Victim's Family Was Upstairs When He Was Gagged, Beaten to Death in Basement by Men He Met on Dating App: Police

As Illinois authorities investigate the brutal murder of a 63-year-old man found dead in the basement of his family home, more details are emerging surrounding the incident. 

George Levin, 63, was found in the basement of his Chicago home on Jan. 26 just hours after he had dinner with his family upstairs, according to a criminal complaint reviewed by PEOPLE.

Geiderwuin Bello Morales, 21, and Jefferson Ubilla-Delgado, 29, were arrested days later in connection with the Levin’s death, per arrest reports seen by PEOPLE.

Levin was last seen by his family when he joined his mother and sister for dinner upstairs, CBS News reported, citing prosecutors who spoke during a recent court appearance. Around 7 p.m., he resigned for the evening and went back to the basement, where he lived, per the incident report.

A little after 8 p.m., his sister heard a loud noise from the basement and went down to check. At that time, she encountered Bello Morales who said Levin was fine and would give her a call later, according to authorities, prosecutors said, according to CBS News.

Hours later, his sister, growing concerned, went back to the basement to check on him, where she found him brutally beaten, tied with duct tape, with a sock in his mouth and partially exposed, per police, CBS News and WGN-TV reported.

After a relative called the police, Levin was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, the incident report states.  

Per the incident report, Levin’s family members were right upstairs while he was being beaten and choked in the basement. The suspects, who were arrested days later, met him through a dating app, prosecutors said in court.

In his obituary, Levin is being remembered for his wit whose “laugh could also light up an event,” a friend wrote.

“He was a good friend, willing to help with problems, big and small,” wrote another person.

His family has encouraged those interested to donate to The Center on Halsted (centeronhalsted.org) — a LGBTQ health and wellness organization, or any other LGBTQ organization.

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Both suspects have been charged with one count of murder and one count of robbery, per Chicago police. It wasn’t immediately clear if they have entered pleas or retained attorneys to speak on their behalf.