The Xander Kazanowski case is an open Chicago homicide investigation into the March 2026 beating death of a 25-year-old father outside the Tune Up Bar in Avondale. Police believe the fatal attack followed a dispute inside the bar, and as of mid-2026 no one has been arrested. Detectives are still trying to identify and question four people caught on surveillance video.
What Happened Outside the Tune Up Bar
A passerby found Kazanowski facedown at the corner of Belmont and Harding avenues at about 3:15 a.m. on March 24, 2026, unresponsive and with severe blunt-force injuries to his head.1CWB Chicago. Chicago Police Release Video in Hunt for 4 People Sought in Fatal Avondale Beating Paramedics took him to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.2Chicago Sun-Times. Four Sought in Fatal Bludgeoning of Man After Fight in Avondale Tavern He was pronounced dead at 3:31 p.m. on March 28. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide caused by blunt head trauma from an assault.3Block Club Chicago. Former Vintage Shop Owner Died After Suspected Assault in Avondale
Investigators trace the chain of events to inside the Tune Up Bar at 3810 West Belmont Avenue. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Kazanowski was “forcibly removed” from the bar after a physical altercation.2Chicago Sun-Times. Four Sought in Fatal Bludgeoning of Man After Fight in Avondale Tavern Bar employees told WGN-TV he had been asked to leave after making “several comments.”4WGN-TV. Persons of Interest in Kazanowski Murder Witnesses saw him exchanging words with a group after leaving, but no one reported seeing the beating itself. A source familiar with the investigation told CWB Chicago that Kazanowski appeared to have been followed from the bar by the other party in the dispute.5CWB Chicago. Investigation Continues Into Death of Man Found Beaten on Avondale Street Corner His body was found about a block east of the bar, at 3942 West Belmont Avenue.
Authorities have not stated a motive. Paul Rutherford, executive director of Cook County Crime Stoppers, called it a “brutal and senseless act of violence.”4WGN-TV. Persons of Interest in Kazanowski Murder No hate-crime angle has been publicly raised or ruled out.
Where the Investigation Stands
On April 7, 2026, the Chicago Police Department released surveillance footage of four unidentified people, described as three men and one woman, who entered the Tune Up Bar around the time of the incident.1CWB Chicago. Chicago Police Release Video in Hunt for 4 People Sought in Fatal Avondale Beating6Fox 32 Chicago. Police Searching for Suspects Who Allegedly Killed Chicago Dad Outside Bar Police have not called them suspects. CBS News Chicago reported that authorities have labeled them only as people sought in connection with the case.7CBS News Chicago. 4 People Sought in Avondale Homicide Cook County Crime Stoppers said the four have been identified but asked the public not to approach them and to call 911 if they are seen.4WGN-TV. Persons of Interest in Kazanowski Murder
No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. Area 5 detectives are handling the case and can be reached at 312-746-6614. Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anonymous tips can go to 1-800-535-7867 or CPDTIP.com under reference number JK192078.6Fox 32 Chicago. Police Searching for Suspects Who Allegedly Killed Chicago Dad Outside Bar
Who Xander Kazanowski Was
Kazanowski was born on May 15, 2000, and grew up in South Barrington. He graduated from Barrington High School, where he wrestled and was voted “most opinionated.”8Lake and McHenry County Scanner. Barrington High School Grad Dies by Homicide After Being Found Critically Injured in Chicago In 2019, at 19, he founded Wurk Services LLC, a Barrington-based household services company that grew from landscaping to more than 50 services across Cook and DuPage counties.9Wurk Services. About Wurk Services He also worked as a commercial, wedding, and bridal model.10Everloved. Xander Kazanowski Memories
He lived in Avondale at the time of his death. He is survived by his partner, Tori; their daughter, Thea; and a son, John, who had not yet been born when Kazanowski died. He was an organ donor.11New York Post. Chicago Dad Alexander Kazanowski Beaten to Death Outside Bar Friends launched a GoFundMe on April 2, 2026, directing proceeds to UTMA accounts for his two children.12GoFundMe. The Xander Kazanowski Memorial Fund for His Children
The 2023 Rogers Park Vintage Shop Controversy
Kazanowski had drawn public attention before his death. In March 2023, he co-opened a vintage shop called Boho Barbie Ken at 1736 West Greenleaf Avenue in Rogers Park. Community members soon surfaced posts on his personal Facebook page that they described as transphobic, including memes demeaning trans people and trans athletes. Dozens of neighbors and local groups protested outside the storefront. Kazanowski, then 22, characterized his posts as an expression of his “conservative Christian” beliefs and said he was not “anti-trans” on an individual level. He said the store had signed a two-year lease and that he had no plans to close.13Block Club Chicago. Rogers Park Antique Shop Faces Protests, Backlash Over Transphobic Social Media Posts
The store later closed permanently, with a last Instagram post dated September 2024.14Block Club Chicago. 4 People Wanted for Questioning in Killing of Former Rogers Park Vintage Shop Owner Coverage of the killing has referenced the 2023 backlash, but investigators have not drawn any connection between it and the fatal attack in Avondale.5CWB Chicago. Investigation Continues Into Death of Man Found Beaten on Avondale Street Corner