Chicago detectives say they have finally put a name to a disturbing discovery along train tracks on the city’s South Side, identifying a torso found last year as that of 30-year-old Isaiah Terrill Hall. Hall had been reported missing in April 2025, and investigators now say advanced DNA testing confirmed the match. Authorities have ruled the death a homicide and say the investigation is still very much active.
According to FOX 32 Chicago, a train conductor walking the tracks on May 29, 2025 followed a foul odor and discovered a human torso in a shallow grave in a wooded patch near East 93rd Street. The remains appeared to be those of an adult man with a partial beard and long, dark dreadlocks pulled back in a ponytail. The grisly find immediately triggered a homicide investigation, and when standard identification methods came up short, officials turned to more advanced forensic testing.
How DNA testing led to the identification
In October 2025 the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office sent forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas, where scientists were able to build a genetic profile from degraded remains, according to DNA Solves. Investigators then located a possible relative, compared a reference DNA sample to the profile and confirmed that the torso belonged to Isaiah Terrill Hall. Hall was last seen around 2 a.m. on April 27, 2025 in the 500 block of West 125th Place. Othram’s Kristen Mittelman said, “Families deserve answers and in a case like this, the identification is just the next step in the investigation.”
Family reaction and the ongoing probe
Hall’s relatives have been demanding answers, telling reporters that the man they reported missing in May 2025 was found with his arms and legs missing and remembering him as a “gentle giant,” NBC Chicago reported. His sister, Quandra Banks, told the station, “Isaiah didn’t deserve that.” Police have not announced any arrests and say the case remains under active investigation.
What’s next
Detectives say they are continuing to chase down leads and have not yet filed charges, according to reporting from FOX 32 Chicago. Officials say that confirming Hall’s identity removes a major obstacle for the investigation, but they still need to determine who is responsible for his killing and why it happened.
