BURNHAM | Local police in conjunction with the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the death of a village nursing home resident that the Cook County medical examiner's office ruled a homicide.

A Cook County medical examiner's office spokesman said 63-year-old Thomas Donovan died from multiple injuries suffered during an assault. Donovan had cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension, the spokesman said.

Donovan was taken to South Shore Hospital with a contusion on his face. He died April 1.

"We made contacts with a nursing home supervisor (who said) he got into an altercation on April 1 at 9 p.m. at night," the spokesman said. "I don't know if (the altercation was) physical or not."

Donovan was a resident at the Burnham Terrace nursing home at 14500 S Manistee Avenue, Burnham Police Chief Peter Belos said. Police are still investigating whether his death was a homicide and interviewing other patients and nursing home staff members, he said.

"We don't know what happened," Belos said. "It's possible he was beaten. We are looking at everything to determine if it was a resident or staff member, but just because it was ruled a homicide doesn't mean it is a homicide.

"We are looking at all the possibilities. He could've fallen, had medical problems, could've been beat."