Kayaker helps rescuers find body of man missing for weeks in Illinois, cops say
_fitted.png "A missing Antioch, Illinois man crashed his car and walked away from the scene in late January, and hasn’t been seen since.")
The search for a missing Illinois man has ended after a kayaker spotted a familiar jacket on the bank of the Des Plaines River, the Village of Antioch Police Department announced.
Tommy Howe, 24, was last seen Jan. 22, moments after getting into a car accident on Interstate 94, McClatchy News reported. He walked away from the scene and vanished into the woods of a nearby nature preserve, kicking off a desperate search involving multiple departments and many volunteers.
On Feb. 15, Village of Antioch police said Howe was dead and divers had pulled his body from the Des Plaines River.
A kayaker saw a jacket matching the description of what Howe was last seen wearing, a gray North Face, and called 911, leading authorities to where his body was found.
“Based on the circumstances and evidence found at the scene, the body has been preliminarily identified as Howe,” police said.
Lake County officials will continue to investigate the circumstances of his death, according to the news release.
The young man had been on the way to meet his parents for lunch when he crashed into another vehicle, McClatchy reported.
The collision was severe enough that all airbags deployed and Howe’s car was totaled, his mother said in a Facebook post, leading his parents to believe his strange behavior following the crash may have been the result of a head injury.
“While in this massive search effort please be aware that he is harmless. He is a rule follower, hard working, loving kid that would do absolutely anything for anyone,” she wrote. “I know we will get him home, we just need to help him!”
While searching the nature preserve, rescuers came across Howe’s work cellphone. There was no other sign of him until the kayaker spotted his jacket.
“We have been with the Howe family throughout their search for Tommy,” Antioch Police Chief Geoffrey Guttschow said. “This is a devastating time for them. The family will continue to be in our prayers.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 9:43 AM.