Arlington Heights Man Found Guilty in Brutal Murder of His Father

A jury found 22-year-old Matthew Nellessen of Arlington Heights guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday in the beating and stabbing death of his father.

George Nellessen, 55, was tied to a chair on April 12, 2011, beaten with a bat and stabbed with a kitchen knife by his son and several accomplices after the son stole $100,000 from his father's retirement fund.

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Maria McCarthy said "all of his hatred and rage he had for his father came to a head in that family room." His body was found two days later after a co-worker came to check on Nellessen.

One of his accomplices, Marlon Green, 20, testified against him in exchange for a plea to armed robbery and an 18-year sentence. Nellessen met Green in the Cook County Jail. Armon Braden, 20, and his brother Azari Braden, 19, face murder and armed robbery charges. Their cases are pending.

Green said they didn't go to Nellessen's Arlington Heights home with the intention of killing him, but the son grew angry with his father when he learned how much money his father had.

Matthew Nellessen could get life in prison.

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