Chicago Area Local News

Steve Grzanich / WBBM Newsradio 780
CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) ― Family members described as 'incomprehensible' the latest tragedy in the story involving north side murder victim Kevin Clewer whose father Jim Clewer collapsed and died Wednesday just two weeks after the sudden death of the victim's mother Pam Cunningham.

WBBM Newsradio 780's Steve Grzanich has learned that Clewer, 56, of Oak Forest suffered a possible heart attack. An autopsy was planned to determine official cause of death.

According to family members, Clewer collapsed while working in Orland Park. Paramedics transported Clewer to a nearby hospital but doctors were unable to resuscitate him. Clewer's son, Ron said his father may have suffered a heart attack or stroke but the official cause of death had not been determined. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said Clewer was pronounced dead at 10:12 a.m. Wednesday at Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights and scheduled an autopsy for Thursday.

Kevin Clewer's mother Pam Cunningham died suddenly April 28 several days after she was rushed to a Rockford hospital with chest pains and breathing trouble. She was also 56.

Jim Clewer blamed the death of his former wife on his son's killer. "The person who killed Kevin killed Pam," he told Newsradio 780. "That person is responsible for this." Clewer said Cunningham died of a broken heart. That same grief and agony may have also contributed to his death. Family members said the still-unsolved murder took a tremendous toll on both parents who worked tirelessly with police to help solve the case.

Clewer and Cunningham became activists and even detectives in the quest to find their son's killer. They distributed tens of thousands of fliers with the sketch of suspect "Fernando," they marched in the gay pride parade and made regular visits to Halsted Street bars.

"Our son was murdered and we don't want other parents to go through what we're going through," Clewer told reporters after the murder. "I would have never thought our son would have been stabbed to death and in such a vicious way but it has happened to us and we just can't let it go."

Kevin Clewer, 31, was killed March 24, 2004. He was found stabbed to death in the third floor bedroom of his Lakeview apartment at 3444 N. Elaine Place. Clewer had been stabbed more than 40 times. It was Jim Clewer who found his son's body.

"I will never forget that night," Clewer told Newsradio 780 during a March 2005 interview on the first anniversary of the murder. "Every time the 24th of the month comes up and it's a quarter after four and I start watching the clock and I think of every move I made that night."

Detectives conducted a nationwide manhunt for a man seen with Clewer before the murder. A widely circulated composite sketch identified the man as "Fernando," described by police as white or Hispanic, 5 foot 7, about 25 years old, with an athletic build and dark wavy hair with a Hispanic or European-Spanish accent. Police called the man the "prime suspect" in the investigation.

"When I wake up in the morning I think of Kevin right of the bat before I even open my eyes. During the day many times I think of Kevin and I just can't stand it," Clewer told WBBM.

Jim Clewer had no known health problems or diagnosed heart disease but did have a family history of heart ailments. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. He is survived by his wife Marilyn and his son Ron Clewer.

The Kevin Clewer homicide is one of at least two unsolved north side murders involving gay male victims. Police also investigated the August 2003 killing of Chicago theatre director Brad Winters. Winters, 38, also died of multiple stab wounds. The killing took place in Winters apartment at 526 W. Belden. At the time of his death, Winters was artistic director for the Terrapin Theatre Company in Chicago.

The Clewer family offered a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of Kevin's killer. They set up a web site about the case: http://www.4chicagokev.com/. Anyone with information about the Clewer or Winters cases was urged to contact Belmont Area Detectives (312) 744-8261. In the Clewer case, anonymous tips could be made to Cook County Crimestoppers at (800) 535-STOP.

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