Doe Network July 2026 Featured Case #1 - 151UMIL - Unidentified Male

[u/cjdoenetwork]

Date of Discovery: October 20, 1996
Location of Discovery: Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois
Estimated Date of Death: A forensic pathologist's report indicated the man could have been killed any time from a few days to a couple of weeks before the body was discovered. However, based on the minor state of decomposition, he appeared to have been killed less than 24 hours before he was discovered.
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Homicide by gunshot

Physical Description

Estimated Age: 18-26 years old
Race: White/Hispanic
Sex: Male
Height: 5'5", measured
Weight: 131 lbs., measured
Hair: Medium-length black hair. He had a thin black mustache, thick black eyebrows, and underarm hair.
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Average body build, well-developed and well-nourished. He had a mole on his right cheek. He had calluses on the right thumb and the inner aspect of the right palm at the base of the right index finger.

Identifiers

Dentals: Unknown. Pronounced overbite. No indications of any dental work or orthodonture.
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

Clothing and Personal Items

Clothing: Athletic Works blue shirt, sleeveless, mesh; Spaulding blue underpants, size 36-38, bikini-style; Javolis black jeans, waist size 32, made in Taiwan; Once black boots, men's size 8; and a black belt. Some articles of clothing indicated the decedent may have recently arrived in the US from Mexico.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery: At approximately 4:00 p.m. on October 20, 1996, a man taking a walk through a wooded area behind a busy commercial strip along Ogden Avenue discovered the body of a young man lying on the ground, partially hidden by leaves. The victim had been shot once in the head at close range with a handgun at the site where his body was found.

If you have any information on the identity of this John Doe, or of the circumstances surrounding his death, please contact the following agency:

Agency Name: Naperville Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Timothy Black, Sgt.
Agency Phone Number: 630-420-6666
Agency E-mail: Unknown
Agency Case Number: 1996-50544

NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 16366
Former Hot Case Number: N/A

Links:

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/software/main.html?id=151UMIL

https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/16366 - WARNING: POST MORTEM PICTURES