The former owner of the Home Alone house in Chicago was found dead just days after he was arrested for having child sex abuse materials.
John Abendshien, 79, was discovered by police officers around 5.25pm on Wednesday in the Lake Forest Open Lands Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve.
Before Abendshien was found, his wife reported him missing earlier that day, just before 4pm, prompting officials to engage in an extensive search involving drones and K9 units.
Abendshien was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of asphyxia (severe oxygen deprivation) in a manner that was consistent with being self-inflicted, said Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
His death follows his release from Lake County Jail on April 17 after he was charged with seven counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Abendshien owned the famous house featured in the 1990 classic Home Alone for decades.
He told NBC Chicago last year that he lived at the home while the movie was filmed before selling the property in 2012.
John Abendshien, 79, was found dead by police officers on Wednesday in the Lake Forest Open Lands Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve
Abendshien owned the iconic Home Alone house, which is in Winnetka, Illinois. He sold the property in 2012 but told NBC Chicago he lived there during filming
Lake Forest Deputy Police Chief Michael Lange told Lake & McHenry County Scanner that officials executed a search warrant at Abendshien’s current address just days before he died on April 17.
Lange said that officials were given a cyber tip that Abendshien had allegedly been associated with an online account that was used in the ‘possession, manufacture or distribution’ of child sexual abuse material.’
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said that numerous photos of children between the ages of four and 15 in various states of undress were found in Abendshien’s Google Drive account.
Additional content allegedly showed a subject who appeared to be deceased, according to the outlet.
McConnell noted that Abendshien admitted to owning the account and that no one else had access to it.
The Assistant State’s Attorney added that he also allegedly confessed to having three indecent images of a female child younger than 13 years old.
His death follows his release from Lake County Jail on April 17 after he was charged with seven counts of possession of child sexual abuse material
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‘These cases are deeply concerning, and we are committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those involved,’ Lake Forest Police Chief John Burke said.
‘We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect children and ensure community safety,’ Burke added.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Windmoeller said during Abendshien’s hearing, which was held on April 17, that the suspect had written a fictional story about a real woman.
The main character of the story follows the woman to her home and sexually assaults her at gunpoint.
Abendshien allegedly admitted to writing another story about his 14-year-old neighbor, said Windmoeller.
Attorneys who were representing Abendshien claimed he had a practically flawless record.
Defense lawyers added that he did not pose a real and present danger to others.
