Crime & Safety
Body Found in Marshy Area is Missing Teen: Police
The body of Abe Gonzalez was found by a search team Friday afternoon, authorities said.
LAKE COUNTY, IL — A body found in a marshy area southwest of Slocum Lake has been identified as a missing 17-year-old Island Lake boy, police said. Abe Gonzalez was “highly intoxicated” when he walked away from a home in the 26700 block of North Morey Street in unincorporated Wauconda Friday, Nov. 1, after attending a party at the residence.
Search teams located his body at about 11 a.m. Friday a short distance southwest of the Slocum Lake, which is in area where he was last seen.
“The body was completely submerged in the swamp, also covered with ice," Lake Co. Sheriff’s Office Christopher Covelli told Patch. Foul play is not suspected.
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According to authorities, Gonzalez left the gathering around midnight on Nov. 1. The search team, which was made up of sheriff's office detectives and auxiliary deputies, conducted a sonar search of Slocum Lake earlier in the week. In addition, K9 teams assisted in the search.
“Since assuming investigative duties in the search for the missing teen, members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office have spent hundreds of man-hours in the search for Gonzalez,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
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A family member initially reported Gonzalez missing on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Island Lake Police conducted the initial missing person investigation. On Nov. 5, the investigation was turned over to Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives.
An autopsy is planned for Friday afternoon. And an additional ground search will be conducted Saturday morning, police said.
“No evidence to indicate foul play was located at the scene, however, investigators will learn more following the autopsy,” according to a sheriff’s office statement.
Anyone who might have any information on Gonzalez is encouraged to contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 847-377-4250 or send a tip via http://www.lakecountyil.gov/sheriff.
A body was recovered from a marshy area southwest of Slocum Lake, south of Island Lake, on Friday, authorities said.
Rebecca Bream contributed to this article.
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