Bail Set At $5M for Minooka Man Charged in Evergreen Park Homicide

Bail was set for a Minooka man accused of stabbing a Chicago man to death during weekend party in Evergreen Park,

Patrick J. Tantillo, 39, appeared before Judge Kerry Kennedy in Bridgeview on Tuesday, where bail was set at $5 million, a spokesman for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said.

Tantillo was charged with first degree murder in the stabbing death of Lucian Nicolaescu, 31, of the 4800 block of North Winthrop Avenue.

Evergreen Park police said the two men got into a verbal argument during a party in the backyard of a residence in the 9300 block of South Springfield Avenue early Sunday morning. The argument escalated resulting in the stabbing of Nicolaescu.

Nicolaescu was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he died later that morning.

Partygoers told police that Tantillo attacked the North Side man with a folding knife and allegedly stabbed him in the right side, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Tantillo was taken into police custody at the scene.

According to the Tribune, Tantillo has prior drug convictions dating back to 2005, 2003 and 1999.

Tantillo is due back in court on Sept. 10.

PHOTO: Booking photo of Patrick J. Tantillo, 39, of Minooka. | Cook County Sheriff’s Office