The former owner of the famous “Home Alone” house in Illinois was found dead from suspected suicide at a nature preserve after being charged with seven felonies related to child pornography.
John Abendshien, 79, of Lake Forest, Illinois, died Wednesday from “asphyxia in a manner consistent with being self-inflicted,” according to a preliminary autopsy.
Mr. Abendshien was arrested on April 16 and charged with seven counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.
The arrest followed multiple tips indicating that an online account linked to Mr. Abendshien had been used in the possession, manufacturing or distribution of child sexual abuse material, which led to a court-authorized search warrant at his Lake Forest residence.
Images of nude children between the ages of 7 and 15 were found on a Google Drive that Mr. Abendshien admitted was his and that no one else had access to, law enforcement officials said.
A child in a morgue, dismembered women and a self-written fictional story of a stalker killing, raping and torturing a woman whom he had known in Wisconsin were found in the drive, officials said. Mr. Abendshien admitted to writing a similar story about his 14-year-old neighbor.
Mr. Abendshien appeared in court and was released with conditions pending trial. Defense attorneys said he had no criminal history, that the essays and short stories were fictional because he is an author, and that he did not pose a real threat or danger to the public.
His wife reported him missing around 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, prompting officers and detectives to search a large area of open land with drones and a canine unit before locating him at the Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve in Lake Forest.
Lake Forest Police Chief John Burke said the investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Abendshien’s death was continuing.
Mr. Abendshien lived in the iconic Winnetka home during the filming of “Home Alone” and published a memoir about the experience called “Home, But Alone No More” in 2025.
