On a day when many gather to give thanks for what they have, members of the Chicago area's Azerbaijani community packed into a small restaurant on the city's North Side to remember the friend they lost.
Dressed in black with a single red carnation pinned to their chests, the small group of people, most of whom were from the central Asian nation of Azerbaijan, prayed, ate and paid tribute to their fellow countryman Teymur Huseynli, 31, who authorities said was attacked and killed in Darien last week by his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend.
"It was easy to become friends with him," said Emin Safarov, 38, who, along with his wife and two children, lived with Huseynli for about eight months in Safarov's Skokie home. "He stopped being our friend and became a member of our family."
Huseynli came to this country in 2010 to study English and computer science at the Computer Systems Institute in Skokie, friends said. With Huseynli's warm nature and unique sense of humor, friends said the small community of Azerbaijanis living in the Chicago area immediately embraced him.
"Anyone I introduced him to in the Azerbaijan community, the next day they would be friends," said Baghir Hamidov, who first met Huseynli at a university in their home country. "He would blend in anywhere."
Children were particularly fond of Huseynli, his friends said, and often referred to him by his nickname, "Tima."
"My girls were in love with him because he was so sweet," said Ali Gasimov, 40, of Palatine. "You know kids are the best judges of character."
Though he was well-liked in the community, friends said Huseynli was shy about his personal life. Hamidov said he knew "Tima" had been seeing a woman for maybe three months, but he knew little more.
"He never liked to show off," Hamidov said.
According to authorities, Huseynli died while walking with his girlfriend, Kristina Baltrimaviciene, 28, and two dogs she was watching about 12:30 a.m. Nov. 16 outside her apartment in Darien.
Baltrimaviciene's ex-boyfriend, Joseph Spitalli, 34, of Darien, allegedly slashed Huseynli's throat from behind, authorities said. He then forced Baltrimaviciene into his car and drove her around the southwest suburbs before arriving at his parents' home, authorities said, where he forced her to call 911 and make a false report of the attack.
Baltrimaviciene told the Tribune she requested an order of protection from Spitalli in September after he locked her in a bathroom and tried to hit her. That request was denied, she said, because of insufficient evidence.
Friends said they are not sure if an order of protection against Spitalli would have protected Huseynli.
"Nothing will bring him back to life," Safarov said. "But my hope is (Spitalli) is locked up for life."
Huseynli never spoke of any trouble involving Baltrimaviciene or Spitalli, friends said.
"Maybe if he had told us some problems, maybe we could have helped," Gasimov said. "But he wouldn't tell us if there was trouble. He wouldn't put us in danger."
They were not surprised to hear that Huseynli tried to walk away from Spitalli that night to avoid an argument or fight.
"He was very peaceful," Hamidov said. "He would never hurt a bug (or) never say a bad word. He had his opinions, but he never started arguments."
Safarov said his suspicions were raised the next day when he realized that Huseynli had not come home that night — something he said his friend always did. He said he sent Huseynli a text message that afternoon asking if he was "still alive."
A few hours later, Safarov said, Skokie police arrived at his home and told him he needed to call Darien police. Safarov immediately called Hamidov and Gasimov, and the three men left for Darien, thinking their friend, whose passive nature earned him the moniker "golden boy" by some, had been in an accident.
Later at the police station, the three learned of Huseynli's fate.
"It's so hard to believe for us," Gasimov said.
On Thursday, Safarov reflected on the Thanksgiving that could have been. "He would have been with us at (Gasimov's) house today," he said.
Representatives from Azerbaijan's embassy to the United States joined the gathering and said they helped arrange for Huseynli's body to be shipped back to his parents and older brother in Azerbaijan for burial.
Friends said they would be certain to attend every court date on behalf of Huseynli and his family.
"We'll make sure justice takes place and that the person responsible does not find a crack to slip through," Hamidov said.
jbullington@tribune.com
Friends remember man police say was killed by girlfriend's ex
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Friends remember man police say was killed by girlfriend's ex
