The body of a missing Peoria woman was discovered in the Illinois River just south of Naples yesterday.
According to a release by the Peoria Police Department, Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 4 was requested by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office to conduct a death investigation in Naples, Illinois on Thursday, March 18th on an unidentified body located near a grain elevator in the Illinois River just south of Naples. Sources say a worker spotted the body and called police.
ISP Zone 4 Agents responded to the scene to collect evidence and interview witnesses. An autopsy was conducted by the Scott County Coroner’s Office on Friday and the cause and manner of death have yet to be determined.
The body has been identified as that of 48-year-old Cosette “Cricket” M. Brown of South Peoria, who was the subject of an ongoing missing person investigation. Brown was last seen on November 18th. According to Peoria Police, Brown spoke to family members on the phone the next day, when the contact of any kind ended. Brown had not returned home since being reported missing and her cellphone had been turned off, which is uncharacteristic to her habits, according to police.
Peoria Police Department Criminal Investigations Detectives will be assisting ISP DCI Zone 4 Investigators in the ongoing death investigation of Brown. ISP Zone 4 was assisted by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Coroner’s Office, ISP District 20, ISP Crime Scene Services, the Morgan County Dive Team, Meredosia Fire Department, and the Bluffs Fire Department.
Anyone with information that may be important to this investigation is asked to call Peoria Police immediately at 309.673.4521 or CrimeStoppers, anonymously, at 309.673.9000.