A Lake Forest man and the previous owner of the famous suburban Chicago “Home Alone” movie house was found dead in a Lake Forest nature preserve Wednesday, according to the Lake County Coroner.
About 5:47 p.m. Wednesday, a man’s body was found at the Lake Forest Open Lands: Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve, officials said.
Thursday morning the body was identified as Lake Forest resident John Abendshein, 79. The preliminary cause of death wasn’t currently available.
The discovery comes days after Abendshein was taken into custody, facing multiple felony charges of possession child pornography.
April 16, a search warrant was issued at a home in the 100 block of Morris Lane in Lake Forest as part of an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Investigation. The search warrant was supported by multiple cyber tips that indicated an online account belonging to Abendshein was used gather, manufacturer or distribute child sex abuse material.
Abendshein was taken into custody the same day and charged with seven felony offenses related to the possession of child porn, the Lake Forest Police Department said.
A day later, Abendshein appeared in court for a detention hearing. The petition to hold him detained was denied, and he was released with conditions, police said.
The circumstances surrounding the death remain under investigation by Lake Forest Police Department and the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
Abendshein had been the owner of the movie-famous “Home Alone” house, located at 671 Lincoln Avenue in suburban Winnetka, for decades, telling NBC Chicago in 2025 that he lived at the home during filming of the iconic 1990 movie. In 2012, he sold the property.
