorce proceedings, officials said. The two have three daughters ages 19, 17 and 16.

“There is sufficient evidence at this time for police to believe that this case will eventually be classified as a murder/suicide once the investigation is complete,” Orland Park police said in a news release.

Karen Lolis filed for divorce from Angelo Lolis and petitioned for an order of protection on May 7, according to Cook County Circuit Court records.

Police said Angelo Lolis was living with his parents in Hickory Hills where he left a suicide note Tuesday morning. Orland Park police found the two in the garage of a home in the 17100 block of Highwood Drive when conducting a well-being check at the address Tuesday morning, police said.

Angelo Lolis apparently confronted and killed his wife as she was leaving for her job as a TSA screener at Midway Airport between 3 and 4 a.m. Tuesday, police said. He then used a gun he took from his father’s home to kill himself, police said.

The couple’s daughters were visiting relatives in the Chicago area at the time of the deaths.

Orland Park police said they were called to the Highwood Drive address on May 3 and May 8 because of verbal arguments between the couple but no arrests were made.

Attorney James A. Palmisano, who was representing Karen Lolis in the divorce proceedings, said Angelo Lolis had been emotionally and verbally abusive to his wife during their marriage.

“He threatened her in the past,” he said. “That’s what led up to her wanting a divorce in the first place.”

The two were married in 1990, he said. Last week, Karen contacted her lawyer to say she believed her husband had broken into the home.

“It’s sad,” he said. “She was a very nice lady. A very good mom. She worked hard all her life.”

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