Investigators in Kane County are tearing into the yard of a South Elgin home Thursday after ground-penetrating radar picked up what they are calling subterranean "anomalies." Crews from the South Elgin Police Department and the Fox Valley Major Crimes Task Force converged on a house in the 800 block of Revere Road, and part of the street was shut down while the search got underway. The dig is tied to the 2016 disappearance of 17-year-old Kianna Galvin, who vanished after telling her family she was headed to a nearby park.
Kane County State's Attorney Jamie L. Mosser said the radar scan results "revealed anomalies beneath the surface" that detectives decided were serious enough to investigate further, according to the Daily Herald. Mosser urged anyone with information to step up and said prosecutors and investigators are still committed to finding answers for Galvin's family. As of Thursday morning, officials had not said whether the excavation had turned up any evidence.
Forensic Excavation Underway
The South Elgin Police Department and the Fox Valley Major Crimes Task Force are leading the excavation, with the Kane County Office of Emergency Management blocking off part of Revere Road while crews work, FOX 32 Chicago reported. Investigators used ground-penetrating radar to flag irregularities under the yard, then brought in forensic teams to dig slowly and methodically. For now, authorities describe it as a careful, evidence-driven search and say they will release more details when they can.
What Investigators Already Know
Galvin was 17 when she disappeared on May 6, 2016, after telling her sister she was going to Jim Hansen Park. Her phone was disconnected around 1:10 p.m., according to the Illinois Missing Persons registry. In the days that followed, a neighbor reported finding blood on a garbage-can lid, and investigators later executed a search warrant at a Revere Road home in November 2016, reporting and documents show. Those early leads, including lab testing tied to the blood sample, helped shape what has become a long-running investigation into Galvin's disappearance, although no one has been publicly charged in the case.
Family Response And The Wider Context
Galvin's mother and advocates have kept the case in the public eye for years and pushed for a local alert system named in her honor, according to community coverage. The new excavation comes as families tied to long-unsolved cases keep pressing for updated forensic technology and fresh reviews of old evidence, and officials say this dig is part of that broader effort, ABC7 Chicago reported. Neighbors said they spotted tents and equipment at the property early Thursday as crews set up in the driveway and backyard.
How To Pass Tips To Investigators
Anyone with information is asked to contact the South Elgin Police Department. The case number listed in public records is 16-04186, and the department's tip line is published on the missing-persons registry. For more details or to submit information, refer to the Illinois Missing Persons entry for Kianna Galvin and local law enforcement, and watch for updates from Kane County as the excavation continues.
