The body of a teenager discovered over 50 years ago in the Mississippi River near Clinton, Iowa, has been identified as Cheryl Lynn Edwards, a resident of Waukegan. This update comes from a news release by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.
Edwards, a missing teen and a homicide victim, was identified through forensic genealogy. On April 11, 1975, deputies responded to a report of a dead teenager in the river north of Clinton. At the time, they could not identify the girl whose body was later confirmed to be a result of homicide during an autopsy. Investigators had been unsuccessful in identifying her until advancements in DNA technology allowed for a re-examination of the evidence.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that Edwards’ parents were Bernice and Leonard Edwards, once residents of Waukegan. After identifying Edwards, authorities discovered that her family had been searching for her since her disappearance. Surviving family members have now been informed of the identification.
This new DNA evidence is a significant step forward in the ongoing homicide investigation. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, alongside the Waukegan Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, is actively collecting evidence to find the person responsible for Edwards’ death.
Cheryl Lynn Edwards, whose picture appeared in a 1975 Waukegan High School yearbook, was recently confirmed to be the crime victim by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities are seeking the public’s assistance with any details regarding Edwards’ life, disappearance, and death.