No suspects, leads in murder of Riley Fox

June 2, 2006 (Last Updated: 6:12:07 PM) (WLS) -- An extensive investigation into the murder of Riley Fox has not turned up any new suspects or leads. Fox was abducted from her home, sexually assaulted and killed two years ago.

An extensive investigation into the murder of Riley Fox has not turned up any new suspects or leads. Fox was abducted from her home, sexually assaulted and killed two years ago.

It has taken months for local, state and federal investigators to comb massive data bases looking for someone who could be connected to Riley Fox's disappearance or murder. There was a lot of DNA to test. Unfortunately, none of it led to a suspect.

When Kevin Fox walked out of the Will County Jail after being cleared of charges he killed his 3-year-old daughter Riley, the investigation went back to square one.

In recent months, there has been renewed hope that crime lab testing might turn up a new suspect in an investigation that appears otherwise stalled.

The Will County Sheriff confirms the results are in on the testing of between 50 to 60 DNA samples collected at several crime scenes. Those samples do not match any known suspects or anyone else whose DNA is on file with law enforcement.

It was DNA that cleared Riley's father one year ago. Since then, convicted sex offender and fellow Will County resident Lawrence Southwood emerged as a possible suspect. But sources say crime lab testing concludes Southwood's DNA was not found anywhere near the Wilmington home where Riley was last seen or the river bed where searchers found her body two years ago this week.

Investigators have entered the DNA they have into law enforcement computers. Whenever a suspected sex offender is charged with any crime -- anywhere in the nation -- their DNA becomes part of a national database so it's possible a new suspect could emerge.

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