IL IL-Chicago, Cook County, wooded area, John Doe#UP144839,torso partially buried in shallow grave, 27, 29 May,2025,DNA- Isaiah Terrill Hall, *Homicide*.

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A 2025 Chicago Homicide Victim is Now Identified

Cook County Medical Examiner Teams with Othram to Identify a 2025 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

''On May 29, 2025, a train conductor walking the tracks was investigating a foul odor when he found a human torso partially buried in a shallow grave. The discovery was made in a wooded area near East 93rd Street in Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Police Department responded and began an investigation. Investigators believed that the remains belonged to an adult man who had a partial beard with long, dark dreadlocks held in a ponytail.

Police opened a homicide investigation, as they sought to identify the man as well as the circumstances surrounding his death. When conventional forensic methods failed to identify the man, investigators immediately turned to advanced DNA testing at Othram and entered details of the case into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP144839.

In October 2025, the Cook County Medical Examiner submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas where scientists used advanced DNA testing to build a DNA profile for the man, using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. During the course of the investigation, investigators identified a potential relative of the man. This relative provide a reference DNA sample, which was compared to the DNA profile of the John Doe using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing.

This comparison coupled with the investigative efforts of law enforcement allowed for the positive identification of the man as Chicago resident, Isaiah Terrill Hall. Hall was last seen on April 27, 2025 at around 2:00 am in the 500 block of W. 125 Place in Chicago. Hall's disappearance was reported to the Chicago Police Department, whose investigation into Hall's murder is ongoing.

This is the 12th publicly announced case in the State of Illinois where officials leveraged Othram’s identity inference pipeline. Explore other cases on Othram’s website.''

 

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February 10, 2026​

'He deserves justice:' Family of man found dead with arms and legs missing demands answers

The family of a man found buried along train tracks on Chicago’s South side is seeking justice in his 2025 unsolved murder.

www.nbcchicago.com

''The family of a man who was brutally murdered and buried along train tracks on Chicago’s South Side is seeking justice in his 2025 unsolved killing.

Isaiah Hall, 27, was killed last spring. His sister told NBC Chicago his body was discovered with his arms and legs missing.

“Isaiah didn’t deserve that,” said Quandra Banks, victim’s sister. “It’s heartbreaking.”

'Banks said her brother was trying to get his life together looking for stable housing and employment. He spent time in California and Nebraska before moving back to Chicago.

“He didn’t like to argue, he didn’t like nobody to raise their voice even though he had a deep voice,” she shared. “He was a gentle giant, seriously, he loved music, he loved to laugh, he loved bike riding.”