Body Found, Could be Oak Forest Mom

The body of a woman was found in south suburban Midlothian, nearby Oak Forest where police have been searching since Sunday for a 44-year-old missing woman.

The woman’s body was found inside a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound to the back at 14800 Kilpatrick in Midlothian, according to a Cook County Medical Examiner’s office spokesman, who said she is in her 40s or 50s.

She has not been identified as of 5:30 a.m. Tuesday and the body was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m. on the scene, the medical examiner’s office said.

A white vehicle matching that of Irma Rodriguez, 44, who has been missing from her Oak Forest home since about 7 p.m. Sunday was also found where the body was found.

Rodriguez's white 2002 Pontiac Grand-Am four door with an Illinois license plate of TITA6 has also been missing since Sunday, Oak Forest Deputy Police Chief David DeMarco said.

An Oak Forest resident told the Sun-Times Tuesday morning that a car matching the description of Rodriguez’s Pontiac and with the TITA6 license plate was towed away Monday from the place where the body was found.

Rodriguez is described as a Hispanic female about 5-foot-1 and 125 pounds, DeMarco said. She has brown eyes and brown hair.

"She has no health or other problems, and no unusual circumstance. It is unusual for her not to be in contact," DeMarco said.

Neither the Oak Forest or Midlothian police would comment early Tuesday.

The South Suburban Major Crimes Unit is aiding in the investigation.