Man Pleads Not Guilty To Beating Aunt To Death
SKOKIE (CBS) -- A Wilmette man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges alleging he beat his aunt to death with a baseball bat on Christmas Day.
Anthony Rapoport, 24, was arraigned before Cook County Judge Timothy Chambers on Thursday at the Skokie Courthouse. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his aunt, Nancee Rapoport, 49.
The arraignment was the first time no family members were in court to view the proceedings.
Rapoport is charged with beating his aunt to death with a baseball bat on Christmas Day in the home he and she were sharing with his grandparents in Wilmette.
Nancee Rapoport's death, from two separate blows to the back of her head, reportedly came after the two argued.
Rapoport has been held on $8 million bond since shortly after his Dec. 25 arrest. He had also been arrest on Dec. 24 after an argument brought police to the home. Police discovered he had an outstanding warrant for an aggravated assault case in Skokie.
He was held in police lock-up overnight prior to being taken to bond court on Christmas Day. He was released on an individual recognizance bond and returned to the home, police said.
Aat 4:13 p.m. that day, police received a 911 call reporting a possible homicide at the home. When officers arrived they met with a man who said he had been summoned to the home by a phone call from Anthony Rapoport, who allegedly told him that he had killed someone.
Officers found Anthony Rapoport on foot in the 3100 block of Temple Lane. They saw blood on his clothing and he was taken into custody without incident.
He allegedly admitted striking his aunt in the head with an aluminum baseball bat, saying he was tired of being "nagged" by her. The murder weapon was recovered from the scene.
(The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.)
