Police probe lottery winner's death

Yarooshj Khan was the proud owner of three Chicago dry cleaning businesses when he won half a million dollars in the lottery last July.

But authorities now suspect he was fatally poisoned before he could collect his big prize.

It was not his first big lotto win.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) STORE OPERATOR, JIMMY GOREEL SAYING:

"I sold him a winning ticket for five thousand dollars. He was so generous he reached for a hundred dollars and he threw it on the counter for me."

But before Khan could collect his winnings this time, he fell ill, was hospitalised, and died within hours.

Doctors first believed Khan died of natural causes.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) MEDICAL EXAMINER DOCTOR, STEPHEN CINA SAYING:

"The preliminary investigation showed no suspicious circumstances."

But a relative of Khan's contacted the hospital.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) MEDICAL EXAMINER DOCTOR, STEPHEN CINA SAYING:

"A family member contacted the doctor who had done the autopsy and suggested we might want to look a little further into the case."

The medical examiner's staff retested and found lethal evidence of cyanide.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) MEDICAL EXAMINER DOCTOR STEPHEN CINA SAYING:

"It's a very lethal drug. It's a chemical poison. It basically asphyxiates you at the biochemical level, so a little goes a long way with it."

Now they're planning to exhume Khan's body to probe further into his death.