Homeless Man Beaten, Stabbed To Death In Ukrainian Village

CHICAGO, IL — A homeless man was found beaten and stabbed to death early Sunday in the city's Ukrainian Village neighborhood. He was pronounced dead at the scene just after 2 a.m. in the 1100 block of North Ashland Avenue, police said. The victim was in his mid-to-late 40s.

An autopsy found the man had multiple sharp and blunt force injuries, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, community activist Andrew Holmes has been walking around the city's Near West Side, passing out fliers and asking for information about the death and potential suspects. Holmes was offering $1000 for any information that leads to a prosecution.

"They tortured him," Holmes told the Sun-Times. "He was suffering enough, just by being homeless, but to have someone come and torture him and beat him [is] unacceptable in this city."

Several neighbors said the victim used to earn a living selling scrap metal, and was forced to forfeit his license after legal issues. They said he struggled to make ends meet, and ended up on the streets. He was found dead in the doorway of his former residence, neighbors said.

The victim is described as Hispanic, about 5-foot-10, weighing about 180 pounds. He had a gray beard and salt-and-pepper hair.

Area Central detectives were investigating the homicide. No one was in custody. Anyone with information can call 1-800-U-Tell-Us.

Photo by Amber Fisher