Body found near Ringwood identified as missing Hebron man

A body discovered Aug. 6 near Prairie Trail bike path in Ringwood has been identified as that of a missing 20-year-old Hebron man.

Interim McHenry County Coroner John Miller confirmed Wednesday that a body found in a wooded area near the bike path has been positively identified as John Bicek, whose family reported him missing on Aug. 3.

Authorities have told Bicek’s mother, Heather Lorenz, that preliminary autopsy results determined her son’s death was a suicide, but Lorenz is skeptical, she said.

Bicek's family filed a missing person's report after he didn't show for a weekend shift at work and missed a planned family gathering.

He was last seen alive about 8 a.m. July 30 leaving his job at Love’s Travel Stop in Hampshire, police said.

A cellphone GPS app led Bicek's parents to a subdivision near Fort McHenry Park on Aug. 3, where they spotted Bicek's vehicle in the parking lot. Lorenz has said she believes her son might have been at the park that Friday to play Pokémon Go.

Anyone experiencing thoughts of harming themselves can contact the 24-hour McHenry County Crisis Line at 800-892-8900. Help is also available by text message or phone call through the McHELP App, which connects people in need of crisis support or information to the appropriate resources.

More information about suicide prevention is available online at www.mchenrycountyqpr.org.