Skokie and Evanston Police Department officials have confirmed that a body found in a wooded area in Evanston matched the general description of a missing 82-year-old woman, but are cautioning that tests must be done before confirming the deceased person’s identity.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office will need to perform those tests, both departments said.
Evanston Police Commander Ryan Glew said a citizen found the body in an area of vegetation behind the Pace Bus North Shore Garage at 2330 Oakton Street, Evanston, on Nov. 30, and contacted police. Upon finding similarities with the description of a Skokie woman named Tsering “Dolma” Wangyal, who had been reported missing in July, Evanston police reached out to Skokie police, Glew said. There was no evidence of foul play in the death investigation, Glew said.
“There were several searches (for Wangyal) involving canine assistance,” Skokie Police Chief Jesse Barnes said. He said given that Wangyal was found in a wooded area, it was possible that previous searches were unsuccessful because of the area’s foliage, which by now has died off.
Barnes said it is premature to confirm that the body is Wangyal’s, given that the Medical Examiner’s Office still must go through its process.
According to the Skokie Police Department, Wangyal had gone missing July 15 and was last seen at the Levy Senior Center at 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston. She was wearing a dark-colored, long-sleeved shirt, light-colored pants and slippers at the time.
In September, Wangyal’s family and the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago held a prayer vigil in honor of Wangyal at James Park, about 500 feet away from where police said the body was found. The vigil was held to renew the searchers’ energy in their quest to find Wangyal.
The Tibetan Alliance held another prayer vigil on Dec. 3 at the organization’s headquarters in Evanston. Neither the organization nor Wangyal’s family responded to a request for comment.
