Man found dead at decommissioned Cherry Mine identified

A man reported missing from the Champaign area has been identified as the person found dead June 8 at the decommissioned Cherry Mine, Bureau County Sheriff James Reed said Thursday in a news release.

Jaylyon Anthony Rucker, 20, was reported missing March 24 from the Champaign area, according to police records.

Reed said the case is an active murder investigation and urged anyone to come forward with information to the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit by calling 815-875-3344.

“A Crime Stoppers reward will also be made available for information that leads to an arrest,” he said.

Authorities first mentioned homicide after the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois Valley Special Response Team executed a search warrant Sept. 17 in the 300 block of North Steele Street in Cherry.

Bureau County Coroner Alexandria Wamhoff said an autopsy was conducted on the man June 11, but due to the level of decomposition, no identification could be made at the time. She said the coroner’s office enlisted the assistance of forensic anthropologists, a forensic odontologist and DNA analysis.

Deputies were dispatched to the mine at 3:54 p.m. June 8 for the discovery.

Reed said the case remains under investigation, and no further information is available at this time.