Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Body Found in Barrington Hills Forest Preserve ID'd as Missing Wauconda Man

No foul play is suspected in the death of Robert Hovinen, a missing Wauconda resident last seen at a bar in Carpentersville on Dec. 23. Hovinen's body was found in a Barrington Hills forest preserve Christmas day.

Update, 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26

An autopsy was performed Thursday on a Wauconda man whose body was found by an equestrian at the Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve in Barrington Hills Christmas day.

Robert Hovinen, 38, of unincorporated Wauconda, was last seen at a bar in Carpentersville on Dec. 23. 

Ben Breit, Director of Communications for the Cook County Sheriff's Office, told Patch no foul play is suspected. Authorities are awaiting toxicology results.

Update, 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26

It is now being reported that the body of a man found in the Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve in Barrington Hills on Christmas is Robert Hovinen, 38, of 25220 Ivanhoe Road, in unincorporated Wauconda, according to the Barrington Courier-Review.

Hovinen went missing from a bar in Carpentersville on Dec. 23. An earlier version of this story reported Hovinen was a resident of Carpentersville.

The cause of death is still under investigation. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.

Update, 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26

The Carpentersville Police Department has confirmed it has been notified by the Cook County Sheriff's Office that a body found in the Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve in Barrington Hills on Christmas day is that of missing man Robert Hovinen.

Hovinen was last seen Dec. 23 at Skeeters Saloon, located at 1691 Elgin Road in Carpentersville, reported ABC 7 News.

It is not known if foul play was involved. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.

Original post

The Cook County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a man whose body was found in the Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve in Barrington Hills on Christmas, according to the Daily Herald.

The unidentified body was reportedly found by an equestrian. Sheriff's police responded to the call at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, reported the Daily Herald. An autopsy was scheduled for today.

Patch will provide more information on this developing story as it becomes available.


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