“Unraveling the Mystery of Esther Granger: How DNA Testing and Community Support Solved a Decades-Old Cold Case”

In November 1978, a man in Batavia, Illinois, made a shocking discovery while renovating his house – a human skull hidden between the studs of a wall. Nearly 50 years later, through a combination of community fundraising, advanced DNA testing, and cooperation from a descendant, the identity of the skull has finally been confirmed.

The skull belonged to 17-year-old Esther Granger, who tragically died in 1866 from childbirth complications. Born in Indiana in 1848, Granger married her husband Charles at the young age of 16 and passed away shortly after giving birth to her first child, a girl. Records indicate that she was buried in Merrillville, Indiana, about 80 miles away from where her skull was found in Batavia.

The discovery of Granger’s skull raised many questions, with investigators suspecting that she may have been a victim of grave robbing, a common and profitable practice during that time. Grave robbers would often sell bodies to medical schools for anatomy study, making a significant profit. The theory is that someone from the Batavia home where the skull was found obtained Granger’s remains for medical purposes and later concealed them in the wall to avoid detection.

The house where the skull was discovered dates back to the 1850s and is located in the oldest part of Batavia. The mayor expressed gratitude for the resolution of the mystery surrounding Granger’s remains, acknowledging that it provided closure to a long-standing enigma.

The investigation into Granger’s identity was made possible by advancements in technology, time, and financial support from the community. After the skull ended up at the Batavia Depot Museum, it was rediscovered in 2021, leading to a renewed effort to identify the remains. Through the use of forensic investigative genetic genealogy by a Texas company called Othram, Granger’s DNA was matched to living relatives, including her great-great grandson Wayne Svilar.

Svilar, a retired police sergeant, initially doubted the authenticity of the discovery but was convinced by the dedication of the authorities involved in the case. With the identification of Granger, her family was able to lay her to rest in a Batavia cemetery, providing closure and respect to her memory.

In a poignant moment, Svilar reflected on the significance of the discovery and his new role in working with cold cases, emphasizing the importance of closure and remembrance for those who have passed. Granger’s remains are now interred in a columbarium space in Batavia, ensuring that she is forever remembered as a resident of the town where her skull was found.