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After Father's Slaying, Family Strives To Follow His Example 'To Be At Peace Within'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Before Vasudevareddy Kethireddy was killed while collecting rent from tenants in Englewood, he taught his family valuable life lessons they not only will cherish, but use to help others.

Shravan Kethireddy said his father left behind journals and notes teaching his family to "Be at complete peace within. Become an ideal example."

"Seeing the things that he sort of left behind, things that he wanted to do," Shravan said.

He and his brother discovered the writings during the two months when their father was missing.

Vasudevareddy, a 76-year-old grandfather, was found dead in a sewer in front of one his Englewood rental properties last week. He had gone missing in early August while collecting rent in the neighborhood.

Two of his tenants, Elijah and Tony Green, have been charged with his murder. Their motive? Robbery.

At a bond hearing Monday afternoon, prosecutors said a witness heard the brothers planning to kill Vasudevareddy Kethireddy on Aug. 3, a day before he disappeared.

Tony Green, 22, allegedly lured their landlord into the back of their apartment on Aug. 4, while Elijah Green, 25, sneaked up behind the victim, placed him in a chokehold, and "cut off his ability to breathe until the victim died."

Prosecutors said the brothers stole his credit cards and $1,600 in cash from Vasudevareddy's car, placed a sheet over his car, and dumped his body in a sewer outside their apartment building.

Shravan said his father's words show he would not want the family to harbor ill will.

"Carrying anger would have been the opposite of what would have he wanted," he said. "The overwhelming sense that came across is how he wanted to live a life, without much footprint; not to hurt others."

"To be at peace within," he added. "That's a lifelong journey, but I think that he strove for that every day."

Shravan said his father came to Rolling Meadows from one of the poorest villages in India. He became an engineer, but would never forget his humble beginnings. He would rent to those with legal troubles and always helped those in need.

"If you really want to honor those you care about, you rise above the basic instinct of emotions. You try to see the good, and let that trump everything else."

With honoring their father in mind, his sons are setting up GoFundMe sites to build a recreational center for children at the Englewood church that helped with their father's search, and to help the community efforts of activist Andrew Holmes.

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