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Teenage Girl Whose Body Was Found In Gary Alley Identified As Takaylah Tribitt, Who Went Missing In Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A teenage girl whose body was discovered in an alley back in September has been positively identified as a missing Chicago girl.

The Lake County, Indiana Sheriff's office confirmed that with the use of DNA technology, the girl whose body was discovered on Monday, Sept. 16 was identified as Takaylah Tribitt, 14.

Tribitt had last been seen Sept. 1 in the 1100 block of North Noble Street.

Takaylah Tribitt
Takaylah Tribitt, 14, was last seen Sept. 1. (Credit: CPD)

The girl's body was discovered in an alleyway near 20th Avenue and Pennsylvania Street by utility workers on the morning of Monday, Sept. 16.

Her body – initially described as a teenage Jane Doe – was discovered in an alleyway near 20th Avenue and Pennsylvania Street by utility workers on the morning Sept. 16.

Their coworkers said the teen was found tied to a newly-placed utility pole, and they believed she was beaten to death. But a Medico-Legal Death Investigation Team from the Coroner's office ruled that the girl had died of a gunshot wound, and said she was not found tied to a utility pole.

The manner of the girl's death was a homicide.

In a statement, Lake County, Indiana Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said his department was actively pursuing several leads on both sides of the Illinois-Indiana state line in search of suspects and information.

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