CRESTWOOD, Ill. — A 52-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing his employer and attempting to cover up the crime by setting a fire inside a Crestwood business.
On March 5 at approximately 4:05 p.m., Crestwood police and fire crews responded to a fire at ATG Truckload, located at 13835 S. Kostner. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze but discovered the body of 43-year-old Dane Koletski on the second floor amid heavy smoke.
Authorities launched a homicide and arson investigation, with assistance from the State Fire Marshal and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force. Investigators identified Josif Suclea, an employee of the victim, as the primary suspect and determined the crime was a targeted attack.
Suclea was tracked to a truck stop in Holland, Michigan, where he was arrested at approximately 5:15 a.m. on March 6 by local police. He was extradited to Illinois on March 15 following an autopsy that confirmed Koletski’s death was caused by neck injuries from a sharp or pointed object.
Suclea, a Scottsdale, Arizona resident, was officially charged with first-degree murder on March 15. His bond hearing is set for Sunday, March 16, at the Cook County Courthouse in Chicago.
