Will County Coroner’s Office Teams up with Othram to Identify a 1974 John Doe Found In Channahon
The Will County Coroner’s office has an active Cold Case unit under the direction of Coroner Laurie Summers. This office has recently teamed up with Othram to identify a 1974 John Doe.

In November, 1974 hunters stumbled upon the discovery of skeletal remains in the creekhead of a partially wooded area in Channahon, IL. There was a crop field in the area and a motel near I-55 and I-80. Based on the advanced stage of decomposition, investigators estimate that that the unknown man’s death could have occurred up to two years prior to his discovery.

Investigators believe that the unknown man was Caucasian and likely 35-55 years old (at time of death) and around 5’10″ tall. He was found wearing a black sweater, size 31 blue jeans, and brown Builtrite size 9 work boots. The man had extensive dental work performed likely within weeks of his death. Few other details are known about the man and the circumstances of his death.

The Will County Coroner’s Office has partnered with Othram with the hope of using advanced forensic DNA testing to identify this man or a nearest relative. If anyone has information that could aid this investigation, they are encouraged to contact the Will County Coroner’s Office at 815-727-8455.  A fund has been created to cover the costs of testing for this case. Please refer to medical exam case number UN 74-01, Sheriff’s case number 74-313-03, or NamUs ID UP5212.

About Othram Inc.

Othram is the world’s first private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence. Othram’s scientists are experts at recovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA from trace quantities of degraded or contaminated materials. Founded in 2018, and located in The Woodlands, Texas, our team works with academic researchers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies to achieve results when other approaches fail. Follow Othram on Twitter @OthramTech or visit Othram.com to learn how we can help you with your case. Visit dnasolves.com to learn how anyone can make a difference in helping solve the next cold case.  To donate click here.