The city had its first homicide of 2010 early Sunday when a 22-year-old man was stabbed to death outside a bar.

Alfredo Preciado-Ortega, of the 500 block of Scribner Street, had been at the Spanish-American Club, 413 Meeker Ave., several times between Saturday night and Sunday morning, Police Chief Fred Hayes said.

"Detectives have spoken with patrons and employees who said he'd tried to come in several times earlier, but had been banned from the bar in the past after patrons claimed he'd tried to rob them," Hayes said.

Shortly before last call at 2:40 a.m., Preciado-Ortega allegedly came in for the final time, but was turned away by the bouncer.

"About five minutes later, a woman who'd been coming in told the bouncer there was an unresponsive man laying in the parkway across from the tavern," Hayes said. The bouncer called 911 and police and paramedics arrived to find Preciado-Ortega had suffered stab wounds to his chest and back.

A Joliet Fire Department ambulance took the victim to Silver Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

An autopsy performed Sunday afternoon by the Will County Coroner's office revealed Preciado-Ortega was stabbed 23 times by a knife or similar object.

Reports indicate Preciado-Ortega was arrested by sheriff's police in July on a charge of battery and was scheduled to begin a jury trial Tuesday.

"We have interviewed about a dozen people," Hayes said Sunday, "but we have not located any direct witnesses to the attack."

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 815-724-3020 or anonymously call CrimeStoppers at 800-323-6734.