WHEATON, Ill. (WLS) — Police are providing more information after a burning body was found Wednesday morning in the west suburbs.
Investigators now say no foul play is suspected in the death, and the body was that of a missing 56-year-old man.
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Officers responded around 7:20 a.m. Wednesday to the area of Lincoln Marsh near the Union Avenue trailhead in Wheaton, police said.
The Wheaton police reported the discovery of a body on a trail in Lincoln Marsh early in the morning on Wednesday. A passerby noticed a fire while walking along the trail and upon closer inspection, found a body engulfed in flames.
A missing person report was filed for a 56-year-old man the same day the body was found and police later confirmed it was the missing man.
Chief P.J. Youker stated that currently, there is no evidence suggesting that the incident was a result of violent crime or that others were involved. He expressed condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and appreciated the community’s patience as well as the efforts of law enforcement in providing answers.
The people who walk in the marsh area say they are unsettled this happened so close to home.
Police and firefighters surveyed the scene, the charred area where the body was found in the reeds was now cleared away.
Another walker, named Joe, who frequents the area with his dog told ABC7 multiple police departments were there well into the evening.
An individual named Joe mentioned that they occasionally walk in the area at night and noticed the police cars on the narrow path, indicating that something unusual had occurred.
Cut reeds could be seen piled near a blackened area several yards from the trail, the results of the immediate search.
“I can only imagine what the poor person who found the body was feeling and will be feeling,” Joe said.
Wheaton Police Chief P. J. Youker released a statement earlier, saying “At this time, we have no reason to believe there is a threat to the public,” but added “Fire by its nature is destructive, and it adds a layer of complexity to an investigation which requires more time and resources.”
Wheaton police say the public is not at risk and a multi-jurisdictional task force was investigating.
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