Coroner: Body Identified As Missing U Of I Student
A photo of Vicente Mundo from the Facebook page set up to help the search process. facebook.com/missingvicentemundo
The Champaign County Coroner confirmed Monday that the body found over the weekend is that of missing University of Illinois student Vicente Mundo.
Mundo's body was discovered south of Champaign on Saturday. His family says they have identified the remains.
The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office says they are treating the case as a homicide. Investigators continue to search for Mundo's car, a silver 2006 Acura TL with Illinois license plate 2557 B over D (a Chicago Bears specialty plate).
Mundo was 20 years old, from Chicago and a junior at the U of I, studying statistics. He had been missing since January 25th, when he told friends he was going to his car and would be right back.
His family is planning a vigil for Mundo in Chicago tonight, according to a Facebook page set up to help find Mundo.
University of Illinois Police Chief Jeffrey Christensen said in a statement Monday afternoon that police do not believe the murder represents an ongoing threat. His emailed statement was sent to students and employees on the Urbana campus and described an ongoing investigation being handled by investigators from U of I Police, Champaign Police, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, Champaign County Coroner, the Champaign County State’s Attorney and the FBI.
Mundo was the second person to disappear from the campustown area in a month — recent U of I graduate Christian Zamora was last seen in Champaign on New Year’s Eve. The sheriff's office says the two cases do not appear to be connected.