In response to my request to the McHenry County Coroner to be informed of the date and time for the inquest into the death of Robert Delisi, Coroner Marlene Lantz informed me today that they "are not holding an Inquest on Mr. Delisi."
The purpose of an inquest is to look into the cause and manner of a death that occurs under unusual circumstances. Apparently, our County Coroner does not believe that a body found on railroad tracks in Woodstock constitutes circumstances that would warrant an inquest.
I wonder whether anyone in McHenry County agrees with me that such a death certainly is unusual.
Robert Delisi's body was found on the outboard Metra tracks only a short distance from the Woodstock Police Department. The location, 600 Lake Avenue, is roughly at the corner of Lake Avenue and Dick Tracy Way (previously known as Fremont Street). According to the Northwest Herald, the body was found "on" the tracks.
So, how did it happen that Bobby Delisi ended up there? Did he walk there under his own power and just run out of energy and fall onto the tracks? Not likely.
Where was he on the night and earlier, the evening, before he was found on Tuesday morning, September 13? The results of an autopsy were reported as "inconclusive." Are the toxicology reports back? What do they say?
Does anyone else find it strange that the Northwest Herald has failed to report any news articles beyond those in the 24 hours after his body was found?
Doesn't anyone wonder if alcohol or illegal drug ingestion led to his death? Or where person or persons unknown placed his body on the tracks? And if those persons did put his body there, how did they get it to that location? Did they intend for an early outbound train to run over the body, not knowing that the outbound tracks were out of use while the grade crossing at Calhoun Street was under reconstruction?
A citizenry must be inquisitive and suspicious of all unusual deaths, in order to uncover persons responsible or rule out the possibility of foul play.
Isn't there a crime here that deserves intense investigation by the Woodstock Police Department and an inquest to conclude whether Delisi's death was homicide, suicide, accidental, natural or undetermined?
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
2 comments:
Well, I can only hope it wasn't some sort of murder.
I feel like alcohol or drugs may have been involved. I know that a lot of homeless people like to hang out at the train station, and I just wonder if Bobby had been drinking and drank too much and was walking the tracks and passed out, and didn't wake up. Or perhaps drugs were involved, with the same scenerio. I'm anxious for the toxicology reports to come out. His friends and family need these answers.
Inquests are conducted in many cases that are not murder. A Coroner's Jury does not investigate the "how" of a death, only the cause and manner. It's not binding on a police investigation.
Personally, I dislike the decision at the Coroner's Office not to hold an inquest. I mean, it's not like Delisi died at home in bed after a long illness.
Toxicology results are presented at an inquest and a good jury will ask questions. Without an inquest the Woodstock P.D. will claim "invasion of privacy" or "confidential medical records" and the public will never know.
And the drug business in Woodstock will go on. Whether or not Delisi was part of that world here.
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