Gurnee police ask for help in ID'ing body found outside hotel

Lake County coroner officials are trying to identify a man who was found dead outside of a Holiday Inn in Gurnee on Nov. 15.

The body did not have a wallet or identification when discovered in the parking lot of the hotel at 6161 Grand Ave., officials said. Foul play is not suspected in the death, and it appears he suffered a heart attack.

Officials said the man was not a guest of the hotel, but may have attended a Native American Jewelry show that was taking place at the hotel at that time.

The victim was wearing multiple layers of clothing, officials said. His outer clothing included brown shoes, brown pants, black jacket, brown sports coat, and a red scarf. Coroner officials said the man was 55 to 65 years old, 5-feet, 10-inches tall, weighed 230 pounds, has green eyes and gray hair and was missing two teeth on the top right.

Officials said fingerprints run through the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification were not matched to anyone in the database.

Gurnee Police also tried to identify the man through a phone number found with the body.

The acquaintance knew the subject as "John" from a flea market in Chicago, that he was of Polish descent and spoke some English.

Officials said the acquaintance believed the man rented a basement home near Belmont Avenue in Chicago.

Anyone with information on this individual is urged to call the Lake County coroner's office at (847) 377-2200, or call the Gurnee Police Department at (847) 599-7000.