Authorities Confirm Human Remains Found In Palos Park Are Man Missing Since October

Caption: John Cunningham Jr.

An announcement on the Find John Cunningham Facebook page late Wednesday afternoon confirmed that human remains found in Palos Park are those of John Cunningham Jr.

Cunningham Jr., 27, disappeared from his parents home in Palos Park on Oct. 30, 2014. He was the subject of an extensive air and ground search in the days following his disappearance.

The remains were spotted Sunday in a gated Palos Park subdivision by some children playing hockey on a retention pond.

Private investigator Paul Ciolino, who had been hired by Cunningham Jr.’s parents to aid in the search for their son, said that the young man’s identity was confirmed through dental records by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“There aren’t a lot of rock stars out there and John was a rock star,” Ciolino said. “This was a difficult one for me. I grew close to his parents and I am devastated for their loss.”

Ciolino believes that Cunningham Jr., who resided in Chicago’s North Side Lake View neighborhood at the time of his disappearance, may have possibly died of exposure after leaving his parents’ home in a distraught state wearing neither shoes nor jacket.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Police, who led the investigation, informed Cunningham Jr.’s parents on Sunday that the remains were most likely those of their son’s, Ciolino said.

A memorial Mass is being planned for Jan. 31 at Our Lady of the Woods Church to be followed by a celebration of John Jr.’s life at the Palos Country Club. Exact times and further details will be posted in the coming days on the Find John Cunningham Facebook page.

Those wishing to speak at the celebration of John Jr.’s life are asked to contact Ciolino at pciolino@pjcinvestigations.com.

Friends with pictures of John Jr. may also send them to his close friend, Mike Roupas, at mike.roupas@gmail.com.

“[Please] accept the Cunningham family’s deepest appreciation and love for all of your support and prayers during this most difficult period,” said the written message on the young man’s Facebook page.