Remains found in St. Charles ID'd as homeless man

Skeletal remains discovered near a forest preserve this week were identified Wednesday as those of a 63-year-old homeless man who died of natural causes, St. Charles police said.

Authorities identified the man as John Selman, formerly of unincorporated Kane County near St. Charles. He was last seen in the same area where his remains were found after a friend dropped him off there last August, Deputy Chief David Kintz said. No missing person report was filed.

"He wasn't missing; he was homeless," Kintz said. "He had asked to be let out in that area."

Kintz said some college students who visited the area over the weekend reported the discovery Tuesday. Police found the skeletal remains, along with some clothing and an expired Minnesota driver's license, just south of the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve on the city's far west side.

The license helped police track down a man who said he dropped off Selman, who had no prior contact with local police, in that area last August, Kintz said.

The Kane County coroner's office performed the autopsy Wednesday but referred all media inquiries to police. The remains were fully skeletonized, Kintz said, but he was unable to elaborate on the cause of death.

The discovery prompted questions among police over whether the remains were those of John Spira, 45, of St. Charles, or Bradley Olson, 26, of Maple Park, both of whom have been missing since 2007.

"It's always in the back of your head," Kintz said. "You don't know what you have. It's called a death investigation, but we proceed like it's a homicide until we know otherwise."

Kintz said Selman grew up in unincorporated Kane County, but his last known address was in Earlville, southwest of DeKalb.