Woman found dead, tied up in West Side alley was released from suburban jail days earlier

A Berwyn woman found tied up and dead in a West Side alley last weekend was released from a suburban jail just days earlier.

The victim was identified as 34-year-old Melissa D. Grilli by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Autopsy results remained inconclusive Monday. Chicago police said they were conducting an investigation into her death.

Her body was found in an alley about 8:30 a.m. Sunday by someone throwing out trash in the 2600 block of West Gladys Avenue, according to Chicago police.

She “was found tied up from her legs, arms and wrists,” police spokesman Jose Jara said in an email.

Grilli was released from Will County Jail on March 8, six days before her body was found, according to Will County records. She was booked Jan. 21 by Romeoville police on charges of driving without a license and drug possession, according to the records.

Her bail was set at $10,000, and she was released from jail the day she pleaded guilty to the charges, according to records from the Will County clerk’s office.

A Chicago Police Department spokesperson on Tuesday did not have an update on the investigation.

The Romeoville Police Department has been in communication with CPD regarding the investigation, according to Romeoville spokesman Kenneth Kroll.

Berwyn Police Chief Michael D. Cimaglia said CPD has not contacted his department for information.