The remains of Urooj Khan were reinterred Monday following an autopsy of the North Side man who died from cyanide poisoning after winning a $1 million lottery jackpot.
His remains were exhumed Friday
from a North Side cemetery and autopsied. The examination also involved
testing organs such as the liver and stomach contents to determine
whether he inhaled or ate the cyanide that killed him back in July.
On Friday afternoon, a Cook County Medical Examiner's office spokesman said the body was picked up by a funeral service which would handle reinterment.
Diane Comer, general manager of Rosehill Cemetery, said Khan's body arrived at 2:45 p.m. and was reinterred by 3 p.m. The cemetery is located at 5800 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Dr. Stephen Cina, the chief medical examiner who asked for and won a court order for the exhumation, said the further testing on the remains may help prosecutors if anyone is ever charged in Khan's death. No one has been named a suspect.
Khan's death came on the heels of winning a $1 million state lottery jackpot. Initially, his death was ruled from natural causes: hardening of the arteries. Days later, a relative contacted the medical examiner's office and said the doctor who handled the case should take a closer look.
Only an external exam was conducted in July because there was nothing to indicate his death was suspicious, Cina said.
Further toxicology tests revealed in September — weeks after he was buried — that the 46-year-old Khan had died from a lethal dose of cyanide. In November, his death was reclassified a homicide by the medical examiner's office.
In recent weeks, Khan's widow Shabana Ansari, told the Sun-Times she fully supported the exhumation. She said she hopes the follow-up exam will reveal "the truth."
"I really want them to go for it because I really want to know what exactly happened," Ansari said. "I wish God will reveal the truth — the sooner the better."
Thursday, May 16 2013 9:49 PM EDT2013-05-17 01:49:53 GMT
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Monday, February 25 2013 1:41 PM EST2013-02-25 18:41:37 GMT
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Monday, May 20 2013 8:33 PM EDT2013-05-21 00:33:23 GMT
A Merrillville police officer shot a man Monday afternoon when the two got into a fight in the parking lot of the Merrillville Planned Parenthood office.
A Merrillville police officer shot a man Monday afternoon when the two got into a fight in the parking lot of the Merrillville Planned Parenthood office.
Monday, May 20 2013 5:52 PM EDT2013-05-20 21:52:14 GMT
Gov. Pat Quinn said Illinois lawmakers have a chance to make history on two fronts this month by approving a plan to fix the state's decades-old pension crisis and legalizing same-sex marriage.
Gov. Pat Quinn said Illinois lawmakers have a chance to make history on two fronts this month by approving a plan to fix the state's decades-old pension crisis and legalizing same-sex marriage.