Eric McArthur, 39, was stabbed to death on the morning of Saturday, May 3, 2025, in the 3500 block of South Rhodes Avenue in the Douglas community area on the South Side. The Chicago Police Department investigated, and the Chicago Sun-Times homicide tracker records his death as a stabbing.
According to police, McArthur was standing near the sidewalk at about 10:30 a.m. when a person approached him, pulled out a sharp object and swung at him. He was stabbed in the chest. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. No one else was reported hurt. His name was not released in the first reports of the attack.
Police did not release a description of the attacker, a direction of flight or a motive, and said that no arrests were made. It is not known whether McArthur knew the person who stabbed him or whether words were exchanged before the attack.
No reward tied to the case could be found.
Funeral notices posted after his death give a little more of his story. An obituary listing for Eric D. McArthur Jr. of Chicago gives his dates as August 21, 1985, to May 3, 2025, matching his age and the date of the stabbing. A visitation was held on Friday, May 16, 2025, and an obituary notice was posted on Legacy.com on May 8. His full name suggests he was named for his father. No family statements or fundraiser could be found for this account, but those notices show a family that gathered to mourn him.
The 3500 block of South Rhodes Avenue is a residential stretch in Douglas, part of the historic Bronzeville area, near 35th Street and a short distance from the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. The stabbing happened in broad daylight on a Saturday morning, when neighbors would have been outside, running errands or walking along 35th Street. Someone may have seen the attacker approach, or seen where that person went afterward.
The killing came during a year in which Chicago's homicide count fell to its lowest level in decades. The city recorded about 590 homicides in 2024 and 416 in 2025, the fewest in about 60 years. Chicago police reported clearing 56 percent of homicides in 2024, though that figure counts cases closed without charges.
Daytime attacks on a public sidewalk are often seen by more people than late-night killings, which can make them more solvable when witnesses come forward. Even people who saw only part of what happened, such as an argument, a person walking quickly away or a car leaving the block, may hold a piece that detectives still need.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Eric McArthur could be found in news archives or public records. More than a year later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who was on or near South Rhodes Avenue and 35th Street on the morning of May 3, 2025, or who knew of a dispute involving Eric McArthur, 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).
