Mute man with lung cancer found beaten to death inside South Shore home, family says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Family members said Tony Landers was living with lung cancer, and his sister, Kim Landers, was his caretaker.

Kim told ABC7 she went to his apartment in South Shore on Monday to check on him, but did not know she would walk into a crime scene.

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"So, I open the back door and when I looked down, I see a footprint. Red," Kim.

Just before noon Monday, a family visit became a family's heartache.

"I look again, and I see another red footprint," Kim said. "And then, I seen my brother laying there. I seen blood all over the door."

Kim, who asked ABC7 not to show her face, said she found her 61-year-old brother murdered inside of his South Shore apartment, where he lived alone, on 71st and East End.

"I started calling his name and calling his name. I said, 'Somebody killed him! Somebody killed him!' It was blood everywhere!" Kim said.

Family members say Tony was beaten to death, struck in the head multiple times with some type of blunt objects. They told ABC7 they believe his attackers were people he knew.

"To kill an innocent person, a disabled person. He couldn't defend himself. He was weak. He was sickly," said Melissa Winston, the victim's sister.

Tony was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022. He grew weak over the years after becoming a mute when his voice box had to be removed.

Now, his family is pledging to be his voice in the wake of his murder.

"I feel bad that my brother had to die like this. He didn't deserve it," Melissa said.

Police say they are looking for multiple suspects. So far, no one is in custody.

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