Cold Case: Teens’ death remains unsolved after 22 years

GRUNDY – Nicole Bowers was just 17 when she vanished from her mother’s home in 2000. Three years later, her remains were found less than 2 miles from her home east of the Morris City dump. Her case remains unsolved.

On the night of Aug. 2, 2000, Bowers was watching TV when her mother went to bed. When her mother woke up at 5 a.m. the next morning at their apartment in the 1200 block of Alicia Drive in Morris, she was gone. At the time, police described Bowers as a “habitual runaway” who frequently stayed at her older boyfriend’s house.

Family became increasingly concerned after several days had passed, and Bowers, who had not taken any personal items, did not contact relatives. She was reported missing on Aug. 9.

“I remember, as a teenager, for several years seeing her picture at the Dairy Queen as a missing runaway,” Channahon Detective Sergeant Matt Brooks said.

On May 9, 2003, a surveyor found part of Bowers’ skull in a field near Bungalow and Gun Club roads in Channahon while the Utility Concrete facility was being constructed. According to newspaper reports at the time, the surveyor did not report his findings until May 12, as he had weekend plans.

Bowers’ identity was confirmed through dental records and forensics indicated her bones had been intentionally broken and scattered. She died as a result of blunt-force trauma to her head.

After being elected in 2012, Grundy County State’s Attorney Jason Helland began re-examining the case, a year later he had found several leads that were missed in the original investigation.

“I sat down with the Channahon mayor, who was Joe Cook at the time, and talked about outstanding criminal investigations and he told me to take a look at the case. When I was elected, there was no Nicole Bowers’ file,” Helland said.

Fifteen years after Bowers’ disappearance, the Channahon Police Department and Helland held a news conference announcing the discovery of DNA evidence that did not belong to Bowers. The evidence was subsequently sent to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for forensic testing.

Helland said he had received the results, but didn’t “want to speak about any hypersensitive evidence.”

Investigators still believe justice is possible and continue to investigate, having someone in for an interview this month with potential information on a potential arrest.

“I think something that has prevented people from coming forward is guilt that had waited this long. You know dynamics change, people change. This is a judgment free-zone at the police department,” Brooks said.

“If you have information that is going to help me charge a homicide, the ultimate crime, the ultimate thing that should be enforced and protected. If someone has information that will help me solve this, I am more than willing to take it,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Detective Sgt. Matt Brooks at the Channahon Police Department at 815-467-2112 or the Grundy County CrimeStoppers at 815-942-9667.