ELGIN, Ill. (WLS) — In the western suburbs, efforts are being made to shed new light on a cold case.
On Monday, search teams found the car of an missing Elgin woman who disappeared more than 40 years ago.
Karen Schepers was last seen in 1983 as she was out with her co-workers at a bar in Carpentersville.
There have been no signs of her car 1980 Toyota Celica until Monday near the Slade Avenue boat launch in the Fox River.
A nonprofit group called the Chaos Divers set out to search for Schepers’ car in the Fox River on Monday.
The Daily Herald’s news partners shared pictures of rescue teams using sonar technology in the search for the vehicle. The presence of any human remains in the car remains uncertain, according to the police.
Elgin police recently launched a podcast called “Somebody Knows Something” to search for answers in other cold cases.
Elgin Police Chief Ana Lalley said this has involved the community and allowed people to come forward with any leads.
Chief Lalley mentioned, “Our detectives have been receiving numerous leads and information. They are exploring various theories regarding what may have happened, stressing the importance of keeping an open mind and not ruling out any possibilities.”
On Tuesday, Chaos Divers, along with the Elgin fire and police departments and the Kane County Coroner’s Office, will collaborate to retrieve the vehicle from the water. Poor diving conditions on Monday prevented the car from being removed at that time.
Schepers was last seen attending a party with coworkers at a bar in Carpentersville. Neither Schepers nor her 1980 Toyota Celica were seen again, until now.
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