Man found dead in Gary alley

GARY | Police are seeking the public's help in identifying a man found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest Monday.

According to police, officers were called at 8:58 p.m. to a report of a man down in the alley in the 600 block of Hamlin Street. When officers arrived, they found the man already was deceased.

The Lake County coroner's office listed the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head and face, and a gunshot wound to the right chest suffered in an apparent homicide.

Coroner's office investigators believe the homicide may have taken place in the alley.

The man is described as Hispanic, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 180 to 185 pounds with a goatee with a little bit of gray in it. He was wearing several layers of clothing, with a black hooded sweatshirt and navy pants on top and black Jordan gym shoes.

Police said the man's hands were covered in paint as though he might have worked as a painter.

He had a tattoo on his abdomen written in old English script reading "OEJDIA" and another on the left side of his chest of a heart with the center inked out. A tattoo on the right side of his chest depicted a hand and a gun and read "EC Bad Boys."

His right arm had the following tattoos: "Anna," "Short," a picture of a bulldog with the name "Dog" underneath, a picture of a woman and a peace sign and "Latin Lover."

He also had several tattoos on his left arm, including a dragon with "GD" and a six-point star, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, "Aliyah," a Playboy bunny. An unknown tattoo was on his left hand, and a lady with an arm extended was on his left thigh. 

Police are asking anyone with information about the man or the crime is asked to contact Detective James Nielson at (219) 881-4754 or (219) 881-1210.