Crime & Safety
UPDATE: Former City Attorney's House 'Completely Destroyed' Inside, Police Say
David Baitman, who was accused of sexually attacking a woman in 2011, was found dead inside his Oak Forest home Tuesday night.
Update 11:35 a.m.
Officers found David Baitman unresponsive in the home’s attic at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to police.
The inside of the single-story house was “completely destroyed,” according to an report. A rope noose was tied to a rafter in the attic where Baitman was found and several alcoholic beverages were on a nearby ledge.
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Baitman, who was awaiting trial on accusations he sexually assaulted a woman in his home, was pronounced dead at the scene by an Ingalls Hospital doctor police had called.
Baitman’s daughter, Tiffany Zaba, had requested a well-being check and called Cook County probation officers to the home, according to the report. Baitman was on electronic home monitoring awaiting the trial and was tracked to the house.
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Zaba reportedly told probation officers her father had “not been acting like himself lately” and that she was worried about him.
Probation officers who first arrived obtained a key to the house from Zaba and, after entering the house, could smell a strong odor of natural gas, the report states. Oak Forest firefighters were called shortly after and turned off the gas line.
Oak Forest police found the inside of the house completely destroyed, according to the report. The stove was on and the front glass window was broken out. All the faucets were opened, which flooded much of the house.
A Cook County medical examiner was called to take the body.
Original story
Police have confirmed that a body found inside a Landings Lane home late Tuesday night is that of former city attorney David Baitman.
Baitman, 60, was accused of inside his home in September 2011.
The cause of death appears to be suicide, police said. Oak Forest police were investigating a body found at 14868 Landings Lane late Tuesday but had not released details until this morning.
Last month, Baitman's defense attorney had changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.
Check back with Patch as the story develops.
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