LaSalle County, IL — A woman found dead in a LaSalle County cornfield by a farmer in 1991 has been identified 33 years after her discovery. Paula Ann Lundgren, 29, from the Chicagoland area, was finally named using advanced DNA techniques. On September 13, 1991, her body was found wrapped in a curtain in Mission Township, just outside Norway, Illinois.
According to the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office, Lundgren’s remains were found wearing a men’s dress shirt and black spandex pants. She had dental work and breast implants, yet no shoes or personal belongings were found near her body. Despite hundreds of leads, efforts to identify her failed for decades. She was buried at Oakwood Memorial Park in LaSalle County with a headstone marked “Somebody’s Daughter, Somebody’s Friend.”
In 2013, Lundgren’s body was exhumed to obtain DNA samples. Several techniques, including facial reconstruction modeling and age regression, were used to aid identification. However, none produced concrete results. In 2019, Dr. Matthew Johll, a professor at Illinois Valley Community College, stepped in to help. By 2024, Investigative Genetic Genealogy led to a breakthrough. DNA samples from Lundgren matched a living relative, finally revealing her identity as Paula Ann Lundgren.
LaSalle County Sheriff Adam Diss and Coroner Rich Ploch announced the identification and expressed gratitude to all the agencies, researchers, and family members who helped over the decades. They noted that new leads might emerge as investigators focus on uncovering how Lundgren ended up in the cornfield and who was responsible.
After 33 years of mystery, Lundgren’s family can now find closure, but the investigation into her death continues. Sheriff Diss remains hopeful that identifying her will help solve the case and bring justice.
