Woman strangled, dumped in creek

Police say a Chicago woman found dead in a creek in the southern suburb of Dolton had been reported missing by her mother early this month.

Dolton Fire Chief Jerry McCullough says the body of a woman later identified as 36-year-old Arika Nichelle Sims-Rentas was recovered from a shallow creek off the Little Calumet River early Friday afternoon.

While officials initially found no signs of trauma on the body, an autopsy later determined that Sims-Rentas had been strangled.

Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Linda Kubiak says Sims-Rentas was reported missing April 4 by her mother, who had not seen her since March 26.