The DeKalb Police Department says it has charged a man for the homicide of a 15-year-old DeKalb girl whose body was found on Sunday, May 7, at 536 College Avenue in DeKalb.
The department said in an updated press release that its officers had been searching for Gracie A. Sasso-Cleveland since receiving a call from her family on Saturday, May 6, that the teenager had not been seen since the night of May 4. It said phone records indicate she had been at the College Avenue address that night adjacent to a dumpster where her body was later found.
The department said that after officers conducted search warrants at nearby residences, they found evidence that led to 29-year-old Timothy Michael Doll of the same address being detained on Sunday. On Monday, May 8, Doll was charged with:
- First Degree Murder (2 counts)
- Aggravated Criminal Sex Abuse
- Concealment of a Homicide
- Aggravated Domestic Battery
- Obstruction of Justice (2 counts)
- Unlawful Restraint
- Unlawful Communication by a Child Sex Offender
The release said that Doll remains in police custody and was "undergoing a necessary medical procedure at an area hospital before being admitted to jail."
The department said that Doll is currently on probation for a prior Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse case from 2020. Police said Doll was in compliance with the terms of his probation, as he had registered with the DeKalb Police Department on April 14 as required for a convicted sex offender.
The official cause of death was determined on Monday, May 8, as asphyxiation by the DeKalb County Coroner’s Office.
Police say that Doll knew the victim.
The department said the Major Case Squad, which includes members of the DeKalb and Sycamore police departments and the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department, was activated for the investigation. It also cited the work of the DeKalb County State's Attorney and Coroner offices for their assistance on this case.
Even before many of the details were known about the student's killing, the DeKalb School District began to reach out.
DeKalb School District superintendent Minerva Garcia-Sanchez sent a message to families and staff on Sunday evening informing them of the extra mental health resources in place.
"All children will likely have a need at this time for your comfort and support; please try to be available to listen with patience and understanding," she said.
Garcia-Sanchez said all students will have the opportunity to talk with mental health professional staff. The district will have an increased number of individual and group counseling services available this week but will continue providing the services as long as they’re needed.
The superintendent also encouraged families to talk with their student about the tragic incident.
Families can contact DeKalb High School directly to talk with a member of the district’s crisis intervention team about extra assistance for their student.