A 39-year-old unemployed handyman has been charged with murder in the November beating death of a businessman known in the neighborhood as “the Mayor of Milwaukee Avenue,” police said Saturday.
Michael Prezzia, who lives with his parents in the 2500 block of West Cortland Street, was charged in the Nov. 24 slaying of Alexander “Jack” Harris, 79, at 9:30 p.m. in Harris’ office in the 1900 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.
Prezzia had worked for Harris on and off for 20 years, said police Cmdr. Gerard Mahnke. Prezzia allegedly told police he had gone to see Harris looking for work when a quarrel erupted and he beat Harris to death with a hammer, police said.
A witness gave police a description of the man he saw leaving the office the night of the slaying, and Prezzia later was identified in a police lineup, Mahnke said.
Prezzia will appear in bond court Monday at 26th Street and California Avenue. He was charged Friday with first-degree murder.
Police said Harris was startled by Prezzia’s appearance late at night and asked the handyman to leave.
“We don’t know what his motivation was. But apparently it was anger,” Mahnke said. “He believed he was being disrespected by Mr. Harris in that he told him to get out of his office.”
Prezzia also is accused of taking about $200 from Harris’ wallet after the slaying, police said.
Harris’ sister, Elizabeth Oberoi, said the family is relieved that an arrest has been made. “We can open our windows with a little more ease,” she said.
Oberoi said Prezzia did odd jobs for Harris, and attended his wake.
“You would think that someone who would do that would get lost and would not be right there. It’s very strange,” she said.
Harris earned his nickname because he owned residential and commercial properties and helped people with loans and odd jobs, his family said.