Belinda Ruiz, 84, was found dead on the living room floor of her home at 11000 S. Washtenaw Ave. in Morgan Park, on Chicago's Far South Side, on the morning of Friday, March 13, 2026. The homicide tracker lists the date as March 16, the day the death was reported as a homicide. Area Two detectives of the Chicago Police Department investigated, and the Chicago Sun-Times homicide tracker, which lists every homicide in the city, records her death as a beating.
According to Chicago police reports, her son found her body "cold to the touch" around 8:45 a.m. Responding paramedics said she appeared to have died of natural causes, and she was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:12 a.m. An autopsy, however, determined that she died of multiple injuries from an assault, and the Cook County medical examiner's office ruled her death a homicide.
Police did not say when she was believed to have been attacked, whether there were signs of a break-in, or whether anything was taken from the home.
No arrest was announced, and police released no suspect description, vehicle or person of interest. No motive was given, and no reward specific to her case was found in public sources. No later news story reported progress in the investigation.
Little about Belinda Ruiz's life has been made public beyond her age and the fact that her son found her. No obituary or memorial clearly tied to her could be found; obituaries for other women named Belinda Ruiz in other states are not about her. At 84, she was among the oldest homicide victims in the city that year, and her killing inside her own home, initially mistaken for a natural death, stands out. Older people who live alone or with family often have regular visitors, helpers or callers, and anyone who was in contact with her in the days before March 13 may have useful information.
The 11000 block of South Washtenaw Avenue lies in Morgan Park, a largely residential community area on the Far South Side, next to Beverly, known for tree-lined streets and single-family homes, many owned by longtime residents. On a quiet residential block, neighbors may have noticed an unfamiliar person or car near the home, a door left open, or a visitor arriving or leaving late on March 12 or early on March 13.
The killing came as Chicago's homicide count was falling sharply. 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 as overall violence declines.
Because the death was at first thought to be natural, information from neighbors and family is especially important.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Belinda Ruiz could be found in news archives or public records. Months later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who visited her home on South Washtenaw Avenue, who saw someone there in the hours before she was found, or who has heard talk of what happened 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).
