Eric P. Cybak, a 34-year-old male from Chicago, was found dead on May 20, 2017, in a stairwell of a parking garage at the Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Illinois. Cybak, who was of Caucasian ethnicity, was discovered by a mall employee at around 1:30 p.m., bleeding from his head and unconscious. Emergency personnel arrived shortly after, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary autopsy results from the Cook County Medical Examiner's office indicated that Cybak died from multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.
Cybak's death prompted a homicide investigation by the Skokie Police Department, in collaboration with the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force. The police quickly determined that the killing was not random, and there was no ongoing threat to the public or the mall's patrons. The investigation revealed that Cybak had been living in the San Francisco Bay Area but was originally from Northbrook, Illinois. At the time of his death, he was out on bail, facing criminal charges in Texas. He had been arrested on May 5, 2017, after Carson County Sheriff's deputies found more than 50 pounds of marijuana in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Despite the ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made in connection with Cybak's murder. The Skokie Police Department has been reviewing mall security footage and has urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward. The police have reassured the public that the mall was not specifically targeted as a location for the crime, and there is no remaining threat to the general public.
Cybak's death remains a tragic and unresolved case, with law enforcement continuing to seek leads and information that could help bring the perpetrator to justice. The circumstances surrounding his murder, including his recent legal troubles and the nature of the crime, have left many questions unanswered. The investigation is ongoing, and the Skokie Police Department continues to appeal to the community for any information that could assist in solving this case.
