Body found in Genoa identified as missing teen

GENOA – A man’s body found Friday in a farm field west of Ellwood Greens has been identified as a Genoa teenager missing since March 8, according to a news release from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

Joseph A. Maynard, 19, of the 31000 block of Daniels Drive was found by a farmer Friday morning and was pronounced dead at the scene by sheriff’s deputies.

When reached for comment, Maynard’s mother, Nancy Maynard, declined.

Maynard’s body was located a half mile from his residence on Daniels Drive, according to the release.

The coroner conducted an autopsy Monday, which revealed the cause of death was exposure. DeKalb County Coroner Denny Miller said Monday the case still is under investigation.

Further toxicology testing will be done, the report said. There were no visible signs of injury to Maynard’s body, and sheriff’s deputies do not suspect foul play.

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Andy Sullivan said Monday that it’s a sad day for all involved.

He said although Maynard’s body was located half a mile from his residence, multiple searches made when he went missing did not uncover his body.

“We did search the area, but this place was not accessible to us at the time,” Sullivan said Monday. “At the time, we had a lot of rain and a lot of melting, so at that point we weren’t able to search this area specifically. There were multiple searches done with K-9s, drone devices, and on foot.”

Sullivan said there’s no indication that Maynard was at any point with anyone else.

More than 150 volunteers joined firefighters and sheriff’s deputies in a search for Maynard on March 10. The Illinois Conservation Police, a police dog from the sheriff’s office and DuPage County Sheriff’s Office bloodhounds also looked for him.

In March, Nancy Maynard told the Daily Chronicle that Maynard’s brother, Tim, last saw him walking away from their parents’ house in the 31000 block of Daniels Drive in Genoa about 11 a.m. March 8.

She called her son “a quiet kid, kind-hearted, a good worker.”

Nancy Maynard said in March that her son had not been taking his daily medications for mental illness and his phone was turned off.

She said search dogs were able to track him from their residence on Daniels Drive to a nearby golf course, but the scent stopped there.

Source: The Daily Chronicle