Joshua Headley, 28, fatally stabbed in Indiana sports bar

HIGHLAND, Ind. (WLS) -- A father of two was killed in a deadly stabbing at a northwest Indiana bar and the search is on for a suspect in his murder.

Joshua Headley, 28, was killed during a fight just before 3 a.m. Sunday at Franco's Sports Bar and Pizzeria in Highland, Indiana.

"He had a big heart," said Charles Popielarz, Headley's brother. "He cared a lot about people. He cared a lot about his family. If anything happened to us he was there."

Police responded to a call about a brawl involving 10 to 15 people inside the popular bar. Officers arrived to find Headley, who sometimes lived nearby with his girlfriend, bleeding in the bar's vestibule area from a stab wound to the chest.

The Whiting, Ind., resident was taken to Munster Community Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The Lake County coroner's office has ruled his death a homicide as the man's family struggles with his murder.

Besides a sister and two younger brothers, Headley also leaves behind his 1-year-old daughter, Nevaeh, and his 7-year old daughter, Adrianna.

His family says although he'd had some tough times, things were finally falling into place. He had steady work as a forklift driver for Progress Rail Services and had just been promoted.

"If anyone knows anything at all reach out to me, reach to my mom, reach out to the police that are investigating," Popielarz said. "We really want to find out who did this."

Authorities said there is no one in custody for the crime. The Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force has joined the Highland police investigations.