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A shocking incident unfolded in Crestwood, Illinois on Wednesday, where the CEO of a trucking company, ATG Truckload, was found deceased in a burning building. According to the Crestwood Police Department’s press release, emergency services responded to reports of heavy smoke emanating from the company’s offices. Upon extinguishing the blaze, firefighters made a grim discovery – the body of 46-year-old Dane Koteski, the company’s CEO, on the second floor with a slashed neck, indicating a homicide, as confirmed by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“The fire was quickly put out. There was a large amount of smoke. After clearing the smoke, the focus shifted to investigating the body,” CPD Chief Kevin Sisk told ABC7. “Investigators determined the victim was the owner of the company: 46-year-old Dane Koteski. An autopsy later revealed Koteski’s neck was slashed with a knife.”
Śmierć Dane’a Koteskiego, właściciela firmy transportowej ATG Truckload i pożar w jego biurze nie były przypadkowe – poinformowała policja z Crestwood na południowo-zachodnich przedmieściach Chicago.https://t.co/SYN46P9zDH
— Dziennik Związkowy (@Dzwiazkowy) March 10, 2025
The CPD launched investigations into both the death and the fire, with the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force collaborating on the homicide investigation, and State Fire Marshalls assisting in the suspected arson case. Chief Sisk revealed, “They fairly quickly developed a suspect.”
The suspect turned out to be one of Koteski’s employees, according to the CPD. Authorities located and apprehended the individual at a truck stop in Michigan on Thursday morning with the assistance of the Holland Police Department. The suspect is currently being held by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan, awaiting extradition to Illinois, likely by the end of the week, as reported by The Chicago Sun Times. The CPD and the Cook County State Attorney’s office are jointly investigating the incident.
Dane was found by a volunteer diver, Juan Heredia, said the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, who is with Angels Recovery Dive Team. #SiletzOregon #News #PNW #LiveOnKMTRhttps://t.co/KG0tQR3fM5
— KMTR NBC 16 (@KMTR) March 11, 2025
The suspect’s potential motive remains unknown at this time.
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe page was set up to cover Koteski’s funeral expenses and support his son’s future. The page, which has raised over $95,000 as of Tuesday afternoon, described Koteski as a generous, kind, and friendly individual within the Macedonian and Serbian community and church.
The Daily Caller reached out to the Crestwood Police Department for further comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
