Body found in Illinois River near Liberty Steel in Peoria County

BARTONVILLE – A fisherman found a body Saturday in the Illinois River behind Liberty Steel, the Peoria County Sheriff's Office said.

Around 9:30 a.m., deputies responded to the scene, which was about 300 yards southwest of the Shade-Lohmann Bridge near the Peoria Lock and Dam. The body was a Black male, located on the Peoria County side of the river and caught on the dam.

The age of the male could not be determined because of the condition of the body. It appears he was in the river for at least 24 hours, the Sheriff's Office said. Preliminary findings show no obvious signs of trauma.

The Fon du Lac Park District retrieved the body from the river using its boat. The coroner plans to release more details after an autopsy and the identification is made.

The Sheriff's Office has asked for help identifying the male and released pictures of a shirt and pendant he was wearing. Contact the Sheriff's Office at 309-696-7112 with any information.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Body found in Illinois River near Liberty Steel in Peoria County