Former Home Alone House Owner Found Dead After Arrest

John Abendshien, the 79-year-old former owner of the iconic house featured in the 1990 film "Home Alone," was found dead Wednesday evening in a nature preserve in Lake Forest, Illinois, days after his arrest on felony charges related to child pornography possession.

Authorities responded to the Lake Forest Open Lands Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve around 5:47 p.m. after a report of an unresponsive man. The Lake County Coroner's Office identified the body as Abendshien, a Lake Forest resident. A preliminary autopsy performed Thursday determined the cause of death as asphyxia in a manner consistent with being self-inflicted. Officials described the incident as isolated, with no apparent threat to the community. The Lake Forest Police Department has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Abendshien's wife had reported him missing earlier that day, around 4 p.m., prompting a search that involved drones and K9 units. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The discovery came less than two weeks after Abendshien's arrest on April 16. Lake Forest police executed a search warrant at his home in the 100 block of Morris Lane as part of an Internet Crimes Against...