Christopher Tomaszkiewicz, 43, was found dead inside a residence in the 500 block of West Deming Place in Lincoln Park, on Chicago's North Side, on the evening of Wednesday, January 3, 2024. The Chicago Police Department investigated his death.
He was found unresponsive about 7 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled his death a homicide by assault, and an autopsy determined that he died of asphyxia. Police did not say who found him, who called for help, whether the residence was his home, or whether there were signs of a struggle.
The next day, police said they were questioning a person of interest in his death. They did not identify that person or describe how he or she was connected to Tomaszkiewicz, and no charges were announced.
No later report could be found saying that the person of interest was charged, released or cleared, and police have released no motive, suspect description or reward.
An obituary published on January 7, 2024, described Christopher M. "Chris" Tomaszkiewicz, age 43, as "known to many as 'Batman'" and as the "beloved son of Kaylynn (Alan)"; the notice was listed under Elmhurst, Illinois. The rest of his life, his work and how his family has coped since his death have not been described in news coverage, and no relative was quoted publicly about the investigation.
A death by asphyxia inside a home is unusual among Chicago homicides, most of which are shootings, and a killing indoors in Lincoln Park is rarer still. The fact that police had someone to question within a day suggests that investigators believed early on that they knew who had been with him. But no public account has ever explained what happened.
Deming Place is a short, tree-lined residential street in Lincoln Park, near Clark Street and the park itself, with vintage apartment buildings and townhouses. It is a busy, densely populated neighborhood where neighbors, building staff and passersby may have seen who came and went from the residence on that winter afternoon and evening.
Chicago recorded about 590 homicides in 2024, down from about 620 in 2023 and well below the roughly 800 of 2021, the deadliest year in a quarter century. Chicago police reported clearing 56 percent of homicides in 2024, though that figure counts cases closed without charges, so the share of killings that led to an arrest and a criminal case was lower.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Christopher Tomaszkiewicz could be found in news archives or public records. More than 2 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who saw him in the days before January 3, 2024, lived in or visited the building on West Deming Place, or heard someone talk about what happened there may be able to help. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a car seen leaving the area or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can call the Chicago Police Department's anonymous tip line at (833) 408-0069 or submit a tip online at CPDTIP.com, or contact Cook County Crime Stoppers at (800) 535-STOP (7867).
