Jeweler Dies Nearly A Week After Sauganash Home Invasion
CHICAGO (CBS) - A 57-year-old jewelry supply business owner has died nearly a week after being bound with tape and savagely beaten in a Northwest Side home invasion.
Shai Miller, of the 6300 block of North Kildare Avenue, was pronounced dead at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston at 5:30 a.m., the Cook County Medical Examiner's office said.
The home invasion happened about 9:15 p.m. Oct. 27 when two armed men forced their way into the Sauganash home and bound Miller and his teen son with duct tape, police said.
Miller was beaten, and the attackers took "miscellaneous items'' including jewelry, police said. The boy wasn't hurt but Miller was hospitalized in critical condition with "massive brain trauma."
Miller is the president of Miller's Jewelry Supply at 5 S. Wabash Ave., according to filings with the Secretary of State's office.
Whether the break-in was connected to the man's business is unknown.
News of the attack shocked many living in the quiet neighborhood.
"We've been living here for about three years, and this is the first time I've ever seen anything like that happen around here or heard of anything like that," said neighbor Cindy Pavon.
"We have an alarm system, and I have a dog, but you know, I have a 10-year-old daughter in my house, and my wife, and so obviously you're concerned," said Yan. "You're concerned for the safety of your family."
Some of Miller's colleagues and neighbors believe his attackers may have known he owned a jewelry store, and targeted him because of it.
"For somebody to come in like that when he's home, and then to tie him up and beat him, that kind of indicates to me that they were trying to get something out of him, other than just take his stuff," said neighbor Michael Schular.
No one has been arrested for the crime.
An autopsy for Shai Miller is scheduled for Wednesday.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
