Report: Chicago homeless man beaten, stabbed to death outside site of former home
CHICAGO -- Police in Chicago are searching for the killer of a homeless man who was found beaten and stabbed to death in the doorway of a recently-constructed building that stands on the site a former building where he once lived, reports The Chicago Tribune.
The victim, who has not yet been identified by the county medical examiner, was found dead early Sunday morning with severe head injuries underneath a pile of blankets. An autopsy found multiple blunt and sharp force injuries and ruled the death a homicide, the paper reports.
A friend of the victim, Richard Soto, told the paper the victim had been sleeping in the doorway of a newly-built condominium on the site of the building where he once resided. Soto said the victim had fallen on hard times about three years ago and had been living on the streets since then, sleeping most recently at the site of his former home in Ukranian Village.
Candles and flowers were placed at the site Sunday, reports CBS Chicago.
Chicago Police detectives went door-to-door Sunday as a part of their homicide investigation, reports CBS Chicago, talking with business owners and hoping nearby surveillance cameras captured whoever is responsible.
The victim is believed to have been in his sixties, the station reports. Police reportedly found a bloody knife at the scene.
Community Activist Andrew Holmes handed out flyers Sunday asking for information about the incident and offering a $1,000 reward for tips leading to an arrest. Neon signs posted near the site of the murder read, "Homeless Lives Matter!"
Jerome Campbell, who lives in the neighborhood, told the station he often saw the victim sleeping and said he didn't bother anyone.
"Just an innocent guy minding his own business," said another neighborhood resident, Sanket Shah. "It's just sad to see someone that helpless was beaten up."
