Teen Identified After 50 Years: New Advances in Forensic Genealogy Bring Closure

The body of a teenager found in the Mississippi River near Clinton, Iowa, over 50 years ago has been identified as Cheryl Lynn Edwards, a resident from Waukegan. This identification comes from a recent announcement by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, made possible through forensic genealogy techniques.

On April 11, 1975, sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a deceased teenager in the river north of Clinton. They discovered a girl whose identity remained a mystery for decades. An autopsy determined her death was a homicide, yet investigators found themselves at a dead end until recent DNA technology offered new possibilities.

Edwards’ parents, Bernice and Leonard Edwards from Waukegan, had been searching for their missing daughter since her disappearance. The identification of Cheryl Lynn Edwards brought long-awaited news to her surviving family members.

Authorities are now using the recent identification to breathe new life into the homicide investigation. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office is tirelessly working to gather evidence and find the person responsible for Edwards’ death.

Cheryl Lynn Edwards was featured in a 1975 Waukegan High School yearbook. Her identification as a homicide victim was verified by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office. Collaboration with the Waukegan Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations is ongoing, and they are appealing to the public for information about Edwards’ life, her disappearance, and the circumstances surrounding her death.