IL IL - John Spira, 45, DuPage County, 23 Feb 2007

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

I'm watching the episode of "Disappeared" right now. I'd briefly read through John's case before since it was local to me. I just looked at his website and found info on the body found.

From johnspira.com

Press Release: Sheriff Investigates Found Human Remains
UPDATE
Sheriff’s detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying human remains that were found April 13th in the Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in unincorporated Wheaton.
The investigation so far has determined that the victim has a very distinct teeth pattern, with missing teeth in the front. Also the victim was possibly wearing a grey sweat shirt with a logo on the left front saying “Little Nicky,” with a brand name of the Hanes, in the size of Extra Large.
At this time the sex and race of the victim are still unknown and the cause of death is still under investigation.
If anyone has any information or knows of a missing person fitting any of the description listed they are asked to call the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations at 630-407-2400.
Updates will made when further information becomes available. (End of press release)
 
So, did/does John have "very distinctive teeth"? Any idea what he was wearing when last seen?

TIA
 
carterkatt said:
So, did/does John have "very distinctive teeth"? Any idea what he was wearing when last seen?

TIA
Click to expand...

I don't think so, I am pretty sure that his teeth were normal. But I'm no expert. Cubby will know for sure.

I wish they had some answers for his family. My #1 is the biz partner and #2 is the ex. Or both together. Way too much going on to not be involved. No "friend" would act like the biz partner has if he was innocent. MO only!
 
I don't think the person found in the Herrick Lake forest preserve is John. I'm sure if John had any teeth missing, his missing persons info would have said so. I personally think the person found in the FP was a homeless person, but that is just my gut.
 
Did you all look at that Topix link above? Lots of info on there, from the girlfriend/friends. Wow!
 
Cubby said:
I don't think the person found in the Herrick Lake forest preserve is John. I'm sure if John had any teeth missing, his missing persons info would have said so. I personally think the person found in the FP was a homeless person, but that is just my gut.
Click to expand...

Cubby, I may be confused, and I apologize if so (isn't the first time!!)... but missing teeth vs. "distinctive" may be different. I was thinking "distinctive" meant crooked or an over/under bite, etc. What do you think?

Has that body been ID'd yet?
TIA
 
Bones' mystery unsolved

June 9, 2010

By JOE HOSEY jhosey@stmedianetwork.com
CHANNAHON TOWNSHIP -- The bones that washed up on the banks of the Des Plaines River near Channahon last spring were found with some Gap blue jeans the same size John Spira wore.

In the pocket of these blue jeans was a pair of guitar picks which Spira, an accomplished blues guitarist, very well may have been carrying. Along with the guitar picks was Orajel toothache medicine. The St. Charles man happened to have had a tooth pulled just before he vanished in February 2007, and Orajel is something he would have on him.

more-----> http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/2371254,4_1_JO09_BODY_S1-100609.article
 
Cubby said:
I don't think the person found in the Herrick Lake forest preserve is John. I'm sure if John had any teeth missing, his missing persons info would have said so. I personally think the person found in the FP was a homeless person, but that is just my gut.
Click to expand...

Hi Cubby!

Today's "Beacon News" states the following (bold by me):

"CHANNAHON TOWNSHIP -- The bones that washed up on the banks of the Des Plaines River near Channahon last spring were found with some Gap blue jeans the same size John Spira wore. In the pocket of these blue jeans was a pair of guitar picks which Spira, an accomplished blues guitarist, very well may have been carrying. Along with the guitar picks was Orajel toothache medicine. The St. Charles man happened to have had a tooth pulled just before he vanished in February 2007, and Orajel is something he would have on him."

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/2371254,4_1_JO09_BODY_S1-100609.article

So we know he had at least one tooth surgically removed. I wonder if it corresponds with the missing tooth/teeth on the UID remains...
 
McNeil wants the bones from the Des Plaines River to be compared to the DNA samples she and her mother provided. She also wants the samples she and her mother gave to be tested against the toothbrush to see if it actually contains her brother's DNA.

"That's the only way I can be completely satisfied that this is not John," McNeil said. "I have to know the right DNA sample was used."

more here.... http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/2371254,4_1_JO09_BODY_S1-100609.article

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wonder why they haven't done this yet? I really feel for his family.
 
Welcome back Dee10134! So glad to have you back posting again!

Sounds like a strong lead here!

I have some questions about the article posted.

1)How do 'we' (meaning the journalist) know the dna sample submitted for testing was not that of the samples submitted by Johns family? Has it been confirmed that the DNA sample was in fact something taken from a tooth brush or hair brush? I ask because DuPage county has their own crime lab and I wonder why they would not use their own lab and the state lab for identification purposes.

2) And more importantly, why is DNA being used here as opposed to Dentals? If John had a tooth pulled shortly before he went missing why aren't dentals being used? Dentals can be used to officially rule in or out a John Doe. I'm going to answer that out loud speculatively and GUESS that DuPage would not use dentals for some reason, or Johns family is insisting on DNA? I would love to know......


I absolutely back Johns sisters request to double check the test via another lab. Mistakes have been made.... but why not Dentals? Hmmmm......

I'm going to have to ask Johns sister on her blog. She's pretty good at replying to posts so will definately inquire with her about the option of Dentals and why the quicker route has not been used.

I would also like to know what brand guitar picks were found on the John Doe and if that particular brand was a brand John normally purchased.

I'm going to go see what info I can find on the John Doe and bring it here for further discussion.
 
