Body of man poisoned after winning lottery will be revived

CHICAGO (Reuters)-the body of a man in Chicago who died of cyanide poisoning less than two months after winning $ 1 million in the Illinois lottery will be exhumed for further examination in two to four weeks, according to the Cook County medical examiner.

An affidavit to exhume the body of urooj Khan, 46, will be presented Friday, with Cook County Circuit Court, Mary Paleologos, a spokeswoman for the County, said on Wednesday. Once a judge approves the request, it should take a week or two, it will probably take another one or two weeks to arrange the exhumation with the cemetery, said Paleologos.

Khan's death on 20 July was at first determined to be caused by heart disease. No autopsy was performed, since there was no present injury and death appeared natural. Toxicology results showed no drugs or carbon monoxide.

But a few days later, the body was released for burial, an unidentified family member contacted the doctor in the case and asked the medical examiner to revisit.

Medical examiner's Office completes toxicology test ordered. On 23 November, final test results confirmed a lethal level of cyanide in his blood, according to the coroner, and the death was ruled a homicide.

Medical examiner's Office said the exhumation of the body "is needed to complete an investigation" into the death of Khan.

Chicago police would say only that they are investigating the case as a murder and work closely with the medical examiner's Office.

Khan had submitted the ticket claiming winnings Lottery Illinois offices on May 31, according to Lottery spokesman Mike Lang. Khan had decided to take the lump sum payment, which amounted to about $ 424,500 after taxes. A check was sent to Springfield, Illinois on July 19 or 20 Khan July-then it is unlikely that Khan has ever seen, said Lang.

The cheque was paid on August 15, said Lang. He said it is normal that when the winners die before receiving their winnings, the money is paid to the estate.

Estate of Khan is in Cook County probate court. The next event in the State case is January 24.

Steven Kozicki, a lawyer for Khan's wife Shabana Ansari, was not immediately available for comment Wednesday. Kozicki told the Chicago Tribune that Ansari had been interviewed by police detectives in Chicago and had nothing to hide.

(Reported by Mary Wisniewski; Editing by Greg McCune and Nick Zieminski)

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