Tinley Park man found guilty of beating wife to death

A Tinley Park man was found guilty of beating his wife to death almost six years ago.

A jury found Bahaa Sam, 52, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. Sam will spend between 20 and 60 years in prison and will have to serve 100 percent of his sentence, Will County State’s Attorney spokesman Charles B. Pelkie said.

Witnesses called to testify at the trial included the two youngest of Sam’s four children and a Tinley Park police officer. Sam was represented by attorneys Chuck Bretz and Neil Patel.

The Tinley Park police arrested Sam in December 2012 after the body of his wife, Nermeen Sam, was found badly beaten in front of their home on Silverside Drive. Sam was charged with bludgeoning her to death with a weightlifting bar. Nermeen Sam was 37 when she was killed.

The couple’s then 4-year-old son witnessed the beating, a prosecutor said during a previous court hearing.

“He stated [to investigators] their argument was regarding his lack of ability to maintain employment,” Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Steven Platek said during a hearing last year. “He felt she was challenging his manhood a little bit with the inability to hold a job.”

Sam was booked into the Will County jail shortly after his wife’s death. His bond was set at $5 million.

A 2014 case where Sam was charged with allegedly hitting a guard’s hand is pending.