More than four decades later, investigators continue their efforts to identify a homicide victim whose remains were found on the side of suburban road outside Chicago. | Published December 01, 2023 by Michael Vogen
In August 1979, a horseback rider discovered the remains of an unidentified individual in a grassy area off Old Dundee Road in Barrington Hills, a suburban village located about 40 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois. The Barrington Hills Police Department responded to the scene and located the severed legs and torso of a white male. It is estimated that the man was approximately 5’7″ to 5’8″ tall and less than 50 years old. A search of the area did not yield any other remains. The man’s manner of death was determined to be homicide.
With no identifying characteristics available, the identity of the man could not be determined. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, the case went cold and the man was classified as John Doe. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as #UP112246. Investigators are now seeking to utilize DNA technology that was unavailable in 1979 in hopes that an identification of the victim will bring closure for surviving family members.
In 2023, the Barrington Hills Police Department teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to finally identify the remains of the homicide victim. Othram will work to develop a comprehensive DNA profile for the man using Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing® that can be used in a forensic genetic genealogy search to generate new investigative leads. Anyone with information that could assist in this investigation is encouraged to contact the Barrington Hills Police Department, referencing case number 1979-2050.
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