Crime & Safety

Dept. of Homeland Security Investigating Man Accused of Murdering Mom in Burr Ridge

Michael Bassaly, 27, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his mother. He told a 911 dispatcher that he shot her in the head, according to prosecutors.

Written by Charles Menchaca

A Downers Grove man facing a federal investigation decided to kill his mother and then kill himself, prosecutors said.

But once the man shot his mother on Thursday, he called 911 and was taken into custody. Now he's being charged with first-degree murder.

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Michael Bassaly, 27, was ordered held without bond on Friday at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton. He appeared in a yellow jumpsuit on Friday before Judge Daniel Guerin.

Prosecutors asked Guerin for Bassaly to be held with no bond given the severity of the charge. Bassaly's attorney Marc Wolfe asked for a $1 million bail, but was denied.

Bassaly shot his mother early Thursday morning inside a silver Cadillac at the parking lot of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church's preschool on 79th Street, according to police. A letter written by Bassaly inside the car was addressed to the FBI, saying that Bassaly had to kill himself and his mother to protect them from "the investigation," the prosecutors said.

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The investigation in question is being headed by the Department of Homeland Security and involves fake documents for asylum that were in Bassaly's possession, prosecutors said. The Department's investigation began earlier this week, Dupage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said.

"This was a premeditated murder," Berlin said during a brief press conference after the bond hearing."This was carefully planned out by the defendant."

The four-minute 911 call that Bassaly made after the shooting was played in its entirely in bond court. Bassaly's head was lowered in court during the playback.

"I shot my mom," Bassaly could be heard telling a dispatcher. "I shot her in the brain … I'm begging you, call [an] ambulance."

Yvone Bassaly was pronounced dead at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital early Thursday morning, prosecutors said in court on Friday. After an autopsy was performed, the cause of death was ruled a homicide by a single gunshot wound to the head.

Bassaly's murder case is due back in court on Sept. 9.


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