Local prosecutors 'closely monitoring' Schaumburg murder investigation involving Algonquin man

McHenry County prosecutors have their eyes on a Schaumburg murder case involving a man who was driving the day his wife was killed in a 2011 crash in Lake in the Hills.

McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally said Tuesday that his office is closely monitoring the case out of Cook County, where 55-year-old Anthony Prate is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of his girlfriend, 48-year-old Malgorzata "Margaret" Daniel.

"We are closely monitoring the ongoing investigation related to Mr. Prate in Cook County and will continue to evaluate incoming information for any bearing it may have on the tragic death of Bridget Prate in 2011," Kenneally said in a statement.

On March 1, 2011, Prate, of Algonquin, was the driver in a Lake in the Hills crash that killed his wife, 45-year-old Bridget Prate. In that case, Prate's vehicle crossed the centerline and hit a southbound SUV on the west side of Pyott Road before striking a tree and fence.

Prate was charged with improper lane use and took traffic safety school, receiving 120 days of supervision for the petty offense.

On Saturday, Prate allegedly called 911 at 1:31 a.m. and alerted police of a physical altercation between himself and Daniel at her home, in the 300 block of Arbor Glen Boulevard.

Once police arrived, they said they found Daniel dead from multiple stab wounds.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office completed an autopsy Sunday and ruled the death a homicide resulting from more than 20 cutting injuries.

Prate was the vice president of Eye Works Ltd. in Barrington and Lake Zurich.

His picture, which was on the Eye Works website Monday, was taken down as of Tuesday morning.

Diane Swanson, an optician at Eye Works, said Prate no longer is with the practice.

“We decided to dissolve our relationship [with Prate],” she said. “It was a mutual agreement.”

Swanson declined to comment further.

Daniel worked as a nurse anesthetist at Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. Dr. Kadijah Ray, an anesthesiologist at St. Alexius, said Daniel was “wonderful.”

“Everybody loved her,” Ray said. “She’s a very gentle, kind person.”

Ray said Daniel was perfectly suited to the line of work she was in, being in the business of comforting people and making sure they were safe going to surgery.

“She’s such a kind person; she would never, ever hurt anybody,” Ray said. “I never thought somebody could do harm to her. She dedicated her life to caring for others.”

According to a GoFundMe page Ray set up, Daniel is survived by her daughters, Patrycja and Dominika.

They both are in their early to mid-20s and “starting out” in their own lives, Ray said, and she wanted to do something to assist with funeral costs and other expenses.

The GoFundMe had raised $30,080 by Tuesday evening.

“[It’s] a reflection of her...how people felt about her,” Ray said. “People are truly heartbroken.”