Lake Co. coroner '99 percent sure' figurine has helped ID body

When he told a reporter about a giraffe figurine found near an unidentified body earlier this week, Lake County Coroner Richard Keller didn't think the detail would amount to much.

Today, Keller said he believes newspaper stories about the mystery that included photographs of the 14-inch tall figurine have led investigators to the man's identity.

"I'm 99 percent sure we know who this is," Keller said.

Although they're still waiting to conduct dental comparisons and other evidence tests, authorities believe the man was a 56-year-old military veteran who had lived in Lake County for some time.

Members of the man's family, who live in Arizona, know he purchased a small giraffe figure at a thrift store and planned to give it to his mother as a gift, Keller said. As investigators followed leads, the family read stories about the man's death and saw photos of the giraffe online, Keller said.

Keller hopes he can publicly announce the man's name in a day or two. He was surprised investigators were able to solve the case so quickly.

"It's really turned around," he said. "(It's) been incredible."

The corpse was discovered Sunday morning in a grassy area near Eighth Street and Chestnut Avenue. The spot is within the Lake County Forest Preserve District's 560-acre Greenbelt preserve.

The brown and tan giraffe was found near the man's body, along with clothing and remnants of a tent, Keller said.

An autopsy did not reveal how the man died. There were no obvious signs of foul play, Keller said.

The body may have been there about a month, Keller said.

In addition to the coroner's staff, Lake County Forest Preserve District ranger police and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the death.