Body found near Chicago train tracks identified as missing man

CHICAGO - A body discovered near train tracks on Chicago’s South Side last year has been identified as a missing 26-year-old man.

What we know:

A train conductor walking the tracks on May 29, 2025, went to check out a foul odor and found a human torso partially buried in a shallow grave in a wooded area near East 93rd Street.

Chicago police believed the remains belonged to an adult man who had a partial beard and long, dark dreadlocks pulled back in a ponytail.

When standard forensic methods did not lead to an identification, investigators turned to advanced DNA testing.

In October 2025, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office sent forensic evidence to Othram, a specialized forensic laboratory in Texas, where scientists developed a DNA profile.

During the investigation, police identified a possible relative of the victim. That person provided a DNA sample, which was compared to the unidentified man’s profile.

The testing results, along with investigative work, led to the identification of the remains as Isaiah Terrill Hall, a missing Chicago resident who was last seen around 2 a.m. on April 27, 2025, in the 500 block of West 125th Place.

Isaiah Terrill Hall

What they're saying:

"Families deserve answers and in a case like this, the identification is just the next step in the investigation," Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer at Othram, said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to this man's family and the community as the investigation goes forward into exactly what happened."

What's next:

Officials said the investigation into Hall’s murder is ongoing.