Police say Palatine man could face murder charges in beating of buddy

A Palatine man will likely face murder charges Friday after he beat his buddy, who has died from injuries he received in a Rolling Meadows parking lot last month, police said.

David Greer, 48, 1140 E. Northwest Highway, had been charged with one count of aggravated battery for the beating of William R. Roman, 43, from Arizona. But Roman recently died, so those charges will be upgraded, police said. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office will determine the nature of the new charge, but it's likely Greer will be facing some kind of murder charge, said Joseph Waitzman, Rolling Meadows' investigation commander.

Roman, who spent part of his life in Naperville, had moved out to Arizona for a few years before coming back to the area on Sept. 13, looking for work as a tree trimmer.

On Sept. 23, Roman, Greer and two others were driving around looking for various tree trimming jobs while drinking alcohol inside the car at the same time, police said.

In the early afternoon, the four stopped at a liquor store at 4001 Algonquin Road in Rolling Meadows to pick up more liquor.

For some reason, Greer began beating Roman in the car, while the two other men witnessed it, police said. A security tape aided in the investigation.

"There doesn't seem to have been a trigger that caused the attack," Waitzman said. "It was not much of a fight. It was like a blitz attack on (Roman) that rendered him unconscious."

One of the men left immediately after the fight. Then, for almost four hours, Greer and his friend drove around with Roman, who was unconscious, until the pair decided to take him to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, police said.

Greer admitted to punching Roman, who died of his injuries on Sept. 30, police said.

On Sept. 26, a judge set Greer's bond at $500,000. He has been in the Cook County jail since then.

Police said Greer will be at the Rolling Meadows courthouse at 9:30 a.m. Friday to face an upgraded charge.