Detectives are investigating after the unidentified man was found near an auto dealership early Tuesday with burns and head injuries.
CHICAGO — An unidentified man with burns across his body and injuries to his head was found dead near a Portage Park auto dealership early Tuesday, prompting an investigation by Chicago police.
Officers responded about 12:10 a.m. to the 5300 block of West Irving Park Road on the Northwest Side, police said. The man was found near the City Volkswagen dealership. Authorities had not released his identity by late Tuesday morning or said what led to his death.
Investigators found suspected accelerant and lighter fluid near the man’s body, according to reports citing police and law enforcement sources. Police have not publicly explained whether those items were connected to the man’s injuries or how they may figure into the investigation.
The presence of the materials adds another question for detectives as they work to determine what happened before officers arrived. Authorities have not announced a motive, identified a suspect or described any events leading to the discovery.
Police also have not publicly said whether investigators believe the man was attacked before he suffered the burns. Reports said he had injuries to his head, but officials had not released additional details about those injuries or how they occurred.
No arrests had been announced Tuesday morning. Authorities also had not released information about possible witnesses or surveillance video from the area. The location is along a commercial stretch of West Irving Park Road, where businesses and residential properties are nearby.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office is expected to determine the man’s identity and the cause and manner of death through its standard examination process. Police had not announced those findings as of Tuesday morning.
Area Five detectives are investigating. Police have not released additional information about the circumstances surrounding the death, and the man’s identity remains undisclosed.
Author note: Last updated November 3, 2026.