219 – Abandoned Barn on PPD Property
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
PEORIA – The body of a man found hanged inside a barn along the Illinois River was identified Tuesday as that of a Peoria Heights man reported missing in January.
Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll said William “Bill” Oakes was identified from personal belongings, including an ID card, which was found with the body.
Oakes, 54, a resident of Forest Park Apartments in Peoria Heighs, was reported missing by a family member in January.
Ingersoll said foul play doesn’t appear to have played a role in Oakes’ death. Inside his apartment, police found handwritten notes indicating the man may have been contemplating suicide.
Ingersoll said it is not known how long Oakes was inside the barn before his discovery on Monday.
The boarded-up barn where the body was found is about a half-mile south of San Koty Lane, a gravel road leading east off Galena Road. It is located about a mile northeast of Oakes’ apartment.
January 28th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
That the barn down on the river side of Galena Road, somewhere near the foot of Forest Park Drive?
January 29th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
This one is next to post 218 in the woods off 29 – I think across from scsi and the san koty water place.
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:10 pm
[...] « 217 – Abandoned Soccer Field 219 [...]
July 9th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
The abandoned soccer field was in our yard @ 6206 Galena Rd. My dad was the caretaker of the property and we lived there for 5 years. There were 66 acres of land that the park owned and the house, soccer field, beach and barn were all on that property. It was located next to the Longshore Subdivision and I heard that the house was torn down and that a man hung himself in the barn. CREEPY!!!
April 8th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Well I was born and raised in Longshore and did a lot of tramping around and hiking in the woods and never saw a barn like that the proptery next to longshore on the north side was owned by the mulallys. could this be part of the old mulally place? im not sure been many years since ive been up there tramping around
September 21st, 2010 at 10:30 pm
My friends and I found the body there August 8, 2005.
December 30th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Me and my friends were in there last night
February 1st, 2011 at 7:35 pm
I’ve been there before! My friends owned a cabin along the river walking distance from there, but this was there before the dude hung himself in there.. it was still creepy then
January 18th, 2013 at 11:33 pm
i walk up there everyday…..
March 7th, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Marissa I will never forget that day we found him in that barn it was so scary!
And all the nightmares. I dont know what will become of this barn I hope it doesn’t get torn down there were lot’s of good and bad memories there. It would be sad to see it go