Sep 28, 2007 10:24 pm US/Central
Authorities Confirm Body Is Missing Woman's
Police: Autopsy, Dental Records Used For Identification
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley, Dana Kozlov and Rafael Romo contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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The grieving family of Nailah Franklin reached out Friday night to thank all those who helped the search and prayed for her safe return.
As CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports, the missing woman's body has been identified and police are now investigating her death.
Nine days of hope that Nailah Franklin would be found alive ended tragically in the south suburbs.
Investigators confirmed a naked, badly decomposed body found behind a vacant Calumet City business Thursday morning was that of the Chicago woman.
The medical examiner used dental records to positively identify the badly decomposed body as Nailah Franklin. The body might have been in the location where it was found for a week.
But the autopsy was unable to pinpoint a cause of death. That means, for now, police are calling this a death investigation, not a homicide case.
Franklin was reported missing on Sept. 19 after failing to show up for an important work meeting.
Her neighbor Jason Chan said, "she actually parked her car in the spot next to mine, so I saw her on a regular basis."
What investigators couldn't determine was cause of death or where she died. Police say a clue in the bushes off River Oaks Drive, reportedly a pair of earphones, led officers to her body. "The officers observed an item that drew attention that took their attention they got out they parked their cars and... walked around the area, without being too graphic they made the discovery," Calumet City police Chief Russ Larson said.
The discovery came after Franklin's family waged a massive, heartfelt campaign about her disappearance.
Friday night, in a statement, they thanked police and the media, adding "We express our thanks to the community for all of their search efforts, prayers and heartfelt expressions."
The 28-year-old victim worked for Eli Lilly & Co. since February 2006. The company took out a full page newspaper ad about her disappearance Thursday.
Friday night, an Eli Lilly spokesperson said Franklin's loss has also hit employees hard.
Judy Kay Moore said, "This is a person who is not only a colleague but a friend to many of us. She is someone who shared with us her energy, her enthusiasm and her passion for helping people and making a difference."
Her former employer, advertising giant Leo Burnett, also issued a statement that read in part: "Nailah was bright, talented and had so much to offer. She'll be missed by her many friends at Leo Burnett."
That sentiment was echoed by another Leo Burnett employee who lives in her building.
Greg Jones said it was, "Sad for a beautiful women like that ... it's a tragedy to happen to her like that, so my prayers go out to her family."
Franklin's car and personal belongings were found in Hammond, Ind., last weekend. Police say two computers were also missing from her apartment.
So far, police have not called anyone a person of interest in this case.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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