Over 45 years after a homeowner stumbled upon a skull during a renovation project, a suburban Chicago mystery has finally been solved. Thanks to advancements in DNA technology, the remains have been identified as those of Esther Granger, a young woman who died in 1866 at the age of 17, CNN reports.
Granger’s skull, discovered in the walls of a Batavia home in 1978, was initially believed to belong to a young woman in her 20s who lived before the 1900s. However, limited DNA testing at the time yielded no further information.
The case went cold until 2021 when the skull, which had been stored at the Batavia Depot Museum, was rediscovered during a cleaning operation. The skull was turned over to the police, leading to a renewed investigation.
Advancements in forensic science technology and the use of forensic investigative genetic genealogy, which combines DNA analysis with traditional genealogy research, paved the way for a breakthrough.
Kane County officials contacted Othram, a Texas-based company specializing in solving cold cases, to assist with further DNA testing. Othram built a DNA profile for the woman, including a family tree, and identified living relatives.
Granger’s great-great grandson, Wayne Svilar, was contacted in April and confirmed a DNA match. Svilar, a retired police sergeant from Portland, Oregon, expressed a sense of shock and closure for the family following the identification.
The revelation of Granger’s identity has also led to a possible explanation for how her skull ended up 80 miles away from her burial site in Merrillville, Indiana. Officials believe she may have been a victim of grave robbing, possibly for the sale of her remains to medical institutions for study.
Granger’s remains have now been reburied in the West Batavia Cemetery.
