Maryanne C. Buss-Kincaid, a 76-year-old female longtime resident of Oak Lawn, Illinois, died unexpectedly on April 5, 2026, inside a home in the 9400 block of South 53rd Court. The day began as a welfare concern, not yet a publicly known homicide investigation. Oak Lawn police were called to the residence around 1:10 p.m. after a caretaker found her unresponsive inside the home.
When officers arrived, they found Buss-Kincaid dead at the scene.
Authorities later determined that her death was not natural. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the case a homicide after an autopsy found that Buss-Kincaid had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head. Police described the incident as isolated and domestic in nature, suggesting investigators did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the wider community.
Buss-Kincaid had deep roots in the area. Her obituary described her as a longtime Oak Lawn resident, the widow of Robert “BK” Kincaid, a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, and extended family member. It also described her as a business owner for more than 50 years and a dedicated mortuary beautician who worked for decades with funeral homes throughout Chicago’s South Side. Those details gave a fuller picture of her life beyond the violent circumstances of her death: she was someone known through family, community, and years of quiet professional service.
Investigators publicly identified a person of interest in connection with the case, but online reports did not provide that person’s name. Reporting on the person’s custody status was inconsistent. Some reports said a person of interest had been identified but was not in custody, while others said a person of interest was in custody. No publicly available online report located identified a suspect by name, announced an arrest, listed criminal charges, or described a court case, trial, plea, or conviction.
As of the available reporting, the known facts remain limited: Buss-Kincaid was found unresponsive by a caretaker, police responded for a well-being check, the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds to the head, and Oak Lawn police characterized the case as domestic and isolated. The investigation was reported as ongoing, with no publicly confirmed motive and no named suspect released online.
