Two years after skeletal remains were discovered in a field near the Whispering Oaks subdivision in rural Kewanee, their identity remains unknown, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

“Our Investigations Division can confirm the remains were submitted to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for forensic testing,” Chief Deputy Ben Franklin said in an email to The Kewanee Voice. “Unfortunately, no DNA match was identified through those efforts.”

The remains were found in March 2024 by a Kewanee resident. The Kewanee Police Department and Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services initially assisted in the investigation.

In December 2024, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office released an update following a workup of the remains at the Human Osteology Lab at the Illinois State Museum.

An archaeologist determined the remains belonged to a white male between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 9 inches tall and estimated his age to be between 30 and 53 years old. The individual appeared to have been in good physical condition and had evidence of previous head trauma. No other characteristics or cause of death could be determined.

A sketch artist created a possible likeness of the man, and investigators ruled out known missing persons from the area based on defining features and dental records.

In February 2025, authorities sent DNA collected from the remains to the Illinois State Crime Lab for further testing.

“Our hope is with this DNA, we can find a relative and put all of the pieces together,” Franklin said at the time.

While the DNA analysis has not produced any answers or leads, Franklin said the case remains active.

“We are continuing to pursue all available leads and will exhaust every possible avenue in an effort to identify the individual,” he wrote, adding that the sheriff’s office will provide updates if new information develops.