No charges filed in fatal Elgin fight

The Elgin man held for two days as the Sunday death of another man was investigated was released Wednesday without charges, Elgin police said.

Elgin police said no charges would be filed against the man who fought with Troy Simms of South Elgin. Simms died after the fight.

Kane County prosecutors, however, were still waiting for the official coroner's report and insisted the case was still under investigation, Assistant State's Attorney Jody Gleason said.

Elgin police said Wednesday Simms' relatives had charged the department with racism because Simms was black and the man who fought with Simms is white.

Police said they were called at 11:50 p.m. Sunday to an apartment at 1245 Fleetwood Drive in the Buena Vista Apartment Complex.

A fight had occurred in the apartment where several men were watching football and drinking, police said.

Troy Simms, 42, of 932 Manchester Court, South Elgin, was found there, fatally injured, police said.

The Kane County coroner said Monday Simms died of blunt force trauma to the head.

A resident of the Buena Vista Apartments who was with Simms at the time was taken into custody and was held by Elgin police for almost two days until he was released Tuesday evening.

A news release issued by Elgin police Wednesday reads, "the state's attorney's office returned their opinion that no charges will be filed at this point."

Chris Nelson, spokesman for the Kane County state's attorney's office, said the statement was inaccurate and based on one officer's statement, without corroboration from the prosecutor's office.

In an e-mail to the Daily Herald, one relative said Simms wouldn't have been watching football because he didn't watch sports.

Simms was described as a very loving person who enjoyed music and dancing and would lend a hand to anyone.

Visitation will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday and 10 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Corbin-Colonial Funeral Chapel, 1001 W. Madison St. in Maywood.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Simms' birthday, at the funeral home. Call (708) 410-0287 for more information.