Three weeks after an elderly Chicago woman moved into one of her rental properties, she was found dead and dismembered in her basement. The family of Thana Muhammad became concerned when no one had spoken to her in about a week. A wellness check by her real estate agent led to the gruesome discovery last Sunday, June 10.
Muhammad owned the property near 100th Street on South Forest Avenue in Chicago’s Rosemoor neighborhood. The Chicago Tribune reported that her real estate agent had been trying to contact the retired radiologist for several days and paid a visit to the home. The agent detected a strong odor coming from the corner property and called the police.
Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi called the crime a “horrific act” that is being investigated as a homicide. Muhammad’s body, which had been chopped up and put into several storage bins. The coroner has yet to determine a cause of death.
Both the 81-year-old woman’s purse and her silver 2012 Honda Accord were stolen from the scene. WGN-TV reported that Chicago police found Muhammad’s car on Thursday in the Lawndale neighborhood located on the West Side of Chicago. No arrests have been made in the case and police reportedly have no suspects.
ABC 7 News reported that police believe Muhammad, who was also known as Jean or Mattie Chandler, may have known her killer. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that whoever committed the unspeakable act was careful to cover their tracks.
“They put a lot of thought into what they did,” Johnson told the news outlet. “The crime scene was very clean. They took their time and meticulously tried to hide what they had done.”
“A monster came to the neighborhood.” Family offers $5000 reward for info about murder of 81-yr old Thana Muhammad, whose body was found in storage bins inside her Rosemoor home. @fox32news pic.twitter.com/8AnQ6zJOGN
— Joanie Lum FOX 32 (@JoanieLum) June 15, 2018
The family was especially distraught at the news of Muhammad’s death. They struggled to identify names of possible suspects as the victim had ties to both the South Side and West Side communities. Ashanti Chimurenga, Muhammad’s daughter, described her mother as “kind,” “heroic,” and “good.” Chimurenga couldn’t imagine why anyone would attack her mother.
“I don’t know why my mother had to die such a horrendous death,” Chimurenga told ABC 7 News.
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Muhammad’s family has offered a $5,000 reward to anyone with information leading to the arrest of her killer. Police have asked all tips be reported to the Area South detectives at 312-747-8271.
“She did not deserve this, Chicago,” Muhammad’s daughter Camille Durham said. “This is a monster. This is a monster.”
