Law enforcement officials have identified the deceased person recovered on May 10 from Lake Michigan off of Central Beach as a Chicago man reported as missing to Stone Park, Illinois, police in January.
The identity of Adan Carrera Sanches, 20, was made by Indiana Conservation Officers and the Porter County Coroner’s Office, with the assistance of the Indiana State Police Forensic Services Section, according to a Friday release from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division.
At the request of investigators, the Indiana State Police Indianapolis Regional Laboratory compared DNA from the deceased person to a family member, positively identifying Sanches.
Indiana Conservation Officers made the request after confirming with investigators from the Stone Park Police Department in the Chicago suburbs that they were investigating a missing person who had jewelry similar to that found with the deceased person.
A detective with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources requested an investigator from Stone Park Police Department obtain a DNA sample from a relative of Sanches. The sample was collected and tested, resulting in positive identification.
Sanches was reported missing to the Stone Park Police Department in January. The investigation is ongoing, according to the release. Stone Park’s director of public safety, Christopher Pavini, was not available for comment Friday.
The coroner’s office has not yet released a cause and manner of death for Sanches.
Indiana Conservation Officers have also been assisted in this investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit.
Indiana Conservation Officers started their investigation after a fisherman discovered a body in the water on Saturday, May 10, approximately 2 miles offshore from Central Beach on Lake Michigan.
Shortly after 8 a.m. that day, officers arrived on the scene and found the body of an unidentified person. Due to the condition of the body, the person appeared to have been missing for an extended period of time, officials said then. The person was wearing red and black plaid pajama pants, black socks, and there was a unique ring on the right index finger.
Indiana Conservation Officers recovered the body with assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit.
