Illinois – An Illinois man died from a gunshot wound after he allegedly forced his way into an occupied residence last week, according to authorities. The Coroner’s Office said the 36-year-old man, later identified as SheIby, was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m. on Saturday, where officers discovered him unresponsive on the second floor of the residence.
Illinois authorities were dispatched around 10:30 p.m. Friday on a report of a home lnvasion. When they arrived, they found signs of forced entry and began a search of the house. They located the 36-year-old man upstairs with a gunshot wound to the head. In an adjacent bedroom, officers found a woman with her baby and the firearm used in the shooting. Police said the woman is cooperating with detectives as the investigation continues.
Investigators said the preliminary evidence indicates the woman heard someone breaking into her home, took her baby to a bedroom closet, and armed herself while she caIIed for heIp. She told responding officers that after she and her baby hid in the closet, the intruder entered the bedroom. At that point, she fired a singIe shot, striking the man in the head. Officers noted the suspect was wearing gIoves and had a tool in his possession when he was found; Illinois authorities emphasized that the intruder was not known to the homeowner.
Police secured the scene and requested the coroner. The Coroner’s Office took jurisdiction, confirmed the death at the residence, and said formal identification and manner of death determinations would follow standard procedures. Detectives conducted canvasses and asked anyone with surveillance video from the area to contact the department as they worked to reconstruct the timeline leading up to the break-in.
Illinois authorities later identified the deceased and reviewed his criminal history, which included prior burglary convictions in several counties. Public records cited by local outlets show the 36-year-old man was convicted of burglaries in 2022 and 2023 and had been released on parole on Feb. 24, 2025. Police said they were still investigating why he targeted the woman’s residence.
The woman’s account remained consistent across initial interviews. She told officers she was at home with her baby when she heard the sound of someone forcing entry. She moved to the upstairs bedroom, hid with her child in the closet, and waited while calling for help. She said the door to the bedroom opened and the intruder moved inside, prompting her to fire to stop the threat. Police said the scene findings — including forced entry, the closet location, and the suspect’s items — aligned with that statement during the early phase of the investigation.
Illinois authorities and local media reported that no other injuries were found at the scene. The department stated the homeowner is cooperating and that, as with any fatal shooting, the case will undergo a thorough review. Detectives continued collecting physical evidence, examining door and window damage consistent with forced entry, and seeking digital evidence from home and neighborhood cameras to confirm the sequence of events. The un-named woman who shot and killed the 36-year-old intruder was cooperating fully. It is not thought that the mother is facing any charges.
