The Winnebago County Coroner’s Office still doesn’t know the gender or cause of death for a body found in a garbage can on Market Street last month.
Bill Hintz is the office’s Deputy Coroner. He says several efforts are working to get more information on the decomposed body.
“It’s going to be definitely challenging with the condition of the person. But we are hoping – with the technology the way it is these does -- we’re hoping that toxicology might help a little bit," Hintz said.
He says the coroner's office may have an idea of the person’s identity, but it’s a complicated case.
“I’ve been doing this job for about 18 years, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this,” Hintz said.
The Winnebago County Coroner’s office conducted full X-rays and an autopsy – but Hintz says it did not reveal anything suspicious. A forensic toxicology report could be ready by next week.
Hintz says DNA swabs from the suspected person’s next of kin are being sent to Texas with information from the anthropologist.
But those results might not be ready until next spring.
