THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2008

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Realtor Dies In Possible Homicide

A Mt. Prospect man and long-time Realtor was found Wednesday, burned to death in the basement of a building he owned at 5350 W. Division St. in Chicago.

According to Chicago police, Harold Beilstein, 69, of 1743 E. Tano Ln., was found dead by an unspecified person, a day after his wife Susan, contacted the Mt. Prospect Police Dept.

around 5 p.m. to file a missing persons report. Chicago Police Officer Laura Kubiak said the building was not on fire, but his body was found burned in the basement. Dental records were used to identify Beilstein.

"At this time (Thursday afternoon), no one is in custody, but family and tenants have been interviewed," said Kubiak.

According to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, the cause of death was "multiple injuries due to blunt trauma to the head and neck." Beilstein, a long-time Realtor in the area, was in semi-retirement, but was still employed with Keller Williams Realty Partners in Park Ridge, according to owner Joe Marella.

Marella said Beilstein worked for him since the agency opened approximately eight years ago.

"He was a terrific guy who was always happy and a real family man," said Marella.

When asked if Marella knew of any enemies Beilstein might have, he said, "not too many people didn't like him."

According to Marella, he began receiving calls regarding Beilstein on Wednesday after his body was found. Marella said the last time he saw Beilstein was approximately a year-and-a-half ago, but Beilstein had stopped by the Park Ridge office from time to time since then.