The body of a man found this week near the Fox River dam in South Elgin has been identified as that of an Elgin man missing since November, according to the Kane County coroner’s office.
An autopsy done Wednesday confirmed that Ulises “Miguel” Segura Dorantes, 53, retrieved Tuesday near the 100 block of North Center Street, died as a result of drowning. Toxicology test results are pending.
Elgin police are handling the investigation into the death of Segura Dorantes, previously identified as Miguel Segura. He was reported as missing Nov. 29 by out-of-state relatives after they were notified by a co-worker that Dorantes failed to show up for his job.
Police did multiple searches of the Fox River in the area of National Street and the Clock Tower Plaza, where he was last seen about 4 a.m. Nov. 26. Family members who came to Elgin to help in the search said at the time that they feared the memory problems Segura Dorantes was having may have played a role in his disappearance.
According to the police department’s new Transparency Hub missing persons page, Segura Dorantes’ cell phone and other personal belongings were found on the river’s edge near the National Street bridge in January — something not previously disclosed.
Cadaver searches of the area using K-9 teams and aerial drone sweeps were conducted, and water rescue teams used 2D and 3D sonar technology in their efforts to locate him, police said.
Investigators had been planning to do a six-phase search of the river from National Street to the South Elgin dam when the body was discovered about 5:40 p.m. Tuesday, officials said. South Elgin police turned the case over to the Elgin Police Department.
“We wish to thank the Elgin community and beyond for information that was provided for this investigation and extend our condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Segura Dorantes,” an Elgin police news release said.
Segura Dorantes was originally from Vera Cruz, Mexico, where his elderly parents still live. He immigrated to the United States in 1997 and moved to Elgin 2012, his family said.
His disappearance took a toll on relatives, according to his cousin Laura Mora, who spoke to The Courier-News in January and joined family members in combing the area searching for him.
“His parents are suffering because they don’t know where he is,” Mora said a few weeks ago. “They said, ‘We want to know what happened.’”
Family members were not available for comment following the discovery of his body.
Segura Dorantes is the second missing person from Elgin to be found in a body of water in the Elgin area in the last two weeks. Joseph L. Johnson’s body was found in Jelkes Creek in West Dundee on Feb. 4. The 52-year-old man had been missing since Jan. 16, and his cause of death was also drowning, officials said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/elgin-missing-man-drowned-river-dam/
