Skeletal Remains in Mokena Field Identified as Missing Joliet Man

Land surveyors working a field near Oakwood Drive and Townline Road in Mokena made a grim discovery on March 24 when they encountered what appeared to be a human skull. By Friday night, the Will County Coroner's Office had confirmed through dental records what the scattered bones represented: the remains of Terhan F. Gordon, 36, a Joliet man whose family had reported him missing nine months earlier.

Gordon was last seen June 27, 2025, in the 1500 block of North Broadway Street near Route 53 in Joliet. His family formally reported him missing in July 2025, and the case had produced no resolution until the surveyors' find.

Will County sheriff's deputies responded to the initial skull report and located additional bones scattered throughout the field. The search that followed was extensive. Elizabeth Matthews, public information officer for the Will County Sheriff's Office, said "more than two dozens officers from the criminal investigations, crime scene investigation and Will County Emergency Management Agency search and rescue completed the search Wednesday." Volunteers from New Lenox Search and Rescue joined sheriff's crime scene unit officers in combing the field on March 25.

Before the dental match was confirmed, the coroner's office had been conducting forensic testing with the University of Illinois department of anthropology and forensic odontology to determine both the identity and gender of the remains. The recovered bones and evidence were turned over to the coroner for processing.

Will County Coroner Laurie Summers said the final cause and manner of death remain pending results of forensic testing and investigative follow-up. The Will County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation, with Joliet detectives working alongside.

Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans addressed Gordon's family directly: "The Joliet Police Department extends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gordon's loved ones during this difficult time. Our detectives remain committed to working in coordination with the Will County Sheriff's Office and the Will County Coroner's Office as the investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Mr. Gordon."

The nearly nine-month gap between Gordon's disappearance and the discovery of skeletonized remains scattered across open terrain presents real forensic challenges; limited trace evidence and taphonomic complexity will factor heavily in determining what happened to him. Investigators have planned further canvassing, digital forensic review, and vehicle movement analysis as the case advances.

Anyone with information is asked to call 815-727-8575 or submit an anonymous tip through Crimestoppers of Will County.