Detectives reviewing case after bar punch last year led to man’s death this week

The death of a 40-year-old Hermosa man on Wednesday has been ruled a homicide after officials determined he died from complications of a punch he suffered more than a year ago at a Northwest Side bar.

About 2:30 a.m. May 7, 2017, Marco Antonio Solorio Raya tried to walk into a bar in the 1600 block of North Cicero Avenue, but was denied entry by security because he was “highly intoxicated,” Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Raya became upset and punched a 33-year-old security guard, who in turn punched Raya, causing Raya to suffer a bloody nose, police said. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment and the security guard declined to press charges against him.

Raya died Wednesday afternoon at Illinois Masonic of complications from blunt force injuries in an assault, the medical examiner’s office determined. His death was ruled a homicide on Thursday.

Police said detectives have opened an investigation into Raya’s death and will review the case.