Here is the link to this particular John Doe found in WILL county at NamUs.
(No doenetwork listing)

Namus Link

John is listed as one of many rule outs for this John Doe.
Further reading to the second page answers my question regarding the dentals.
These are partial remains and dentals are not available for the John Doe.

Also at the NamUs link:

Clothing on body: Gap blue jeans, mens, size 32/30 button fly
underwear collection "sp" possibly small/petite

Clothing with body: none
Footwear: none
Jewelry: none
Eyewear: none
Other items found with body:Orajel toothache medicine, coins, currency from 2006, and two guitar picks

I have two additional questions. Did John normally not carry his money in a wallet and would he have carried it in his pants pocket? And I wonder what the coroners info 'underwear collection" means.

Depending on the amount of money- was it small change? and what they meant by underwear collection it is possible this John Doe was a transient. However, still enough info to ensure the DNA test was accurate.
 
Well, now we know why no dentals. I totally agree with the sister on this one. Everything points to this being John -- the jeans brand, the size, the Orajel, the guitar picks, money from no later than 2006. I remember thinking this was not John when they found the body because I thought they tentatively identified it as a woman's body because they speculated the body was wearing women's underwear? Did that end up being false? I mean, just because it might have been silky doesn't mean it was panties, it could have been the remnants of silk boxers or other kinds of men's underwear.
 
I didn't see an updated blog post regarding this John Doe possibility at John's sisters site, so posted there asking the numerous questions I had regarding this lead. Hopefully Stephanie will see it and reply soon. Will update here once she replies.
 
This is a guess, but I am wondering if the word collection in relation to panties or underwear is a typo and should have read collected.

JMO.
 
Picture number 14 is a man, nothing to indicate who he is or why you saved his photo. Do you happen to recall? I'm just wondering if he is another missing person whom I don't recognize or perhaps someone involved in the rescue efforts. Thanks.

Also, you saved the coroners press release which is good info to have. It states the John Doe had a small amount of currency on his remains. I'm going to take that to mean a small dollar amount. Which leads to this being more likely to be a transient since John was planning on meeting a friend for dinner. He would have more than a few dollars on him. However, that doesn't mean he didn't carry a wallet or billfold which had most of his money and if he had small change he didn't just shove a few dollars and some coins into a pants pocket if he was in a hurry. I'm not going to rule out based on that little bit of ino. It is still possible the John Doe could have had a bill fold that somehow washed out of his pants or loosened much easier than paper money would have in a pocket.

Just thinking outloud.
 
Johns sister has a new blog post regarding the John Doe. She did not directly answer my comment posted on the last blog post from May. however, her most recent blog leads me to believe she is seeking confirmation the DNA compared to the John Doe was in fact Johns. Hopefully a test can be done to confirm whether or not the DNA compared to the doe was in fact Johns.
 
I finally had the opportunity to watch the investigative discovery show regarding Johns disappearance. I didn't want to cloud my perception by reading previous posts so here are a few things that stood out to me as a local to Johns case. Much of the following is just thinking outloud... and random thoughts which came to mind after viewing the show. (Which really made me think).

It makes no sense, imo, that John would have gone voluntarily missing having called his girlfriend late that Friday afternoon for a dinner date AND had already made plans to meet his buddy the following day.

I keep thinking about the business equipment - being able to dig and bury cable. I don't know enough about the underground cable business to know if it is seasonal? or??? I can't get past the equipment to dig, the frozen ground in February and the snow storm the following day/evening. If someone knew that storm was coming in they knew ANY trace of evidence would have disappeared from that Saturday snow storm.Especially since John was not officially listed/reported as missing until Monday February 26th.

Could this have been premeditated? with someone knowing a storm was coming in Saturday? If someone dug, put dirt back atop wherever they may have buried John it would be snow covered and then likely have time to settle months later as the snow melted and spring rains arrived.

I wish we knew more about this kind of equipment and how it works with frozen ground.

I wish we knew if LE interviewed the surrounding businesses to inquire if any digging equipment was seen leaving the business property that Friday. Might be too risky if hours after John was missing someone saw digging equipment being driven to or from Johns former business Universal Cable. Might not be too risky if someone had dug a grave previously then only needed something to push dirt over a burial spot at a later time.

I'd also like to know if in the days or weeks prior to Johns disappearance if anyone saw unusual digging someplace which did not appear to be a construction site or an abandoned construction site. Something out of place like construction was starting up again and then suddenly stopped, or started and suddenly stopped.

I also wonder who had what and the most to gain. Johns business partner and Johns soon to be ex wife are the most obvious...... IIRC, both of the mens wives co-owned the building which housed the cable company and has since burnt down. Could there have been a plan which included money that backfired? Johns home later went into forclosure, and the burnt out building still stands ( or did as of fairly recently) indicating to me the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Could Johns business partner have had some concern over John and His wifes divorce and how that would have affected ownership of the building where the company ran?

A lot of questions, thoughts, but I think I can rule out John voluntarily disappearing. We can rule out a driving accident of some type since Johns truck was found still parked at the business.

Where are you John? I know you want to be found, and it is high time you are found and your family has answers so they can begin to find closure.

I'm praying those answers are found soon!
 
More thoughts. I wish we knew if John discussed the details of his divorce agreement or proposed divorce agreement either the day of or in the weeks leading to his disappearance with his business partner, or if John kept those details private.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is DeKalb County John Doe (2022)?

Members online

... and 173 more.
Total: 3,397 (members: 174, guests: 3,223)

Online statistics

Members online
174
Guests online
3,223
Total visitors
3,397
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
603,067
Messages
18,151,442
Members
231,640
Latest member
Her Orangeness
Back
Top