Wed. May 19, 2004
Chicago, IL -
Chicago Police have announced a new piece of evidence in the stabbing death of 31-year-old Kevin Clewer as his family announces a reward in the investigation.
Clewer was found dead by his father on March 24 in his apartment bedroom in the 3400 block of North Elaine. Clewer was found naked, stabbed in the back 30 times, according to the Medical Examiner's Office. There was no sign of forced entry.
A knife found near the murder scene could be the break police are looking for in the unsolved murder case. The knife has yet to be analyzed because it’s stuck in a backlog of evidence being tested at the Illinois State Police Crime Lab.
Tuesday, Kevin’s family stood outside his Lakeview apartment building to announce a $20,000 reward. This follows 8 weeks without a clue and the family’s frustration with delays in analyzing the new evidence.
“We are in desperate need of help to find this person because there is somebody capable out there of doing this,” said Kevin’s mother Pamela Cunnigham as she addressed the media.
Kevin’s father James Clew, 56, spoke emotionally about finding his son. “Many times a day I picture Kevin, how I found him and it’s hard, believe me it’s hard.”
In April, police issued a community alert and released a composite sketch (pictured above) of the last person to be seen with Kevin. Investigators call him a "person of interest" and describe him as a Male White Hispanic, approx. 25 years old, 5' 7" tall, slim / athletic build, speaks with a Hispanic or European Spanish accent. His name might be Fernando.
As part of the alert, Police warned North Side residents not to allow strangers into their homes under any circumstances.
The alert was promoted by the murder of Clewer and a similar unsolved stabbing last year in Boystown. In August 2003, theatre director Brad Winters, 38, was found stabbed to death in his apartment in the 500 block of West Beldin. Winters was also found naked and stabbed multiple times in the back. Again police reported no signs of forced entry.
While the two homicides share similarities, police say the cases share no physical evidence. Both cases remain open which has caused added alarm in Chicago’s gay community.
Anyone with information is asked to call 312-744-8261.
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