Crime & Safety
Wheaton Native Found Fatally Shot in Still-Running Car Near Chicago School He Worked At
A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help the family of Jason Goodfriend, who was the business manager at Chicago Tech Academy.
CHICAGO, IL — The business manager for a Near West Side Chicago school was found shot to death in his still-running car, which was parked near the school he worked at, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The body of Jason Goodfriend, the 31-year-old business manager at Chicago Tech Academy, was discovered by police at about 9:50 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, slumped over the wheel of his car, with the engine running, in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street in the University Village neighborhood, the report stated. Goodfriend had been shot through the head, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, which was only a block away from Tech Academy, 1301 W. 14th St., the report added.
The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide after an autopsy Sunday, the report stated. Area Center detectives are currently investigating the murder.
Find out what's happening in Wheatonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Goodfriend, who lived in the Humboldt Park neighborhood and who friends called "Jay," was a Wheaton native who graduated from Warrenville South High School and the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Sun-Times reports.
A GoFundMe campaign was started on behalf of Goodfriend's family in order to help pay for funeral and other expenses.
Find out what's happening in Wheatonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Everyone is at a loss for words," Kaloyan Slavchev wrote on the web page for the fundraising effort. "Jay has touched the lives of many people, and will forever be remembered as a geniune, honest and sincere gentleman. He has made memorable impressions to not only those who have known him forever, but those who he had only briefly spoken to. Another innocent soul is taken way too soon."
As of noon Wednesday, Jan. 11, the campaign has earned a little more than $7,000 and is close to reaching its $10,000 goal.
Another friend of Goodfriend's is holding a beer raffle to raise money for the family. Information about the raffle was posted on Facebook.
Friends, relatives and colleagues also used social media to share their condolensces and their thoughts about Goodfriend:
More via the Chicago Sun-Times
A photo of Jason Goodfriend, 31, that appears on the GoFundMe page to help support his family. (screen shot via GoFundMe)
Like What You're Reading? Stay Patched In!
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
