William-Earl Howard, 72, was found stabbed to death inside a home in the 7700 block of South Avalon Avenue in Avalon Park, on Chicago's South Side, on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 25, 2025. The Chicago Police Department opened a homicide investigation, and the Chicago Sun-Times homicide tracker, which lists every homicide in the city, records his death as a stabbing.
According to police and the Cook County medical examiner's office, Howard was found unresponsive in a bathtub about 2:50 p.m. He had suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not say who found him, how long he had been dead, whether the home was his own, or whether there were signs of a forced entry or a struggle. No one else was reported hurt. The first news report also spelled his surname "Holward"; obituaries use Howard.
Police announced no arrest, released no description of a suspect and named no person of interest.
They did not say whether a weapon was recovered, what time they believed he was attacked, or what the motive may have been. No reward specific to his case was found in public sources, and no later news story reported progress in the investigation.
Obituaries published after his death describe William Earl Howard, 72, as a U.S. Army veteran of Chicago who was formerly of St. Louis, Missouri, and say he "passed away unexpectedly" on June 25, 2025. Beyond that, little about his life has been made public. His age stands out: he was a 72-year-old veteran, killed inside a home in the middle of a weekday afternoon, in a type of attack that usually means close contact between victim and killer. The way he was found suggests that whoever killed him may have spent time inside the house, and may have been someone he let in.
The 7700 block of South Avalon Avenue lies in Avalon Park, a quiet, mostly residential community area on the city's South Side made up largely of brick bungalows and single-family homes, many owned by longtime residents. On a block like this, neighbors often know one another's routines and visitors. Someone who saw a person arriving at or leaving the home on June 25 or the day before, or who noticed an unfamiliar car parked nearby, may hold an important piece of the story.
Chicago's homicide count fell sharply in this period. 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 criminal charges, so many families are still waiting for an arrest even in a safer year.
Information from people who knew the victim's habits, visitors and recent conflicts is often what moves cases like this forward.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of William-Earl Howard 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 visited Howard in the days before his death, who knew of anyone he had argued with, or who saw activity at the home on South Avalon Avenue that afternoon 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).
