Bond has been denied for a south suburban man charged with fatally shooting his elderly father, Donald L. McNamara, last week in the older man’s Canaryville neighborhood home on the South Side.
Donald J. McNamara | Chicago Police
Donald J. McNamara, 58, faces one count of first-degree murder for the death of his 86-year-old father, according to authorities.
Cook County prosecutors allege it was the culmination of a longstanding family feud.
Donald L. McNamara’s daughter found him bleeding from his head just after 4 p.m. Aug. 10 in the 4100 block of South Wallace, where he had lived for over 2 years, according to authorities and friends. When paramedics arrived, they found a puncture wound to the back of his head, Chicago Police said.
McNamara was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:31 p.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and ruled his death a homicide.
Community activist Andrew Holmes, who had offered a $1,000 reward for information, said the popular neighbor, known as “Sonnie Mac” to friends, “didn’t deserve it. He’s 86 and we are going to do everything we can do help solve this case.”
Donald J. McNamara was arrested about 12:25 p.m. Monday at his home in Worth.
The investigation revealed he and his father had been involved in an argument, and at some point the son pulled out a handgun and fired, striking the older man in the back of the head, authorities said.
The younger man confessed to the crime while police were questioning family members about the deceased, according to prosecutors.
Donald J. McNamara was denied bond at a hearing Wednesday, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office. His next court appearance is set for Sept. 5.
—Chicago Sun-Times Wire and Homicide Watch Chicago