Dead Man Found In Burger King Bathroom; Restaurant Reopens

CREST HILL, IL — The Burger King on Larkin Avenue in Crest Hill reopened for business Thursday morning after restaurant employees found a dead man from Joliet inside the men's bathroom Wednesday night. Chief of Police Ed Clark told Joliet Patch there was drug equipment found around the man.

An employee at Burger King told Patch on Thursday morning that the man died of a likely overdose and there were heroin needles found around his body.

Clark told Patch the man had locked himself in the bathroom. Later, when employees finally got the bathroom door open, they found the man was already dead.

Crest Hill authorities were notified around 8:45 p.m. Clark identified the man as a 34-year-old Joliet resident.

"We're still investigating what happened. It's a death investigation at this point, but we did find drug equipment at the scene with him," Clark said.

Late Wednesday night, Patch reported that officers from the Crest Hill Police Department and the Will County Sheriff's Office were on scene night at the Burger King in the 1600 block of Larkin Avenue. The restaurant abruptly closed for the night because of the police presence inside.

A Patch reader in the area captured several photos around 9:30 p.m. The witness told Patch that several officers were gathered inside the dining area of Burger King around 9:45 p.m. The exterior lights for the fast-food restaurant were turned off, the drive-thru was closed, and at least one officer was guarding an entrance door into the Burger King.