A body found today near a suburban Chicago forest preserve is that of a 28-year-old Eli Lilly And Co. sales representative missing for more than a week, a family member and spokesman said.
Eli Lilly sales representative Nailah Franklin, 28, Chicago, was reported missing Sept. 19 when she did not show up for a work meeting.
Nailah Franklin's uncle, Jon Merrill, and family friend and spokesman, Andrew Holmes, told WFLD-TV that authorities have confirmed the body is Franklin's. Neither Chicago nor Calumet City police would immediately confirm the identification. Chicago police couldn't "say for certain that's who that is" early Thursday afternoon, spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
However, the sister of the missing woman said today that the
unclothed body found in suburban Chicago had not been confirmed to be the Franklin's, despite the earlier statements.
The family issued a statement this afternoon saying the body had not been officially identified as Franklin.
"This update is from Lehia Franklin Acox who is working directly with Chicago detectives at this time," the statement read.
Calumet City police officers found a woman's body behind several vacant businesses near a south suburban forest preserve about 4:46 a.m. Thursday, Police Chief Russell Larson said.
Authorities had been searching the area after the car belonging to Nailah Franklin was found Friday near an abandoned building in nearby Hammond, Ind.
Franklin recently had filed a police report about threatening phone calls she received from a man she dated briefly. Chicago police on Monday said they had interviewed someone Franklin dated, but have not named a suspect in her disappearance.
The sales representative for Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly was reported missing Sept. 19 after she didn't show up for a work meeting. Since then, family members and volunteers have papered the city with fliers and taken out a newspaper ad seeking the public's help.
The family also has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
Eli Lilly sales representative Nailah Franklin, 28, Chicago, was reported missing Sept. 19 when she did not show up for a work meeting.
Nailah Franklin's uncle, Jon Merrill, and family friend and spokesman, Andrew Holmes, told WFLD-TV that authorities have confirmed the body is Franklin's. Neither Chicago nor Calumet City police would immediately confirm the identification. Chicago police couldn't "say for certain that's who that is" early Thursday afternoon, spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
However, the sister of the missing woman said today that the
unclothed body found in suburban Chicago had not been confirmed to be the Franklin's, despite the earlier statements.
The family issued a statement this afternoon saying the body had not been officially identified as Franklin.
"This update is from Lehia Franklin Acox who is working directly with Chicago detectives at this time," the statement read.
Calumet City police officers found a woman's body behind several vacant businesses near a south suburban forest preserve about 4:46 a.m. Thursday, Police Chief Russell Larson said.
Authorities had been searching the area after the car belonging to Nailah Franklin was found Friday near an abandoned building in nearby Hammond, Ind.
Franklin recently had filed a police report about threatening phone calls she received from a man she dated briefly. Chicago police on Monday said they had interviewed someone Franklin dated, but have not named a suspect in her disappearance.
The sales representative for Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly was reported missing Sept. 19 after she didn't show up for a work meeting. Since then, family members and volunteers have papered the city with fliers and taken out a newspaper ad seeking the public's help.
The family also has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
A body found today near a suburban Chicago forest preserve is that of a 28-year-old Eli Lilly And Co. sales representative missing for more than a week, a family member and spokesman said.
Eli Lilly sales representative Nailah Franklin, 28, Chicago, was reported missing Sept. 19 when she did not show up for a work meeting.
Nailah Franklin's uncle, Jon Merrill, and family friend and spokesman, Andrew Holmes, told WFLD-TV that authorities have confirmed the body is Franklin's. Neither Chicago nor Calumet City police would immediately confirm the identification. Chicago police couldn't "say for certain that's who that is" early Thursday afternoon, spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
However, the sister of the missing woman said today that the
unclothed body found in suburban Chicago had not been confirmed to be the Franklin's, despite the earlier statements.
The family issued a statement this afternoon saying the body had not been officially identified as Franklin.
"This update is from Lehia Franklin Acox who is working directly with Chicago detectives at this time," the statement read.
Calumet City police officers found a woman's body behind several vacant businesses near a south suburban forest preserve about 4:46 a.m. Thursday, Police Chief Russell Larson said.
Authorities had been searching the area after the car belonging to Nailah Franklin was found Friday near an abandoned building in nearby Hammond, Ind.
Franklin recently had filed a police report about threatening phone calls she received from a man she dated briefly. Chicago police on Monday said they had interviewed someone Franklin dated, but have not named a suspect in her disappearance.
The sales representative for Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly was reported missing Sept. 19 after she didn't show up for a work meeting. Since then, family members and volunteers have papered the city with fliers and taken out a newspaper ad seeking the public's help.
The family also has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
Eli Lilly sales representative Nailah Franklin, 28, Chicago, was reported missing Sept. 19 when she did not show up for a work meeting.
Nailah Franklin's uncle, Jon Merrill, and family friend and spokesman, Andrew Holmes, told WFLD-TV that authorities have confirmed the body is Franklin's. Neither Chicago nor Calumet City police would immediately confirm the identification. Chicago police couldn't "say for certain that's who that is" early Thursday afternoon, spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
However, the sister of the missing woman said today that the
unclothed body found in suburban Chicago had not been confirmed to be the Franklin's, despite the earlier statements.
The family issued a statement this afternoon saying the body had not been officially identified as Franklin.
"This update is from Lehia Franklin Acox who is working directly with Chicago detectives at this time," the statement read.
Calumet City police officers found a woman's body behind several vacant businesses near a south suburban forest preserve about 4:46 a.m. Thursday, Police Chief Russell Larson said.
Authorities had been searching the area after the car belonging to Nailah Franklin was found Friday near an abandoned building in nearby Hammond, Ind.
Franklin recently had filed a police report about threatening phone calls she received from a man she dated briefly. Chicago police on Monday said they had interviewed someone Franklin dated, but have not named a suspect in her disappearance.
The sales representative for Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly was reported missing Sept. 19 after she didn't show up for a work meeting. Since then, family members and volunteers have papered the city with fliers and taken out a newspaper ad seeking the public's help.
The family also has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
