ALTON, Ill. -- Police said Tuesday they were able to find the skeletal remains of a woman because of information provided by a well-known psychic.
'I was skeptical to begin with,' said Alton Detective William Fitzgerald, 'but I guess I'm going to have to be a believer now.'
Fitzgerald said psychic Greta Alexander, of Delavan, Ill., provided 22 clues that led authorities to the body of Mary L. Cousett, 27, of Alton, believed to have been murdered in April. The body was discovered Saturday in an area south of Peoria, Ill.
Police said Tuesday murder charges filed in Madison County against the woman's boyfriend, Stanley Holliday Jr., 29, of Alton, will be dismissed so he can be prosecuted in Tazewell County, where she apparently was stabbed to death.
Fitzgerald said Ms. Alexander predicted the location of the body, its condition and the way it would be found. He said she even predicted it would be found by a man 'with a bad hand' and that the initial 'S' would be important to the discovery.
Fitzgerald said the body was found by Steve Trew, and auxiliary policeman in Tazewell County who injured his hand some time ago.
Ms. Alexander said Monday she had received a 'lot of impressions' in the case.
'This young woman was really waiting to be found,' she said. 'The spirit never dies; it lives on. She was saying, 'Here I am. Come find me.'
Fitzgerald said Ms. Alexander told him the body would be found near an embankment, a river, a bridge and something to do with a church. She said the body was not attached to the head and was missing a foot or leg.
Fitzgerald said the skull was found about 10 feet from the body, which also was missing the left foot.
Ms. Cousett, the mother of two, was reported missing April 24. Holliday was arrested April 27 in New Jersey.
