Two men are facing murder charges after a shocking crime in Chicago, where prosecutors say they tied up, gagged, and assaulted a man they met on a dating app.
Authorities say 63-year-old George N. Levin was found bound and unresponsive in his basement apartment in Chicago’s Norwood Park neighborhood on January 26. His sister, who lived in the same building, made the horrifying discovery after hearing a loud noise and growing concerned when her brother wasn’t responding to her messages.
The suspects, identified as 21-year-old Geiderwuin Bello Morales and 29-year-old Jefferson Ubilla-Delgado, are accused of attacking Levin after meeting him through the dating app Grindr. Prosecutors allege the two men went to Levin’s home on Sunday night and restrained him with duct tape and an extension cord, stuffing a sock into his mouth to gag him.
Levin’s sister first became suspicious when she spotted Bello Morales inside her brother’s bedroom and questioned him. He reportedly reassured her that Levin was fine and would call her later. But when she checked again two hours later and couldn’t reach him, she forced her way into the apartment—only to find her brother tied up and cold to the touch. She immediately called for help and tried to perform CPR, but it was too late. Levin was rushed to Ascension Resurrection Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from multiple injuries sustained during the attack.
In the hours following the crime, prosecutors say surveillance footage captured the suspects trying to use Levin’s phone and credit cards at a gas station and a vape shop. They allegedly attempted to withdraw money from his bank account and even spent over $4,000 on Amazon purchases using his information.
Investigators eventually tracked down the suspects, arresting Ubilla-Delgado first on December 29. During questioning, he reportedly claimed that Bello Morales was the one who assaulted Levin and stole his belongings. Bello Morales, who moved to the U.S. from Ecuador about a year ago, and Ubilla-Delgado, originally from Venezuela, are now both facing charges of murder and robbery of a victim over 60 years old.
During their court hearing, the defense argued that the evidence didn’t directly prove what happened inside Levin’s apartment and claimed that the suspects had received Levin’s phone as part of a payment for sex. However, the judge wasn’t convinced.
“I can’t overlook the horrifying nature of this crime,” Judge William Fahy said, denying them pretrial release. Their next court appearance is scheduled for next week.