Davy Easterling was found shot dead inside a burning South Chicago neighborhood home early Friday.
Firefighters responded about 6 a.m. Friday to a blaze at a 2 1/2-story, multi-unit home in the 8300 block of South Baker Avenue, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.
Easterling, 31, was found dead in that bedroom with gunshot wounds to the throat and chest, authorities said.
Easterling, of the 8100 block of South Vernon Avenue, was dead at the scene and a Saturday autopsy determined he died from the shooting and not the fire, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
On Saturday, Chicago rapper Twista posted to social network sites Instagram and Twitter, “#RIP Davy Easterling aka 6’9 I have lost too many good friends to these streets.”
Since Friday, the rapper had been posting “a close friend” and security guard was missing.
“We are all worried and pray for his safe return,” Twista posted shortly after noon on Friday.
The blaze started in the rear bedroom of the first floor apartment, and firefighters contained the fire to that unit, Langford said. The building’s smoke detectors were working and the blaze did not cause any structural damage.
Photo from Chicago Fire Department
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire officials and the police Bomb & Arson Section.
Nobody has been charged with Easterling's murder.
Area South detectives continue to investigate the shooting.
-- Sun-Times Media Wire