Man found dead after Morgan Park explosion was shot in head

A man who was found dead after a “suspicious” explosion and fire at a Morgan Park neighborhood house early Monday on the Far South Side died of a gunshot wound to the head.

About 12:40 a.m. Monday, firefighters responded to a report of an explosion and fire at a single-story home in the 10800 block of South Morgan Street, according to Fire Media Affairs.

The man, whose identity remained unknown Tuesday afternoon, was found unresponsive at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide.

The fire was extinguished at 1:22 a.m. and no one else was injured, fire officials said.

Police issued a community alert Tuesday night saying the fire was intentionally set.

“It frightened me because I thought a car had ran into a building or something. But then when I saw the house, I saw flames shooting out the top,” a neighbor, the Rev. Eric D. Roberts Sr., told reporters at the scene.

The Chicago Police Bomb and Arson Unit is investigating the cause of the blaze.

The man’s vehicle was also stolen after he was shot to death, police said. Investigators were trying to locate his 2004 black Buick LeSabre sedan as of Tuesday night. It had a license plate number of V617710.

Anyone with information on the car’s whereabouts is asked to call Area South detectives at (312) 747-8271.