Cause of death undisclosed

Orland police probe ‘possible abduction’

by Jesse Marx
staff reporter

Orland Park police continue to investigate the possible abduction of an Orland Park business owner whose death was ruled a homicide last week by the Will County Coroner’s Office.

Ibrahim Nofal, 28, of Lockport, was found dead on July 17 in a park in Joliet.

Although the Will County chief deputy coroner ruled Mr. Nofal’s death a homicide, he would not release the official cause and manner of death due to the ongoing investigation of his disappearance.

The decomposed body found in Joliet’s Pilcher Park on July 17 was identified as that of Mr. Nofal on July 20 through dental records and fingerprint comparisons.

Joliet police also found an au- tomobile insurance card belonging to Mr. Nofal near his body.

Joliet police are investigating the homicide, while Orland police continue to investigate Mr. Nofal’s possible abduction. The two police departments are collaborating and sharing every piece of evidence they have, said Orland Park police Cmdr. John Keating.

“We’re still running down leads,”  he added. “We’re running down every possible motive.”

Mr. Nofal was last seen at around 6:30 p.m. on July 13 at his Orland Park auto repair shop, Lightning Auto, 15563 70th Court.

Video surveillance taken from a nearby business and released by investigators on July 19 showed a vehicle pull up at Lightning Auto around 6:30 p.m. Two men with dark complexions exited and spoke briefly with a man who police believe was Nofal before pulling the vehicle into the garage. Approximately 10 minutes later the vehicle left the garage and headed southbound on 70th Court.

The vehicle was a gray four door 1996-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with a luggage rack on the roof. Investigators have found no evidence that it had been worked on at the repair shop in the past.

“While this is a difficult time for the family, they are comforted by the fact that he is in a better place,”  Mohammed Nofal wrote in a statement on July 20. “Justice will be served — and we will not rest.”

Investigators have not yet received word on the grainy footage they sent to an FBI regional computer forensics laboratory for digital enhancement. They are considering sending the same footage to a second forensics laboratory but have not yet determined where.

“I would have liked to have it [enhanced] yesterday, but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way,” Keating said.

Orland Park Police Chief Tim McCarthy said nothing was stolen from the auto shop on July 13 and that Cook County forensic investigators found no evidence of struggle. Mr. Nofal does not have a criminal record.

Last week McCarthy said police have investigated over 100 leads, namely the telephone numbers of customers and business associates obtained from Mr. Nofal’s most recent cell phone record. Police have also been monitoring his financial accounts but refused to comment on whether it has experienced any activity.

“We have no information at this time that he had any enemies … or dissatisfied customers who would go to this extent,” McCarthy said.

Mr. Nofal’s wife and two sons, 2-year-old Hamza and 8-month-old Laif, survive him. A fund for his children has been created at the Bank of America in Tinley Park. To make a contribution, mail a check to Bank of America, 16301 S. Harlem Ave., ATTN: Ibrahim Nofal Kids Fund, or visit any Bank of America branch.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact the Police Department Investigations Division at 349-4111 or the tips hotline at 349-8477. The family has

also established an anonymous 24-hour hotline at (773) 299-0277 and an e-mail address at helpfind-nofal@yahoo.com. The Nofal family has offered a $50,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction and plans to increase that amount higher.

“Somebody must have seen something, somebody must have heard something,” said Mohammed Nofal, the victim’s cousin. “Come forward, please.”

This is part of the July 29, 2010 online edition of The Regional.

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