A Decade-and-a-Half Later, Identity of Northwest Side Overpass Remains Revealed
It's been over 14 years since a maintenance worker stumbled upon human remains while working under the Interstate-94 overpass on Cicero Avenue on the Northwest Side. The Illinois State Police have finally identified the deceased, and in a shocking twist, it wasn't until nearly two decades later that Ronald M. Risher, a 64-year-old man, was confirmed as the victim.
According to police, DNA testing conducted by the Cook County medical examiner's office revealed that the remains belonged to Risher. The cause of death could not be determined due to decomposition, but officials believe cold exposure may have played a role in his demise.
The discovery of Risher's remains was made on February 18, 2012, when maintenance personnel were working under the overpass. Initially, foul play did not appear to be suspected, and it seems that investigation was left untouched for years.
This case serves as a poignant reminder of how long it can take to uncover the truth about a person's identity and circumstances surrounding their death.
It's been over 14 years since a maintenance worker stumbled upon human remains while working under the Interstate-94 overpass on Cicero Avenue on the Northwest Side. The Illinois State Police have finally identified the deceased, and in a shocking twist, it wasn't until nearly two decades later that Ronald M. Risher, a 64-year-old man, was confirmed as the victim.
According to police, DNA testing conducted by the Cook County medical examiner's office revealed that the remains belonged to Risher. The cause of death could not be determined due to decomposition, but officials believe cold exposure may have played a role in his demise.
The discovery of Risher's remains was made on February 18, 2012, when maintenance personnel were working under the overpass. Initially, foul play did not appear to be suspected, and it seems that investigation was left untouched for years.
This case serves as a poignant reminder of how long it can take to uncover the truth about a person's identity and circumstances surrounding their death.
it's crazy to think the remains were just sitting there all this time, no one ever suspecting foul play 
I mean I know investigations can be slow and stuff but come on... 20 years of not knowing what happened to someone is just wrong 
especially when you consider how many people are still out here with missing persons cases 
it's like the system let this guy down, ya know? 
anyway, glad they finally figured it out, but also super sad for Risher and his family 
it's wild how technology is able to bring closure to families after all these years. dna testing is insane like who would've thought it could crack a case 20+ years later 
. I mean, think about it, 14 years goes by and no one even bothers to dig deeper? What were they trying to hide? 
And then out of the blue, DNA testing comes back with a name that's already been around for decades... Ronald M. Risher? Sounds like some kind of setup to me 
. I'm not saying foul play is involved, but there's definitely something fishy going on here. Maybe it's just my conspiracy theory radar, but I think we're being kept in the dark about this one...
I mean, I'm glad they finally got some answers for Ronald Risher's family and stuff, but at the same time, it just goes to show how much work and resources are needed in cases like this to get things right 
And yeah, it's pretty disturbing that someone was left out of an investigation for so long 
It's definitely a case that'll stay with me for a while... all those years went by with nobody knowing the truth about what happened to him 
And the fact that its only now that they finally identified the guy... Ronald Risher or whatever, idk how much more heartbreaking it gets. 
It's crazy to think about all the ppl who must've been affected by this, knowin their family member or friend is just some unidentified body. 
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. And to think it was left untouched for so long... it's like a ticking time bomb just waiting to be solved 
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. And for a case like this, where there are no clear signs of foul play or anything, it's especially frustrating 
. But I guess all we can do now is hope that Risher gets the recognition he deserves and his family finds some measure of peace 
.
I mean, 14 years is just crazy! It's like, you'd think that with all the advancements in DNA testing and forensic science, we should be able to figure out who this guy was by now 
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, i mean, you can find out who someone is after all these years 
. also, can we talk about how outdated the layout of cicero avenue looks like 
? like, it's time for some serious urban planning 