The autopsy of Tanya Shannon, whose body was found in a soybean field in LaSalle County earlier this week, determined that the 40-year-old woman died from exposure to the elements. Shannon appeared to suffer no trauma from the car crash that killer her husband Dale, and toxicology results won't be available for a few weeks. more ›

• The autopsy on a Northwestern University student found dead this weekend in the University library was inconclusive. Meanwhile, the autopsy on the man who died during Bike The Drive died of natural causes.
• It looks like that oil spill in the Gulf will be continuing throughout the summer after BP's efforts to plug the hole failed.
• A nice mash-up mapping the locations and times for this year's Movies in the Parks screenings.

• An autopsy performed this afternoon on Jameshia Connor revealed the 12-year-old girl died by strangulation.
• Webio co-founder David Hernandez is planning on pleading guilty in his fraud case later this winter.
• The Tribune Company has until February 28, 2010 to submit their Chapter 11 reorganization plan.

A tragic story broke last night as the body of 12-year-old Jahmeshia Conner, missing for two weeks, was found in a South Side alley last night. According to the Tribune, the body was found in an alley on the 6400 block of South Marshfield and while the Cook County Medical Examiner's office hasn't officially identified the body, family members told the Trib they identified photographs of the body as Jahmeshia. Birdie Lewis, the girl's mother, told the Tribune, "Her face was bashed in. And there was blood and scratches over her face. Why would they do that to her? That's a baby." According to the Trib's timeline: more ›

There was no luck with an autopsy on the remains of a woman found Wednesday night in the Des Plaines river. Instead, DNA samples will now be sent off for testing to help ID the woman and the Will County Coroner says it could take up to two weeks for results. Meanwhile, residents await word to see if the body could be that of either of the area's two well-known missing women, Lisa Stebic or Stacy Peterson. A spokeswoman for Stacy's family told the Tribune, "We've been down this road before. Regrettably, it could be any woman at this point, and that's something I think we should all pay attention to." more ›

• The family of Aquan Lewis is asking for a second autopsy to be performed, disputing what they call a "startling" and quick decision by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office that ruled Aquan's death a suicide.
• Police continue to investigate the rape of a woman that occurred early Monday morning in the Bucktown neighborhood - 2300 block of W. Moffat - just south of the Western (Milwaukee) Blue Line stop.
• Today in Executive Resignations: Dawn Catuara, acting executive director of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, has abruptly resigned. Cyrus Freidheim, president and CEO of Sun-Times Media Group, has also announced his resignation.

The death of 10-year-old Aquan Lewis, a 10-year-old student at Evanston's Oakton Elementary School, has been ruled a suicide after an autopsy. The ruling was made by the Cook County medical examiner's office earlier this afternoon. Lewis was found yesterday hanging from a hook in one of the school's bathrooms. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at Children's Memorial Hospital earlier this morning. Any further details are still very hard to come by. more ›

Word comes this afternoon that the Cook County Medical Examiner has unsurprisingly yet officially ruled Julian King's death a homicide. From the press release: "'The cause of death is multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death is a homicide,' said Sean Howard, a spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office." Also, the AP reported suspect William Balfour had been arrested in June on drug charges but didn't have his parole revoked. Balfour also missed a meeting with his parole officers the day of the murders. more ›