IL IL-Chicago, WhtMale, Adult- Pre 70, UP114407, Found in alley behind 5000 block of West Belmont Avenue, Dec '23 - UCP119031 Zdzislaw Marij

[phantomstrider]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Date Body Found December 23, 2023
Location Found Chicago, Illinois
Biological Sex Male
Race/Ethnicity White/Caucasian
Estimated Age Group Adult- Pre 70
Height 5' 4"(64 inches), Estimated
Weight 270 lbs, Estimated
Location Chicago, Illinois 60634
County Cook County
Found On Tribal Land No
Circumstances of Recovery On 23Dec23 at 2319 hours, Chicago Police Department called the Forensic Institute regarding the death of an UNKNOWN Male White approximately 61-70 years of age. The incident occurred in the alley behind in the 5000 block of West Belmont Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60634.
Condition of Remains Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction
Hair Color Gray or Partially Gray
Left Eye Color Unknown
Right Eye Color Unknown
Tattoo Tattoo upper right arm of a face

 

[iulia]

He was identified as Zdzislaw Marij and is now in NamUs Unclaimed - UCP119031

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[Triss]

Zdzisław is a Polish first name and there's a huge Polish diaspora living in Chicago.
I'm pretty sure this guy was Polish, but his surname is most likely misspelled.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Zdzisław is a Polish first name and there's a huge Polish diaspora living in Chicago.
I'm pretty sure this guy was Polish, but his surname is most likely misspelled.

Public records suggest that it is the correct spelling. He apparently lived in the area.

 

[Triss]

Public records suggest that it is the correct spelling. He apparently lived in the area.

I appreciate you checking the public records!
I was actually thinking he was born in Poland and changed the spelling of his surname upon moving to the US. Two reasons I think it's a possible scenario:
1. Zdzisław is a Polish name. It doesn't exist anywhere else (not with that spelling, anyway). I REALLY don't think his parents would name him Zdzisław if he was born in the US. I'm fairly confident they would opt for a name that's easier to pronounce for English speakers.
2. Many foreigners change the spelling of their surnames when they move to English speaking countries to be more accommodating and to make everyone's lives easier. Yvonne Strahovski did that, for example (her real surname is Strzechowski). Since "Marij" is not an actual surname, I believe the original spelling is different and that he could still have relatives in Poland. I'm now trying to figure out what the original spelling could be.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I appreciate you checking the public records!
I was actually thinking he was born in Poland and changed the spelling of his surname upon moving to the US. Two reasons I think it's a possible scenario:
1. Zdzisław is a Polish name. It doesn't exist anywhere else (not with that spelling, anyway). I REALLY don't think his parents would name him Zdzisław if he was born in the US. I'm fairly confident they would opt for a name that's easier to pronounce for English speakers.
2. Many foreigners change the spelling of their surnames when they move to English speaking countries to be more accommodating and to make everyone's lives easier. Yvonne Strahovski did that, for example (her real surname is Strzechowski). Since "Marij" is not an actual surname, I believe the original spelling is different and that he could still have relatives in Poland. I'm now trying to figure out what the original spelling could be.

Yeah, it wouldn't shock me if they just chopped off parts of the name. He does appear to have had an older sister, but I believe she's deceased.

 

[Triss]

Yeah, it wouldn't shock me if they just chopped off parts of the name. He does appear to have had an older sister, but I believe she's deceased.

Great find! He might have nephews or nieces, then.