NORMAL, Ill. (AP) - Friends and classmates mourned the death of an Illinois State University senior as authorities continued investigating how the missing woman's body ended up in a burned-out chicken coop in Mississippi. Authorities said dental records confirmed Wednesday that the remains were those of 21-year-old Olamide Adeyooye, a college senior last seen two weeks ago renting a movie at a video store near her off-campus apartment.
"You always hear about stuff like that on the news but it never hits close to home," said Adeyooye's friend, Rick Paterala, 23, of Schaumburg. "She was a great person."
Authorities did not release a cause of death and offered little new information on an investigation they say will now expand to Mississippi.
A native of Nigeria who moved to suburban Chicago when she was 8, Adeyooye was last seen Oct. 13 at a video store near her off-campus apartment in Normal. Her car, a green 1996 Toyota Corolla, still was missing.
Normal police Lt. Mark Kotte said authorities were still investigating how Adeyooye ended up in Mississippi. But he added: "It is not an incident of somebody going around preying on college students."
In Mississippi, Newton County Sheriff Jackie Knight said investigators believed Adeyooye's death took place in Illinois.
The body was found Friday as workers cleaned up a chicken coop in Lake, Miss., where firefighters had put out a blaze four days earlier. The coop is about 60 miles from Interstate 55, a highway that passes through Normal.
Nearly 40 investigators, including FBI (website) agents, took part in the search. Her family and friends posted fliers and sent out messages through Web sites and blogs.
"We still have a list of persons of interest and that hasn't really changed," Kotte said. "We still have quite a few people that we need to talk to, and also people now that we will be reinterviewing."
Adeyooye, who studied laboratory sciences and biology at ISU, was due to graduate from the 20,000-student college in December and planned to return to Chicago to complete her clinical training at a hospital.
She was reported missing when she didn't show up for classes and her weekend job as a waitress. Police launched a criminal investigation into her disappearance last week after evidence and interviews led them to suspect foul play.
Adeyooye's father said his daughter was diligent, quiet and never offended anyone.
"I want the justice to take place," said Adiodun Adeyooye, fighting back tears.
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