CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Dr. Barbara Bremer was tragically killed in 1985 in Champaign. Four decades on, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office is reaching out to the public for assistance in solving this case.
On September 20, 1985, Bremer was reported missing by her colleagues at Carle Clinic to the Champaign Police Department. She was a committed psychologist working there. Bremer, who was single, was remembered by her coworkers as both a respected team member and an enthusiastic cyclist.
She frequently rode approximately 10 miles each day on her green Peugeot 10-speed bicycle.
Bremer’s last sighting was by a neighbor on the evening of September 19, 1985, as she was leaving her home on her bicycle. At that time, she had recently concluded a relationship with a colleague who had moved out of state for employment.
On September 24, 1985, at around 6:06 p.m., a call was made to the Sheriff’s Office from an individual who spotted a bicycle within a cornfield several feet among the standing corn. Upon a closer look, the caller also found what seemed to be human legs.
Deputies responded and located both Bremer’s green Peugeot bicycle and her body.
The autopsy later revealed that Bremer had suffered multiple severe injuries to her left mandible (lower jaw), anterior neck area, and chest. Her helmet, gloves, and shorts were missing.
Despite extensive investigation efforts at the time, the case remains unsolved. The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office continues to actively examine evidence, hoping to deliver justice for Bremer and provide closure to her family.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office’s Investigations Division at 217-384-1213. Additionally, Crime Stoppers will pay cash rewards of $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest in any homicide case.
“Even the smallest detail could help move this case forward,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
