EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WAND) - Authorities are seeking information to identify a man whose body was pulled from the Little Wabash River in September.
According to a release from Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes, the body was discovered by two young men in kayaks as they moved down the river on Sept. 18. He was in the river bank and lodged between the trees and river debris at a location southwest of Effingham, near the Summit and Jackson township line (end of 1175th St.).
The Effingham County Coroner's Office, Illinois State Police Investigations, the ISP Crime Scene Unit and the Effingham County Dive Team then responded to the scene.
The dive team removed the body. The victim was moved to the HSHS St. Anthony's Hospital morgue. Dive Team Commander Terry Trueblood estimated the man had been in the water for about two weeks.
The person is white, has an average build and weighs about 160 to 180 pounds. His age is unknown. The coroner's office said he has several tattoos, including a nautical star on both forearms, a larger odd-shaped star on the forearm near his elbow on both arms and what seemed to be flames on both biceps.
Rhodes said it was initially reported the man had multiple teeth missing, but some of those were found in the autopsy. He was wearing "Fruit of the Loom" gray boxer briefs and no shirt.
Fingerprints were sent to the Illinois State Police Forensics Lab, but only one print was suitable for the database. The print did not find a match in the Illinois or national database for identification. In addition, the coroner's office sent a DNA sample to the ISP lab for identification, but it will take multiple months for a report involving DNA identification. Dental impressions are on file for comparison if they are needed.
Anyone with information on the identity of the person who was found should call Illinois State Police at (217)342-7861 or the Effingham County Coroner's Office at (217)342-4651.
