On March 24, 2004, Kevin Clewer, 31, was found in his Northalsted apartment at 3444 N. Elaine Pl.. He was the victim of dozens of fatal stab wounds after a night out locally. His killer has still been at large—and Clewer’s murder has now been considered a cold case.
Specifically, about that fateful night, what is known is that Clewer brought home a man, then in his early twenties, whom the police refer to as “Fernando.” Fernando allegedly attempted to rob Clewer while he slept. Clewer woke up and was still intoxicated; then, a fight ensued. (A 2022 Chicago Police Department [CPD] video about the case is here.)
Both of Clewer’s parents died the year after his death. His brother, Ron Clewer, has led the family’s search for answers since in a byzantine case that has spanned more than two decades. Investigators have identified Fernando, tracking him to Puerto Rico, and there is still a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
However, a recent talk with Ron revealed possible new leads—as well as the fact that the real-estate developer has made at least one major discovery about himself.
At the 2024 event “A Celebration of Life & Call for Justice” at the nightclub Scarlet, Detective John Campbell told Windy City Times, in part, “The investigation has sort of stalled at this point as we look for more information and evidence. There’s a difference between knowing who did it and proving it.”
Ron told Windy City Times in August 2026 that the latter statement is still true, although “there has been some movement in the case,” adding that “there are other actors in this story,” including individuals who were close to Kevin. Among those alleged individuals is someone “who had come in from Minnesota to see my brother. He thought my brother and him were going to hook up—and then Kevin left with another guy.” (This information was reportedly relayed from someone who had interviewed Kevin’s friend for a book he was writing about the murder.) And it turned out that Fernando had a now ex-husband who he used to commit capers with, according to Ron.
So why did “Fernando” flee to Puerto Rico? Ron said he suspects that the general police history with minorities may have played a role. “So I could see his fear and not wanting to come forward,” Ron said.
Ron’s determination to find the true killer knows no bounds—and that includes situations with the CPD.
“There were some challenges in the reporting on Kevin’s case and there was, allegedly, a statute of limitations,” Ron said. “So I made some comments, and the next thing you know, I’m getting calls from the person in charge of evidence processing. They said they’re going to advance this. And Kevin’s case is one of the first few [in which] CPD is using an outside firm to process evidence; usually, they use the state crime lab. Right now, they’re in the process of creating the final protocols to send DNA evidence out to get tested; there are new processes that can extract DNA from fabric that previously didn’t exist.”
On a related note, Ron said that authorities once proposed “exceptionally closing” Kevin’s case. [According to FBI.gov, this happens when “elements beyond law enforcement’s control prevent the agency from arresting and formally charging the offender.”] I said, “Nobody’s gonna pay attention anymore—so, no, you absolutely better not. Close it [and] there’ll be hell to pay.”
View CPD Cold Case: Kevin Clewer at:
https://youtu.be/w2Xm4BZAfMY?si=HdW9blwv7ZCBqO59
However, during this arduous process, Ron has discovered something: “I wonder how many other families are getting the attention that I’m commanding. Things might be happening for me because I’m an old, white guy. Why aren’t these steps available to every family out there? So I wonder how we might create a toolkit for family members. But this goes back to when I was thinking through the lens of legislation and policy. How might we go back and change that?”
And through this all, Ron is still sporting unwavering optimism, despite dealing with multiple persons of interest, investigative obstacles and more. “I’m hopeful that we can move this forward,” he said. “I just feel like if I’m able to push enough buttons, we can get a resolution.”
Anyone who has any information can contact the Chicago Police Department’s Area 3 Detective Division at 312-744-8261. Individuals can call anonymously.