It’s been nearly 40 years since 35-year-old Linda Seymour went missing in suburban Northbrook, but on Tuesday police began to dig in a yard on Orchard Lane, following up on a tip they had gotten in the case.
Tents and tarps were erected around the site Tuesday, the biggest break in a case that has stymied authorities for nearly four decades.
“I saw someone carrying a metal detector, and a tent being set up,” neighbor Dillon Welch said.
The North Regional Major Crimes Task Force, along with Northbrook police, have been sifting through dirt at the scene throughout the day Tuesday. A Northbrook spokesperson confirmed that investigators are investigating Seymour’s disappearance.
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“Two weeks ago, they brought dogs into the backyard to sniff around,” neighbor Lindsey Reid said. “They asked the gentleman who lived there to move the shed, because there were easement issues.”
Seymour was 35 when she disappeared in 1982. Since then there have been starts and stops to the investigation, but the length of time since her disappearance has stunned neighbors who live nearby.
“I was kind of surprised. It was like ‘oh, I’ve been passing that house!’’ Emily Erickson said.
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Records for the home show that Seymour was the previous owner of the home, that her husband died in 2009, and that one of her sons is the current owner.
“He was out doing yard work, and out fixing it up at the end of last season,” Dave Manna said.
Now, neighbors are wondering whether the cold case will finally be solved, and when peace will return to their neighborhood.
“I’m kind of shocked. Like wow, this happened in my neighborhood,” Erickson said.
NORTAF says there is no ongoing threat to the community. The lead investigator in the case has indicated that the investigation will continue Wednesday, and will likely continue for several days.
