Elgin man's shooting death ruled a homicide

An Elgin man's death after an argument with his roommate, who subsequently committed suicide, was ruled a homicide Wednesday by a Kane County coroner's jury.

Sumaly Phanthavong, 31, was found March 8 suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest in an apartment hallway on the 500 block of Page Avenue, and died a short time later.

Police testified Wednesday that Phanthavong's roommate's girlfriend told investigators the shooting happened after an argument dispute between Phanthavong and longtime friend Jerimie L. Hoppe, 31.

But just days after an arrest warrant was issued for Hoppe on first-degree murder charges, the suspected shooter himself was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at a downstate highway rest stop off Interstate 55.

On Wednesday, Deputy Kane County Coroner Amy Renwick said toxicology tests found traces of alcohol, cocaine and marijuana in Phanthavong's system.

Phanthavong, who was Elgin's second murder victim this year, was born in Laos and had been working in a manufacturing warehouse at the time of his death, officials said.

Relatives declined to address the coroner's jury.