Summary
Hikers in the Rush Creek Conservation Area of Harvard, Illinois discovered a body near the Rush Creek Trails in May 2019. The McHenry County Conservation Police responded to the scene and discovered the remains of a middle-aged white man. He was clothed in winter attire including multiple layers, a hat, hand-knitted scarf, and gloves.
The McHenry County Coroner’s Office attempted to identify the unknown man using fingerprints, dental records, and CODIS testing, but traditional approaches were unsuccessful in producing any identifying information. Investigators then coordinated with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Forensic Imaging Unit to complete a digital facial reconstruction with digital technology. They shared his digital photograph in the hopes that someone might recognize him.
In May 2020, the McHenry County Coroner’s Office partnered with Othram to develop new leads in the case. Skeletal remains were sent to Othram and a DNA profile was built using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. An investigative lead was returned to Chief Deputy Coroner, Olivia Zednick. Together, her team and Othram confirmed the identity of the unknown man, enabling his return to family.
Michael Vogen
Director of Case Management
Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.