Chicago teen charged after decapitated body found

Police say they’ve charged a Chicago teenager with murder in the death of a 41-year-old man whose body was found decapitated inside an apartment on Christmas.

A Thursday police statement says 18-year-old Alexis Valdez is charged with one count of first-degree murder.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified the victim as Sylvester Diaz-Hernandez. It says he lived at the residence on the city’s Northwest Side where his body was found early Wednesday.

Authorities didn’t provide other details, including whether the decapitation occurred before or after the victim was dead. The medical examiner’s office did say that Diaz-Hernandez died of “multiple blunt and sharp-force injuries.”

Authorities also didn’t say what the relationship between Valdez and the victim might have been.

There was no telephone listing for Valdez in Chicago.