Authorities identify 1st of 2 bodies found
Nov. 15---- UPDATE: Authorities today identified one of the bodies found strangled and burned in a garbage bin as that of Theresa Bunn, 21.
Bunn was reported missing Monday night by family members after she told them she was going to a mall and did not return by 8 p.m.
Her body was found late Monday night in a garbage bin, burned beyond recognition. The body of a second woman, found about 2 miles away in another burning bin about a day later, has not been identified yet.
Deputy Police Chief Michael Shields said today that a canvass by police this morning gave them at least one good lead on the other woman's identity. One person approached police officers who were handing out fliers and said a friend might have clothes that matched the description of those police said were found on the body.
Shields said police were working on that lead, trying to determine if that personhas been reported missing. He did not divulge the person's identity.
"This is just developing," he said. "I think we're getting a lot of information."
Chicago police fanned out today in neighborhoods where two women were found strangled and left burning in trash bins near a South Side park this week.
After conducting outdoor roll calls at both scenes, police officers handed out fliers and talked to residents about the deaths of the two unidentified women who were found about 2 miles from each other, near opposite ends of Washington Park.
One body was discovered in a garbage container in an abandoned lot late Monday night, and a second was found early Wednesday in a burning bin behind a Bronzeville elementary school.
The fliers contained a description of the clothing found on the second woman, who wore a blue shirt with a safety pin under a multicolored shirt, a Martha Stewart blue-green fleece sweatshirt and blue jeans.
Calumet Area Deputy Chief Michael Shields said police have received a number of phone calls from people who believe their missing loved ones might be the deceased women. But so far, police have only asked the family of Theresa Bunn, a 21-year-old said to have disappeared Monday night, to provide her dental records, he said. Shields said that identification could take days.
Both Calumet and Wentworth area special victims unit detectives were combing through missing persons reports to find matches, he said.
Shields also said that there were a "number of pieces of evidence" found at the crime scenes that have been sent to the Illinois State Police crime lab for testing. He declined to elaborate. Shields said they have no suspects in either homicide.
Late on Monday, the first body was discovered burning in a garbage container located in an abandoned lot. The other body, found early Wednesday, was burning in a garbage bin behind a Bronzeville elementary school when firefighters arrived.
"There are similarities in the manner of death and how the bodies were disposed of," Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
Police sources said the first victim, discovered in the 6100 block of South Prairie Avenue, was pregnant, and that there appeared to be accelerant on her body. Shields confirmed Thursday the woman was pregnant, but said police have not yet determined if the substance found on the body was accelerant. State police tests will help confirm that, he said.
Bunn's family said today they had not received any new information from authorities.
"She was going to meet her friend and go to the mall Monday night, and she was going to call us at 8 p.m.," said Rosemary Williams, Bunn's mother, who said her daughter is mentally challenged. "But I haven't heard nothing from my daughter and I'm just praying she's all right."
Police are working on identifying the body of the second woman, discovered in the 800 block of East 50th Street.Officers are following up on tips about the second victim's identity, Bond said. Police plan to do a public roll call at both locations and hang fliers.
The second woman was discovered burning in a trash bin behind Reavis Elementary School. Firefighters responded at 12:50 a.m. Wednesday to a report of a fire in an alley and discovered the remains after extinguishing the blaze.
The slayings appeared to have neighbors of the school on edge, by the time word began to spread that the two might be connected.
"If it happened to them it could happen to anybody," said Tramika Rogers, 18, who said she is worried for her own safety and that of a cousin who attends Reavis Elementary. "It's really scary. So no more traveling by ourselves; you gotta have a buddy."
"Kids, they do not know what they're walking into around here," said Eloise Henry, who was going home past the school Wednesday evening with one of her three daughters. "I just pray for my safety walking around at night."
Detectives from the Wentworth and Calumet areas are communicating on the cases, "cross-referencing" information, Bond said.
So far, police have not found direct evidence of a link, Bond said. Once the women are identified, police will investigate their backgrounds and other ways the cases could be related. Both women are thought to be black, sources said. Shields said the race has not yet been determined.
Earlier on Wednesday, students filled the hallways of Reavis as the school operated under normal conditions. Principal Michael Johnson said that he sent word to teachers about the slaying and instructed his staff to discuss what happened with students if necessary. Reavis has about 400 students from preschool to 8th grade, Johnson said.
"We don't want to sensationalize [what happened], but we do want to ensure them that the school is safe and secure," Johnson said. "It's unfortunate. Someone was killed, and you want to shield your students from this."
Parents and family members who filtered in and out of the school, picking up and dropping off students, had mixed emotions about the crime. Some said the killing made them feel unsafe. Others felt it was isolated and remained unafraid.
"This is a good school, and I'm comfortable with him at this school," said Paul Dumas, 59, pointing to his 6-year-old grandson. "This is just an unfortunate situation."
Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th), said she had spoken with the police about the body found near the school, located in her ward, but she thinks that the details are still too premature to rush to judgment.
"It is profoundly disturbing to anyone who represents a community, but it's too early to jump to conclusions," she said.
Some activists have started speaking out. Cecilia Butler, president of the Washington Park Advisory Council, said she thinks that the two incidents are connected and that there needs to be more police presence in the neighborhoods around the park.
". . . When was the last time a woman or anyone was burnt, and then the same thing happened the next day?" she said.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-burnedbodies16nov16,1,4291128.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
