Coroner: Body in burned vehicle is that of Milwaukee woman

A body found inside burned vehicle located north of Chicago has been identified as that of a missing Milwaukee woman.

Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper announced Thursday dental records confirmed the body found late Saturday is that of 56-year-old school teacher Kathleen Ryan.

Cooper says additional testing is needed before he releases the preliminary cause of Ryan's death.

Gurnee firefighters summoned to the scene of a burning auto discovered the body after the fire was extinguished.

Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg says detectives are working with the Milwaukee Police Department and Office of the State Fire Marshal to determine what happened.

The victim's son, Zack Ryan, says his mother was last seen around noon Saturday in the Milwaukee suburb of St. Francis. He says she was on her way to a basketball game at a high school in Mundelein, Illinois.

Ryan previously taught at Stillwater Area High School in Minnesota.

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