Kianna Galvin case: Police excavate South Elgin property in renewed search for missing girl

New search for answers in Kianna Galvin disappearance

Authorities in South Elgin are conducting a new search connected to the 2016 disappearance of Kianna Galvin after investigators discovered underground anomalies at a property.

SOUTH ELGIN, Ill. - Authorities in South Elgin are conducting a new search connected to the 2016 disappearance of Kianna Galvin after investigators discovered underground anomalies at a property using ground-penetrating radar technology.

Search for Kianna Galvin

What we know:

The South Elgin Police Department and the Fox Valley Major Crimes Task Force are scheduled to begin a forensic excavation Thursday morning at a home in the 800 block of Revere Road. Officials said the excavation is part of the ongoing investigation into Galvin’s disappearance nearly a decade ago.

Investigators recently scanned the property with ground-penetrating radar which revealed irregularities beneath the surface that detectives determined required further examination. 

Neighbors described the case as one that has haunted the tight-knit community for years, with many questioning why the renewed search is happening now. Residents told Fox Chicago the home had undergone basement renovations about a year after Galvin disappeared and had been renovated again more recently.

Kianna Galvin | Cook County Sheriff's Office

FOX Chicago's Leslie Moreno spoke with Kianna’s mother Thursday evening. She declined to appear on camera but said she was aware of the search and wasn’t caught off guard.

She added that she’s holding up as best she can despite everything and hopes to have answers soon.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not said what may have caused the anomalies or whether they believe evidence connected to the case could be buried there.

The backstory:

Galvin disappeared on May 6, 2016, after telling her younger sister she was heading to nearby Jim Hansen Park. According to investigators, the 17-year-old sent a text message at 12:35 p.m. that day to an unidentified man saying she was on her way to his home. Authorities said her cellphone stopped communicating with towers around 1:10 p.m., and no additional texts or calls were made from the device.

Six days later, a neighbor living next door to the unidentified man contacted police after discovering what appeared to be blood on the lid of a garbage can. Investigators later confirmed through testing that the blood belonged to Galvin. The same neighbor also told police they saw Galvin entering the man’s home either the day she disappeared or the day before.

Police executed a search warrant at the same residence in November 2016, though authorities never publicly disclosed whether any evidence was recovered during that search. The home has since changed ownership.

"We have not forgotten Kianna"

What they're saying:

Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said the case continues to weigh heavily on the community nearly 10 years later.

"Ten years have passed since Kianna disappeared, and the weight of that loss is still deeply felt by her family, her friends, and this entire community," Mosser said in a statement. "My heart remains with all who continue to carry that pain. We have not forgotten Kianna, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to seek the truth."

What you can do:

Officials are again urging anyone with information about Galvin’s disappearance to contact police. Authorities said additional updates will be released as they become available.