Police investigating restaurant employee's death as homicide

LINDENHURST, Ill. -- A Burger King employee was killed and her body was found early Monday morning at the suburban restaurant, officials said.

The victim was identified as Mary Hutchison, 45, of Trevor, Wis., which is about 10 miles north of the restaurant. Her death appears to be related to a robbery, according to the Lindenhurst Police Department.

Authorities in this Lake County community were conducting a homicide investigation -- the first such investigation in more than nine years for the village.

Lake County Deputy State's Attorney Jeff Pavletic said Hutchison's body may have been found near an open safe, adding that police found no money or valuables inside the safe.

Another employee who had just came to work found the woman's body at about 5:15 a.m., police said.

Lindenhurst is about 50 miles north of Chicago.

There hasn't been a homicide in the community since Sept. 28, 1997, when a 62-year-old woman was stabbed 65 times inside her home.