Police: Man found shot near Beverly home fire
BY CASEY TONER ctoner@southtownstar.com January 31, 2012 8:08AM
A man was found fatally shot in an automobile in the driveway of a home at 10257 S. California, that had caught fire Tuesday morning in the Beverly neighborhood. January 29, 2012. | Brian Jackson~Sun-Times
Article Extras
Updated: February 1, 2012 4:28PM
A Beverly man found shot dead inside a car Tuesday outside his home that had caught fire likely killed himself, police said.
According to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, Henry Gavoille, 79, of the 10200 block of South California Avenue, Chicago, was found in the car outside his home. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.
Chicago police news affairs officer Veejay Zala said preliminary investigations show Gavoille may have committed suicide. His death as well as the cause of the fire were still under investigation.
Chicago Fire Department spokesman Kevin MacGregor said the fire on the home’s second floor was reported at 5:50 a.m. There were no injuries from the fire.
Firefighters discovered Gavoille in his car when they arrived at the scene, police spokeswoman Laura Kubiak said.
Harry Fitzsimmons, Gavoille’s next door neighbor of 21 years, said he was a retired guard for an armored truck company. Gavoille lived alone after his wife died several years ago and they have no kids.
Fitzsimmons said the sound of the fire woke him up about 5:30 a.m.
“It sounded like a lot of things were popping,” he said. “The second floor was on fire with flames coming out the windows.”
The single-family, two story home with the large fenced-in back yard was badly damaged in the fire. There was a hole in the roof and all of the windows were shattered. Slices of bread had been scattered in the back yard.
Gavoille’s other neighbor, John Murray, said he was a “nice, quiet guy,” who kept to himself, particularly after his wife died.
Fitzsimmons said he saw police officers carrying rifles and other guns out of the house.
“We feel horrible about it,” Fitzsimmons said. “It’s disturbing that someone had to die in that fashion.”
Comments Click here to view or make a comment