Cook County Sheriff Says Accused Serial Killer Spent More Than 12 Hours in the South Suburbs Before His Arrest

posted Oct. 22, 2014; updated Oct. 25

Abandoned homes in the south suburbs were searched Wednesday and Thursday after Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart learned that accused serial killer Darren Deon Vann visited the area days before his arrest in Indiana Saturday.

Sheriff’s officers and local police in Harvey, Markham and Hazel Crest, accompanied by a cadaver dog, searched 26 abandoned homes.

“We don’t know what reason would bring him here but clearly it would be beyond negligent on our part not to run out the very areas where has been killing and dumping people,” Dart said. “There is data that shows he was in this general area.”

Vann’s cell phone pinged local cell phone towers, he said. Sources told the Chicago Sun-Times that Vann spent more than 12 hours driving around the south suburbs just before his arrest and after the murder of 19-year-old Afrika Hardy.

The bodies tied to Vann, 43, have been found in dilapidated, abandoned properties in Gary, Indiana. He’s charged in the murders of two men but more charges are expected in the other killings. The bodies of seven women have been found in Indiana. Kristine Williams was one of the victims.

“Right now, we know there’s seven families,” Kristine’s father, Bruce Williams, told CBS Chicago. While serving in the military, Vann spent time in Texas, California and North Carolina. Investigators are trying to piece together many details about his travels and his life. “How many families are there? In Texas, spread out through the United States? ... I pray to God, that they can handle it better than I can.”

As of yet, no remains have been found during the Cook County sheriff’s search in the south suburbs.