CHICAGO (STMW) – A man found shot to death after a fire early Friday in the South Chicago neighborhood was a security guard for Chicago rapper Twista.
Firefighters responded to the blaze at a 2 1/2-story, multi-unit building in the 8300 block of South Baker Avenue about 6 a.m. Friday, Fire Media Affairs Chief Larry Langford said.
The fire started in the rear bedroom of the first floor apartment and was contained to the unit, Langford said. The building’s smoke detectors were working and the blaze did not cause any structural damage to the house.
The 31-year-old man was found dead in that bedroom with gunshot wounds to the throat and chest, authorities said.
Davy Easterling, of the 8100 block of South Vernon Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:41 a.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
An autopsy conducted Saturday found Easterling died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner’s office said.
On Saturday, Twista posted to social network sites Instagram and Twitter: “#RIP Davy Easterling aka 6’9 I have lost too many good friends to these streets.”
Since Friday, the rapper had been posting “a close friend” and security guard was missing.
“We are all worried and pray for his safe return,” Twista posted shortly after noon on Friday.
Police had no details on the shooting Sunday afternoon but said no one was in custody as Area South detectives conducted a homicide investigation.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined as fire officials and the police Bomb and Arson Unit investigate.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
