Family of beloved Chicago boat captain sues after Lake Michigan drowning, man charged with murder

Family of beloved Chicago boat captain sues after Lake Michigan drowning, man charged with murder

The family of "Captain Bill" is now suing over his death last summer at Chicago's DuSable Harbor.

CHICAGO - The family of a well-known Chicago boater called "Captain Bill" has filed a wrongful death lawsuit months after he was found dead in Lake Michigan following an early morning altercation.

What we know:

Corboy & Demetrio filed the lawsuit on behalf of Nabil Abzal's family.

Named in the suit is the suspect in the incident, Alexis Trader, and Westrec SMI OPCO, LLC, the company contracted to manage and provide security services at DuSable Harbor for the Chicago Park District.

Abzal, 63, of Plainfield, was found in Lake Michigan at DuSable Harbor around 3 a.m. on Aug. 30, 2025.

According to prosecutors, Abzal was punched in the face and fell into the water after encountering a group of people who were trespassing on his boat.

Alexis Trader

Trader, 34, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Abzal’s death.

The lawsuit alleges Westrec failed to perform specific security services required under its contract with the Chicago Park District, including roaming patrols between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

What they're saying:

Attorney Daniel Kirschner, who represents Abzal’s family, said in a statement that his death "was entirely preventable and should never have happened."

Westrec "abandoned the harbor where they were supposed to be and when it mattered most," Kirschner said "We don’t know at this point whether this is a case of corporate greed, indifference, or just incompetence, but justice for Captain Bill mandates that we find out."

Friends at Dock C of DuSable Harbor described Abzal as kind and helpful.

"I actually heard the story that a body was found in the lake and I had no inclination at all that it would be him," said Alan, who has had a boat at Dock C for eight years. "Just thought it was somebody random … and then as the circumstances started to evolve, it just became more and more apparent that there was more to it and just very sad, very sad."

Westrec and the Chicago Park District have not publicly responded to the allegations in the lawsuit.