Eugene Izzy's Death On Monday Mystery...!

Sometimes even the experts are baffled by a death, not knowing for sure if it was suicide or murder. This was the case with Mr. Izzy.

Seems as though there was no evidence of a crime, the authorities were faced with an interesting and intriguing mystery with nothing clearly pointing to suicide.

How Did Eugene Izzi Die?

Photo credit: truecrimediva.com

Eugene Izzi enjoyed a successful career as a writer of hard-boiled detective stories set in his hometown of Chicago. However, the most enduring mystery he left behind was that of his untimely death.

Izzi died on December 7, 1996. His body was found dangling outside his 14-story office in downtown Chicago. He was hanging from a rope tied to a steel desk located in his office. At first glance, it seemed like a straightforward suicide case (and that was the official ruling). However, the details made the death seem straight out of a mystery novel.

For starters, there was a lack of motive. Friends and family found it hard to believe that Izzi would commit suicide, particularly as he had a new book coming out. More bizarre, however, was the fact that the writer was found wearing a bulletproof vest. In his pockets, police found brass knuckles and mace. There were reports that Izzi also had a .38-caliber revolver in his office.

Did Izzi have a reason to fear for his life? Friends claimed that he had infiltrated a paramilitary group in Indiana as research for a new book. He had received at least one threatening voice mail. This was further supported by an article submitted to the Chicago Sun-Times where Izzi attacked militias and hate groups.

To me, a suicide without a note is always suspicious. And what was the reason for the vest, gun, and brass knucklesa if he killed himself? Way too many questions, in my opinion.

Coffee out on the patio again today. Got some rice crispy marshmallow treats I'll share.