Chicago suburban man charged with killing wife, daughter

[June 10, 2014]  By Mary Wisniewski
 
 CHICAGO (Reuters) - Leaving a note saying he was "a failure at everything," a suburban Chicago man strangled his wife and teenage wheelchair-bound daughter and then tried to slit his wrists, officials said on Monday.

Anthony Marcus, 53, was held on a $5 million bond after being charged with first-degree murder on Monday in the deaths of his wife, Sun Marcus, 50, and 17-year-old daughter, whose name was not disclosed, according to Lake County State's Attorney spokeswoman Cynthia Vargas.

Marcus called police on Sunday evening to say he had killed his wife and daughter, and was found with self-inflicted wounds to his left wrist, according to Waukegan Police Commander Joseph Florip.

The bodies were found in the basement of the family's town house in Waukegan, about 43 miles (60 km) north of Chicago. A dog also was killed, Florip said.

Officers found a note on the porch that read in part, "For Michelle, I'm sorry. Your dad is a failure at everything."

Florip said the daughter used a wheelchair but he did not know the nature of her disability. He said police had received no previous calls to that address and couldn't comment on what may have motivated the killings.

Marcus was assigned a public defender, who was not immediately available for comment. His next court appearance will be on July 2.
 

(Editing by Bernadette Baum)

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