March 03, 2025
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Kane County Chronicle

A Skull in the Wall: From discovery in Batavia home to its identification

By Emily K. Coleman and Brenda Schory
Nov. 12, 1978: A human skull, among other items, is found in a wall during renovations at a home on East Wilson Avenue in Batavia. The homeowner reports the finding to the Batavia police who start an investigation into the skull’s identity. Northern Illinois University Department of Anthropology faculty confirm the skull is human, very old and belonged to a person who was probably female and about 20 years old. 1979: After contacting several national laboratories, museums and genealogical societies, the case went cold and at some point, the skull was sent to the Batavia Depot Museum for storage. Some experts said they thought the skull dated back to before 1900. March 2021: During an audit of items in the Batavia Depot Museum, the skull is rediscovered and the Batavia Police Department is contacted. The police find the original 1978 report and send the skull to the Kane County Coroner’s Office for the continuation of the investigation. October 2022: The lead investigator, Deputy Coroner Gabriela Allison, contacted Othram Laboratories in Texas to determine if a relatively new process called Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy could be performed on a skull as old as this one and it was determined a profile could be produced. December 2023: Coroner Rob Russell issues a crowdfunding request to raise money to fund the process of matching the skull's profile with known genealogical family trees. Feb. 15, 2024: Othram Labs reports that it believes the skull to have belonged to Esther Ann Granger Peck of Merrillville, Indiana, and it would like to confirm the match by testing a biological relative.

Source: Kane County Coroner's Office (Emily Coleman)

April 2024: After several attempts to contact living relatives, Allison made contact with Wayne Svilar, a biological great grandson of Esther Granger who agreed to submit his DNA for confirmation. June 17, 2024: A test of Svilar’s DNA proves he was Granger Peck’s great-great-grandson, confirming the skull is hers. Aug. 22, 2024: Granger Peck is buried at the West Batavia Cemetery. The cost is covered by the city of Batavia, and Svilar comes for the internment. October 2024: With the assistance of photographer Thomas Doggett and 3D Resin Solutions of South Elgin, Forensic Artist Natalie Murray generates a likeness of Granger. The Kane County Coroner’s Office holds a news conference later that month to present the results of the investigation.

Source: Kane County Coroner's Office (Emily Coleman)

Kane CountyExplainer
Emily Coleman

Emily K. Coleman

Originally from the northwest suburbs, Emily K. Coleman is Shaw Media's editor for newsletters and engagement. She previously served as the Northwest Herald's editor and spent about seven years as a reporter with Shaw Media, first covering Dixon for Sauk Valley Media and then various communities within McHenry County from 2012 to 2016.

Brenda Schory

Brenda Schory

Brenda Schory covers Geneva, crime and courts, and features for the Kane County Chronicle