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4w ago

Karen Schepers' Car and Remains Recovered After 42 Years

The discovery in the Fox River resolves a decades-old mystery, as investigators work to confirm the identity of skeletal remains found in her vehicle.

The Kane County Coroner's Office confirmed Thursday, March 27, 2025, that the remains found inside a car recovered this week from the Fox River in Elgin belong to Karen Schepers, an Elgin woman missing since 1983. (Elgin Police Department)
A crane raises the car of Karen Schepers from the Fox River on March 25, 2025, in Elgin. Schepers has been missing since 1983. On Monday, Elgin police, along with Chaos Divers, located Schepers' car. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)
Karen Schepers, who at 23, went missing out of the Chicago area in April 1983.

Overview

  • Karen Schepers disappeared in 1983 after leaving a bar in Carpentersville, Illinois, and was last seen driving home to Elgin.
  • Her yellow Toyota Celica was located in the Fox River on March 24, 2025, by Chaos Divers, with skeletal remains found inside the vehicle.
  • The Kane County Coroner’s Office is conducting DNA and dental analysis to confirm the remains' identity, a process expected to take weeks.
  • The Elgin Fire Department had identified the car in 2022 but misclassified it as an ATV, leading to operational reforms following the oversight.
  • The Elgin Police Department reopened the cold case in 2025, leveraging a podcast and collaboration with Chaos Divers to achieve the breakthrough.