20-Year-Old Highland Park Man Found Dead in Wilmette

This story is by Paula Skaggs 

The death of a Highland Park 20-year-old man found in Wilmette near the intersection of Old Glenview Rd. and Briar Dr. Tuesday night is being investigated as a homicide, according to Wilmette Police.

The body has been identified through fingerprints as Colin Nutter, 20, of Highland Park. Nutter’s body was found by a dog walker on Monday at approximately 8:30 p.m. and reportedly showed signs of obvious trauma, police said.

Colin Nutter graduated from Highland Park High School in 2011, according to Natalie Kaplan, District 113's Communication Director.

The body has been transported to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office to be autopsied Wednesday. 

A 16-year-old girl found Nutter's body while walking her dog, according to NBC Chicago. She told NBC that she told her mom who called the police. The girl said that a branch — which appeared to be intentionally placed — was covering Nutter's face. The girl's mother told NBC that Nutter's face was "clearly beat up."

Liz Weissman went to school with Nutter and lives across the street from his family’s home, which was surrounded by satellite TV trucks Tuesday afternoon.
 
She said he was quiet and wasn’t one to initiate conversations. But, she added, "He was a nice boy. He was the kind of person who if you started to talk to him, he'd engage."

The Wilmette Police Department is being assisted in the homicide investigation by the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force.

Highland Park police were at the Nutter house last month investigating an alleged home burglary, according to Wilmette Life.

Highland Park Police assisted in providing notification to the family and are working cooperatively with Wilmette Police and the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force with the on-going investigation, according to a statement from the Highland Park Police Department. Social services have been offered to Nutter's family who has requested privacy in the matter.

Anyone with information on this investigation is being asked to contact the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force at (847) 843-7580 or the Wilmette Police Department at (847) 256-1200.

Additional reporting from Jacob Nelson.

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