Lottery winner's death ruled homicide From Ted Rowlands, CNN March 1, 2013 -- Updated 1721 GMT (0121 HKT) (CNN) -- Illinois lottery winner Urooj Khan died of cyanide toxicity and his death has been ruled a homicide, Cook County Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Cina said Friday. Khan's body was exhumed from a Chicago-area gravesite in January for additional tests after earlier toxicology results indicated he died of cyanide poisoning. Khan, 46, died in July, the day after the Illinois lottery issued him a check for about $425,000 after taxes. He won the money playing a scratch-off game a month earlier.