GUILTY IL - Eric Kaminski, 25, shot, buried in Chicago basement, 5 Feb 2004

chicoliving said:

Eric Kaminski Last Seen On Construction Site In February 2004

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Authorities have officially identified a body as belonging to a man who has been missing for nearly four years.

The body was found Saturday under the basement floor of a Southwest Side apartment building. Authorities confirmed Wednesday that the body belonged to Eric Kaminski, of Oak Lawn, who has not been seen since February 2004.

The victim was shot multiple times and the case has been ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/eric.kaminski.body.2.621892.html

Click to expand...

concernedperson said:

At least someone was bothered enough to send a tip to LE. Otherwise, they may have never found him. Aren't these cadaver dogs something else? Can you imagine the sense of smell that would indicate a body under concrete. This is one of God's blessings to us humans.

I am relieved his family has some closure and will now have a resting place for him so dignity remains and hopefully some justice for him, too.

Click to expand...

A gang member convicted of killing an Oak Lawn man is sentenced to 85 years in prison.

Click to expand...

Defendant testified on his own behalf that he lived with his father until he was 21, and then he bought his own house at 5917 S. Neenah Avenue. Rachael Gonzalez moved in with him at his house at 5917 S. Neenah Avenue in 2002 and assisted him in selling hydroponic marijuana grown in his basement. In the summer of 2003, defendant met Officer Jerome Finnegan, when he pulled defendant over. Officer Finnegan stated that he knew who defendant was and that defendant had been making a lot of money on Finnegan’s “beat.” They entered into an arrangement whereby defendant gave Officer Finnegan $3,500 per month in exchange for which Officer Finnegan would make sure defendant was not “busted.” They exchanged phone calls setting up the time and place where they would meet to make the payments. Ultimately, the payments took place at 2248 W. Coulter Street.

Defendant explained he had access to 2248 W. Coulter Street because he had previously made copies of his father’s keys so as to sneak girls to the apartment behind his girlfriend’s back and without his father’s knowledge... Defendant testified he gave Officer Finnegan a key to the laundry room in the apartment complex at 2248 W. Coulter Street and they began to meet there in mid-late summer 2003.

Defendant testified that someone broke into his house at 5917 S. Neenah Avenue in January 2004 and stole weed and $40,000. Defendant reported the robbery to Officer Finnegan, because “[h]e was making sure nothing was supposed to happen to that weed.” Officer Finnegan and another officer lifted what turned out to be the victim’s fingerprints. In late January 2004, Officer Finnegan told defendant he just had “to get [the victim] in a certain location” like a “garage or something” to do another paint job and then Officer Finnegan would be able to get the victim to “give the money up”...

Defendant testified Rachael Gonzalez called the victim and arranged for him to come to the apartment complex at 2248 W. Coulter Street. Defendant and Ms. Gonzalez met the victim there at 6 p.m. on February 5, 2004. Defendant and Ms. Gonzalez walked him inside. Officer Finnegan arrived too, went inside, and told defendant and Ms. Gonzalez to step outside. After they went outside, defendant heard Officer Finnegan shouting and then heard three loud gunshots. Defendant went inside and saw the victim lying on the ground. Officer Finnegan ordered defendant to bury the victim. Defendant called Joseph Rodriguez, who came and dug the grave and buried the victim.

Click to expand...