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Illinois Valley

Body found at decommissioned Cherry mine leads to homicide investigation

Bureau County Sheriff’s Office executed warrant in Cherry

An aerial view of the Cherry water tower next to the mine on Wednesday, June 12, 2024 in Cherry. On Nov. 13, 1909, a total of 259 miners died in the mine.

Authorities executed a search warrant Tuesday into the body discovered at the decommissioned Cherry Mine on June 8, Bureau County Sheriff James Reed said Tuesday in a news release.

The Bureau County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois Valley Special Response Team executed the warrant in the 300 block of North Steele Street in Cherry, Reed said.

Reed said the warrant was regarding the homicide of the unidentified male whose skeletal remains were found at the Cherry Mine. Tuesday’s news release was the first mention of homicide by authorities since the discovery.

Reed previously told Shaw Local News Network that an autopsy was conducted on the remains June 11. Deputies were dispatched to the mine at 3:54 p.m. June 8 for the discovery.

Reed said the case remains under investigation and no further information is available at this time.

Maribeth M. Wilson

Maribeth M. Wilson has been a reporter with Shaw Media for two years, one of those as news editor at the Morris Herald-News. She became a part of the NewsTribune staff in 2023.