Murder of Atcel Olmedo

Atcel Olmedo (previously known as the DuPage Johnny Doe) was an American toddler who was allegedly murdered by his abusive stepfather and his mother in 2005 and disposed of in Naperville, Illinois. His body was not positively identified until 2011, after one of his six siblings came forward.^[2] The case received national attention and was broadcast on several different television shows; Forensic evidence obtained from the body during the investigation was analyzed to assist in his future identification.^[3] His case remains unprosecuted; the suspects have not been located, and they have possibly left the United States.^[4]

Discovery

In October 2005, a small body was found in an unincorporated area between Naperville and Warrenville, DuPage County, Illinois, by a man walking his dog. The corpse had been wrapped in a blue laundry bag that was disposed of alongside the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88).^[2][3][5][6] It was clothed in a blue button-down collared shirt with matching pants. The remains were decomposed beyond recognition, as the body had lain there for at least several weeks and possibly as long as one year.^[4][7]

The medical examiner determined that the body was that of an Hispanic, Native American or Asian male between three and five years old with black hair.^[7][8] Due to the advanced decomposition of the body, however, even eye color and exact cause of death were impossible to determine.^[9] He was interred following a plot-side service in October 2007, in a donated plot, accompanied by a teddy bear; both his remains and the teddy bear were covered by a multi-design decorated blanket.^[4][8][10]

Investigation

Two other reconstructions of the victim

The clothing that the then-unidentified victim wore, Faded Glory, was traced to Walmart, its exclusive retailer.^[3] They were presumed to have been purchased in Naperville, at a Walmart store near where the body was found.^[6] The company assisted with the investigation, as it released for review all records of purchases of the items; only one sale could not be traced, as it was a cash purchase.^[3] The child's footprints were taken and compared to those from hospitals in the area, but did not match any of the records.^[6] By studying isotopes from his body, it was believed that he had lived in Illinois for most, if not all, of his short life. The analysis also indicated that his mother had lived in the northern part of the continent, where she spent most of her pregnancy.^[11]

In 2005 an investigator from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children became involved in Olmedo's case, the solving of which was made a priority by the organization. The evidence was compared to that of at least 12 missing boys from Illinois and other missing children in the United States who were of the same age range and race. His face was also forensically reconstructed many times in 3D and 2D, along with a digital rendering to give an approximation of his likeness when he was alive.^[6][8] To assist with the search for the victim's identity, television shows such as America's Most Wanted and Without a Trace broadcast the case.^[8] The local police department was working on a child abuse case in early 2008 and came to believe that the boy may have been a victim of the same person. A girl, who later turned out to be his sister, had told how her stepfather had subjected her and her siblings to violent beatings which left visible wounds on her body.^[4] The alleged abuse occurred on a daily basis.^[12]

Identification

Olmedo was identified through DNA comparison after his sister revealed, while in foster care, that she believed that the unidentified body was her brother, as her grandmother had told her in 2006 that he had been murdered a month before his third birthday.^[13] His death was, it was claimed, due to the abuse of their stepfather and his mother.^[13][14] Olmedo's sister stated that she believed the image created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children was the most accurate of the facial reconstructions that were created, but did not have any photograph of her brother to compare it to.^[12]

Atcel's mother and stepfather returned from Mexico to the United States without him. His sister asked about his whereabouts,^[4] and noticed that whenever the missing Atcel was mentioned his siblings would be beaten by the parents.^[12][13] Officials have been unable to locate his mother and stepfather, who acknowledge that they likely fled to Mexico.^[12][15] Neither of the suspects have been officially charged, which is why their names have not been released.^[13] After Atcel was identified, the boy's name was finally added to the headstone, which also states the date his remains were found and the inscription "Son, Unknown, but not forgotten".^[4][10] An $11,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the killers.^[2]

See also

• List of unsolved deaths
• Murder of Anjelica Castillo

References