Donald A. Gordon not only killed Richard F. Fetzer, authoritiessay. The ex-convict also stole the 72-year-old Streamwood man's newcar and drove it to Chicago's West Side.
It's there that Gordon made the mistake that led to his beingcharged with murder Tuesday, authorities say.
Chicago police on a prostitution sting Friday night caught Gordonallegedly engaging in oral sex with a man in exchange for $7 and somecrack cocaine. They arrested him around 11 p.m. and impounded thecar, a green, four-door Honda Civic, that was registered in Fetzer'sname.
Armed with that evidence, Cook County prosecutors charged GordonTuesday with first-degree murder and felony auto theft. The 41-year-old Elgin man was being held in the Streamwood lockup and will appearin bond court in Rolling Meadows this morning.
Police and prosecutors wouldn't elaborate on whether Fetzer, awell-known dog show judge and specialty store employee, knew the 6-foot, 200-pound Gordon. Earlier, they said Fetzer might have knownhis attacker because there were no signs of forced entry into hiswell-kept ranch-style house on the 400 block of Stratford Circle.
Fetzer, who lived alone, had been beaten and strangled to death ina bedroom, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Itappeared he had been hanged with an electrical lamp cord that wasfound wrapped around his neck. A dumbbell was found next to his head.
Police started investigating Fetzer's death around 10 a.m.Saturday after friends became worried when he didn't show up at anAmerican Kennel Club show in Fond du Lac, Wis. A friend who lives inSchaumburg discovered his body while checking on him.
A former North Chicago resident, Gordon was sentenced to threeyears in prison after being convicted of theft in Lake County in1998. He was paroled a little more than a year later.
Co-workers and customers at the Brookstone store at WoodfieldShopping Center in Schaumburg were still reeling over Fetzer's deathTuesday, store manager Liz DeLong said. He was last seen leaving thestore, where he was a full-time assistant manager, around 5:30 p.m.Friday.
"There was never a sign anything was wrong," DeLong said. "It'svery shocking. You never know when you say goodnight to somebody thatit's going to be the last time."
Fetzer's wake will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. today at Ahlgrim &Sons Funeral Home, 485 S. Bartlett Road in Streamwood. Prayers willtake place at the funeral home at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, followed bymass at St. John the Evangelist Church in Streamwood and burial atSt. Michael the Archangel Cemetery in Palatine.
Contributing: Frank Main, Dan Rozek
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