Death of Arlington Heights Father Found in Forest Preserve Ruled Suicide

Timothy Anderson, 38, was found dead Wednesday, two days after he went missing after leaving his Arlington Heights home

The death of a husband and father of two whose body was found in a suburban forest preserve Wednesday, two days after he disappeared, has been ruled a suicide, according to autopsy results.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office said Timothy Anderson died of multiple sharp force injuries and the manner of death was ruled a suicide. 

Anderson was found dead at 10:20 a.m. Wednesday in the Cook County Forest Preserve in Barrington Hills, according to the medical examiner's office.

Anderson's car was also located near the preserve at the intersection of Donlea and Bateman Roads the same day after his cell phone pinged to the location. He did not have a previous connection to the area, according to family and police.

The 38-year-old was last seen at home Monday morning after his wife, Cathrall Anderson, said he woke up around 4:30 a.m. and left for work at Northern Trust in Chicago. 

"He kind of had some sort of urgency so I thought maybe he was late taking the trash, but obviously then I thought the gym," she said hours before her husband's body was found. "It was too early to have a big conversation the day after the Super Bowl, but obviously I wish that we had ... We are just looking for some sort of resolution, hopefully a positive one,"

Family members set up a search headquarters at a riding stable near the preserve in hopes of finding the father of two young boys alive. Charlie Drost, who has been a friend of Anderson’s since college said his disappearance is “very out of character."

"It's very bizarre ... Tim was guy who stuck to a schedule and didn't really deviate from it," Drost said, who had joined trained rescuers in hopes of finding his friend. "It's not something Tim would do, disappear from his kids like that."

Anderson typically took the train to his office in the Loop each morning.

“We have a happy marriage, he was a very dedicated father to our boys,” his wife said, adding that she had been painfully reliving every detail of the days since he left their house, desperate for a clue that could point to what may have happened.

Arlington Heights police said Anderson had no known physical or psychological issues. Friends also said he had no known financial issues.

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