Man found dead near Humboldt Park railroad tracks was strangled: medical examiner

A man was strangled and left for dead Tuesday near railroad tracks in Humboldt Park on the West Side.

A train conductor spotted the 44-year-old man lying unresponsive near the tracks and called authorities, according to Chicago police.

Officers responded about 9 a.m. to the 1100 block of North Kolmar Avenue and found the body of Roberto Fonseca Xavier Jr. dead at the scene, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Initially, detectives were uncertain how the man died, a police spokesperson said.

An autopsy released Wednesday found he died from ligature strangulation, and his death was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner’s office said. Xavier lived in the Hermosa neighborhood.

Area North detectives are investigating the death.

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