MOUNT VERNON — Investigators on Friday identified a woman whose remains were found nearly three decades ago in southern Illinois.
The head of the woman previously known only as Ina Jane Doe was found by two girls on January 27, 1993, along a road in Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park near Ina.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said the woman was Susan Lund of Clarksville, Tennessee, who was 25 when she disappeared on December 24, 1992. She had gone walking to a grocery store but never returned At her place. When the woman’s head was found in the state park about a month later, investigators were unable to identify it.
University of New Hampshire anthropologist Amy Michael contacted the sheriff’s office in February 2021, offering to reconsider the case, according to a press release from Redgrave Research Forensic Services in Massachusetts.
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A new forensic sketch of the woman has been released and samples taken from the woman’s remains have been used to create a DNA profile of her. This profile was sent to the forensic genealogy team.
One of Lund’s siblings provided a DNA sample for comparison. On March 6, he confirmed the woman was Sudan Lund, the statement said.
Her family, including her three children who were 6, 4 and 2 at the time of her disappearance, have received some peace, said one of Lund’s sisters, Pamela Reyes.
“I’m just speaking on behalf of his three children,” Reyes said. “They really want people to know that they are grateful to find out that they weren’t abandoned by their mother.”
Investigators are asking anyone with information about what happened to contact the sheriff’s office.
17 Totally Quirky Illinois High School Sports Icons
Argonauts Argo
Argo Community High School applauds the Argonauts. The Argonauts are found in Greek mythology – they are a group of heroes who traveled in a ship called “Argo” to find the Golden Fleece.
Courtesy of Argo Community High School
Hoopeston Cornjerkers
Hoopeston prides itself on being the first “Sweet Corn Capital of the World”. So it seems only fitting that their high school mascot should pay homage to the people who harvested the city’s signature culture – the Cornjerkers. According to IHSA.org, cornjerking may also be known as cracked corn, corn peeling, or corn shelling – either way, it’s the process of extracting corn from the stalk.
Courtesy of Hoopeston Area High School/IHSA
DeKalb Barbs
Barbed wire was invented at DeKalb. Their mascot, Barbie Raven, and the team names “the Barbs” pay homage to her invention.
Courtesy of DeKalb High School
Freeport/New Berlin Pretzels
Although the pretzel seems at first glance to be a rather obscure nickname, Freeport High and New Berlin High are both the basis of this salty snack.
Courtesy of New Berlin High School
Piasa Bird of Southwest Community High School
Most Illinois have heard the legend of the Piasa bird. At Southwestern, in Piasa, Illinois, it’s their home team.
Courtesy of Southwest Community High School
Lincoln Rail Separators
The city of Lincoln, Illinois uses the nickname Railsplitters (aka the Railers) because, according to the IHSA website Abraham Lincoln – after whom the town is named and who practiced law there for eight years – split the rails and used the wood to make fences. Lincoln still hosts an annual Railroad Splitting Festival.
Courtesy of Lincoln High School/IHSA
Teutopolis wooden clogs
Just don’t call them Hooves.
Courtesy of Teutopolis High School
Plano mowers
Plano High School wants you to fear the Reaper.
Courtesy of Plano High School
Cobden Appleknockers
The Cobden Appleknockers adopted their nickname to honor workers who used sticks to knock apples off trees during harvest.
The Southern Archival Photo
Orphans of Centralia / Orphan Annies
Centralia has gained national recognition for its unique mascot, the orphans. The female teams are called Annies, short for the famous Little Orphan Annie.
The Southern Archival Photo
Fulton Steam Cookers
This Mississippi River town pays homage to the steamboats that lined the river during the Mississippi’s glory days.
Courtesy of Fulton High School
fishing rabbits
Fisher Community High School Roots for Rabbits.
Courtesy of Fisher High School
Dwarfs of Freeburg
Midget’s nickname has been a source of controversy for Freeburg Community High School. Freeburg says he’s not changing the mascot, despite requests from the Little People of America.
Courtesy of Freeburg Community High School
Coal City Charbonniers
Coal City residents cheer – what else? The charcoal burners.
Courtesy of Coal City High School
Elk Grove Grenadiers
A grenadier, of course, is a soldier armed with grenades.
Courtesy of Elk Grove Grenadier Football
Flaming Hearts of Effingham
Effingham High School puts its passion behind the Flaming Hearts.
Courtesy of Effingham High School
Rochelle hubs
Rochelle High roots for the Hubs.
Courtesy of Lycée Rochelle