Father of 43 children found beaten to death in Chicago home

CHICAGO -- A 63-year-old father of 43 children was found beaten to death Sunday afternoon in his home on Chicago's West Side.

The body of John Hearring -- known as Nicholas -- was discovered with head trauma in his upstairs apartment in the 1000 block of North Leamington Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood.

Multiple family members confirmed that he had 43 children.

Hearring was a longtime resident there and was well known in the neighborhood.

"He was the nicest man you'd ever want to meet. I don't get it. All this killing is so senseless and now they are targeting the elderly," said Gwen Bridgeforth, his daughter-in-law.

Police were investigating and had made no arrests Sunday.