Aurora police tentatively identify body found near I-88

Aurora police say they tentatively have identified the body of a woman discovered Thursday near I-88 as a 54-year-old Berwyn woman reported missing earlier this month.

Sandra Jefferson was reported as missing by her family to Berwyn police Sept. 3, authorities said, and she was last seen alive the same day in Lombard.

Her body was discovered by an IDOT work crew mowing grass around 1:35 p.m. Thursday in a heavily wooded area along the north side of I-88 just west of Deerpath Road on the far west side of Aurora, police said. It was about 200 feet from a blue Nissan SUV Jefferson was known to drive.

Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said officials believe Jefferson drove the SUV from the road into the wooded area using an access point near Vision Court and Orchard Gateway.

He said investigators have not established a timeline accounting for Jefferson's actions from when she was last seen alive in Lombard and when her body was discovered Thursday. He said anyone who saw a blue SUV in the area near where Jefferson's body was found in the last two weeks is encouraged to call investigators at (630) 256-5500.

The coroner did not determine Jefferson's cause of death from the preliminary autopsy findings on Friday but noted there were no signs of trauma. Results from toxicology and other tests are pending.

Because of the state of decomposition of the body, police said that positive identification will likely have to be done with DNA tests.