Jan. 07--Chicago detectives are investigating the death of a man found battered in his Uptown apartment the day after Christmas as a homicide, according to police.
The man was identified as Keith West, 63, of the 4500 block of North Sheridan Road, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. He was pronounced dead at 9:41 a.m. on Dec. 28 at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. The medical examiner's office has not ruled on the cause or manner of West's death, instead marking it as pending police investigation.
But police, who say West was found battered two days before the medical examiner says he died, are classifying West's death as a homicide.
The victim was found in his apartment, "seriously battered," according to a statement from police News Affairs. Police were called to the man's home at 3:44 p.m. Dec. 26 after someone was unable to get in touch with the man and called police, who went to check on his well-being, according to News Affairs.
The man was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition, according to police.
After they were notified of the victim's death on Dec. 31, police reclassified the case as a homicide investigation, according to News Affairs.
"No one is in custody at this time, and it remains an ongoing investigation," according to the statement.
Police were releasing no further information about the killing.
