A body found near train tracks on Chicago’s South Side last year was identified as a missing 26-year-old man.
On May 29, 2025, a train conductor walking the tracks noticed a bad odor and discovered a partially buried human torso in a shallow grave in a forested area near East 93rd Street.
Chicago police suspected the remains belonged to an adult man with a partial beard and long, dark dreadlocks pulled back in a ponytail.
When standard forensic methods did not lead to an identification, detectives turned to advanced DNA testing.
In October 2025, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office sent forensic evidence to Othram, a specialized forensic lab in Texas, where scientists developed a DNA profile.
During the inquiry, authorities discovered a suspected relative of the victim. That person provided a DNA sample, which was compared to the unidentified man’s profile.
The testing results, along with investigation efforts, led to the identification of the remains as Isaiah Terrill Hall, a missing Chicago citizen who was last seen around 2 a.m. on April 27, 2025, in the 500 block of West 125th Place.
What they’re saying: “Families deserve answers and in a case like this, the identification is just the next step in the investigation,” Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer at Othram, said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to this man’s family and the community as the investigation goes forward into exactly what happened.”
Officials said the investigation into Hall’s murder is still ongoing.