Hoffman Estates man charged with killing neighbor

A 29-year-old Hoffman Estates man was charged Thursday with killing his neighbor by stabbing him more than 55 times with a medieval-style dagger.

Joe C. Biedermann, of 2140 Hassell Road, No. 302, was charged with one count of murder in connection with Wednesday's fatal stabbing of Terrance Hauser, 38, Lt. Rich Russo said.

On Wednesday, Russo said police found Hauser, who lived in the same Barrington Lakes complex as Biedermann, dead on the floor inside his apartment.

After an autopsy Thursday, officials with the Cook County medical examiner's office said Hauser died of multiple stab wounds.

While a motive for the killing was not provided, police said the two did not know each other very well.

"The investigation has shown that the two met that night," Russo said. He would not say specifically where that was or the circumstances of their meeting.

Police were called to the scene after some sort of altercation between the men.

Russo said Biedermann called 911 around 4 a.m. and was taken to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, where he was treated and released for a cut to his arm.

When police arrived later at Biedermann's apartment, they found a trail of blood droplets that stained the complex's black asphalt parking lot, Russo said.

The trail extended, Russo said, from the Biedermann's apartment building for several hundred feet, ending at Hauser's apartment.

When police entered Hauser's apartment, he was found dead on the floor. Police said he lived alone.

Russo said police also recovered a 7-inch medieval-style dagger from the scene.

Thursday, residents at the complex of 790 units in 28 buildings said police remained at the complex investigating the death and that blood was still being cleaned up in the building's main entranceway.

Residents also received a letter from Barrington Lakes property manager Adnan Darr trying to reassure everyone they are safe in the complex.

"We provide security for our residents utilizing off-duty police officers," the letter stated. "We plan to meet with our security team to review our security procedures and determine if there's any additional information we can provide to police to help them complete their investigation."

Biedermann is scheduled to appear in bond court Friday morning.