Dental records don’t help identify body found near Cahokia; DNA testing next

Authorities on Tuesday were still working to identify the remains of a badly-decomposed body found in woods near Cahokia during the weekend, according to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities were hoping to identify the man by Tuesday using dental records, but those efforts proved unsuccessful, Capt. Bruce Fleshren said Tuesday.

The department might have to use DNA to determine an identification, which could take “much longer,” Fleshren said.

The goal, Fleshren said, is to determine whether the body is that of Christopher S. Stasiak, a hunter who went missing in the area more than a year ago.

Based on the clothing, Fleshren said it’s possible the remains are that of a male, but the person’s age and race could not immediately be determined.

This story was originally published February 21, 2017 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Dental records don’t help identify body found near Cahokia; DNA testing next."