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JOLIET TOWNSHIP Police from Rolling Meadows and the Cook County Sheriffs Office were still at 1113 Barber Lane in an unincorporated area near Joliet on Friday.

They are looking for the remains of Michael Mansfield, a Rolling Meadows man who disappeared 41 years ago.

Mansfield was the college roommate of Russel Smrekar, a Joliet man who confessed to Mansfields murder in 2011 when he was dying in prison while serving a sentence for two other murders.

Smrekar, however, did not tell police where Mansfield's body was, and its unclear what led police to Barber Lane. Rolling Meadows police Cmdr. Tom Gadomski said Friday afternoon there were no new details to report.

Detectives are examining the home for the possibility that evidence or the remains of Mansfield may be located there, according to a Rolling Meadows Police Department news release. Rolling Meadows police are working in conjunction with the Cook County Major Case Assistance Team, with the logistical assistance of the Will County Sheriffs Department.

Will County Deputy Chief Tom Budde also said Friday afternoon there is nothing new to report. He said the sheriffs office lent a large Crime Scene Investigation vehicle to Rolling Meadows police as a warming up station for their officers.

The news release stated more details regarding the investigation would be released at a later date.

In the late morning, two men could be seen returning to the site in a van with multiple sheets of plywood that were then carried toward the home.

Several people wore yellow or white crime scene investigation suits and footwear. Some exited the house from time to time with dirt on the suits. Tents were still set up behind the house and the lot was blocked off with yellow tape.

One neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said no one has lived in the home in seven to 10 years.

Jovy Vincent, who lives nearby, said theres been a noticeable increase of joggers and dog walkers on Barber Lane since news broke Wednesday that police were on location there.

Vincent, who has lived in the neighborhood since second grade, grew up with the family that once lived in the home.

As a child, Vincent said she slept over there many times, and vice versa.

I spent several nights over there, Vincent said. [The parents] were a second mom and dad to me, and their kids are like my siblings.

She said as an only child, she enjoyed being around a bigger family. The home was loud, in a good way.

They would come over here, too, because it was quiet, Vincent said.

Shes worried what her childhood friends may be dealing with now.

Im sure its very hard on them, she said. If something happened at the house they grew up in.

Smrekar was serving a sentence of 200 to 600 years at the time for the murders of two people, who, like Mansfield, were going to testify against him.

Mansfield was on break from Lincoln College when he disappeared from his Rolling Meadows home Dec. 31, 1975, and he was never seen again.

Six days later, he was set to testify against Smrekar, who was accused of stealing a guitar and some records from a dorm room.

Link:
Police still digging at unincorporated Joliet area home - The Herald-News