Cold Case: Authorities Push To ID Man's Remains Found In Woods In 2008

CRETE, IL — Authorities are making another push to identify the remains of a man found in a Will County forest preserve in October 2008.

The Will County Coroner's Office and the Cold Case Unit on Wednesday again asked for the public's help in naming the man whose body was found in the Thorn Creek Nature Preserve in Park Forest the afternoon of October 9, 2008, the coroner's office said.

The unidentified man was found hanging by a ligature from a tree by a civilian who was mushroom hunting. The man's remains were badly decomposed and partially skeletonized. There were no positive identifiers accompanying him, the coroner's office said.

Authorities list the following personal effects and possible identifiers:

• He was a white male adult (possibly upper middle age)
• Approximately 6 feet tall
• Due to decomposition, his weight is not known.
• He was wearing State Street brand brown loafers’ size 13.
• He was wearing a white and blue striped button-down shirt with short sleeves
• He was wearing Route 66 brand khaki pants size 34/32.
• A black & green backpack (no brand name)
• An unknown brand of cigarettes was found in the pants pocket with a silver lighter which portrayed the flag of Poland.
• The man had extensive dental work.

It should be noted the man's body could have been at this location for several months, possibly all summer. Anyone with information is asked to call the Will County Coroner’s office at (815)727-8455.