Remains found in Prairie Park identified as those of Toni Keller

SYCAMORE – Burned remains found in a DeKalb park have been positively identified as those of missing Northern Illinois University student Antinette "Toni" Keller.

At a routine court appearance Thursday for William "Billy" Curl, the man accused of killing the 18-year-old freshman, DeKalb County First Assistant State's Attorney Bill Engerman turned over a forensic report to Curl's attorney that identified the remains through DNA analysis.

The remains were found in Prairie Park on Oct. 16, burned too badly for positive identification. It took forensic analysts about a week to determine the remains were human, but they still could not be identified. The identification finally came through a parentage analysis, Engerman said. Analysts were able to match DNA from Keller's mother and father to DNA extracted from a femur found in the park.

"To be able to confirm the remains found are those of Antinette Keller, to a certain degree, brings closure, to that issue at least," DeKalb County State's Attorney Clay Campbell said.

"We knew this in our hearts, but it still is difficult to hear," family spokeswoman Mary Tarling, Keller's cousin, said during a phone interview. "It's a form of closure, but that doesn't make it pleasant. You don't want it to be her, but you don't want it not to be her. You just want the whole thing to not have happened at all."

Keller's family is planning some sort of memorial service for her, Tarling said, but intends to wait until spring when the service can be held outside.

Keller was last seen on Oct. 14, when she told friends she intended to take a walk in Prairie Park. When she hadn't returned by the following evening, her friends reported her missing. The search was later classified a death investigation, then a homicide.

Curl was arrested Oct. 29 and charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count each of sexual assault, arson, obstructing justice and unlawful possession of a converted motor vehicle.

He has not submitted a plea on any of the charges; his attorney, DeKalb County Public Defender Regina Harris, has said she is awaiting the results of a psychological evaluation. On Thursday, she said that evaluation is still in progress.

Curl is being held in the DeKalb County Jail on $5,065,000 bond; he would need to post $506,500 to be released. His next court date is Feb. 17.

When addressing media after the hearing, Campbell, Engerman and DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen confirmed further evidence analysis is being done, but declined to release specifics.

"As in any case, the police gather evidence and evidence is analyzed. That process is continuing," Engerman said. "We can't comment on what that evidence is."

Campbell added that while prosecutors and law enforcement realize the public wants information on the case, they don't want to risk compromising Curl's right to a fair trial.

Harris said after the hearing that the identification of the remains came as no surprise.

"I think everyone anticipated these remains belonged to Antinette Keller," she said. "That aspect is not terribly surprising."

Northern Illinois University spokesman Brad Hoey said the news came as no surprise to the campus community, either. Local people had already accepted that the remains were probably Keller's, he said, but noted he hopes the identification could be a step forward in the healing process.

"The release of the latest information regarding the Toni Keller investigation is scientific confirmation of details with which the campus and local community has come to terms since the case was designated a death investigation in late October," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers remain and will always be with the Keller family."