Richard DiMatteo, a suspect in the 2004 death of Lakeview resident and Cubs souvenir-shop owner Forest Cowley, was found guilty of second-degree murder in a bench trial, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Cowley’s decomposed body was discovered June 29, 2004, in his apartment at 638 W. Cornelia. The victim died of blunt force trauma.
Cowley and DiMatteo were personal acquaintances who had a professional relationship, according to the office. According to the prosecution, Cowley paid for DiMatteo to come to the U.S. after meeting him in Spain. Eventually, DiMatteo worked for Cowley. They even went on trips together, travelling to such places as Washington, D.C., and New York City, where they stayed at the Ritz-Carlton.
In January of 2005, U.S. Customs officials arrested DiMatteo as he returned from his native Uruguay because his name was on a national watch list as a murder suspect. He was then transferred to Cook County Jail, where he has been ever since.
It is not known if DiMatteo is a suspect in the murders of Lakeview residents Brad Winters and Kevin Clewer. Cowley, Winters and Clewer were killed within a span of 10 months.
DiMatteo will be sentenced on June 29. He could received anywhere from 4 to 20 years in prison.