Feb. 03--A missing University of Illinois student from the South Side has been found dead about 10 miles south of Champaign, and police said they are conducting a homicide investigation.
The body of Vicente Mundo, 20, was found Saturday morning along a rural road near the small town of Tolono, according to the Champaign County Sheriff's Office. Authorities said they were "treating this as a homicide" but would not say how he died.
Champaign County Sheriff Dan Walsh said authorities are still looking for Mundo's silver 2006 Acura TL with black rims and tinted windows. It has a Chicago Bears specialty plate 2557 with a B over a D after the numbers.
Mundo, from the Back of the Yards neighborhood, was last seen when he left a friend's Champaign apartment the evening of Jan. 25 to meet friends at his apartment for dinner and a movie.
"His friends showed up but he never showed up," said his sister Victoria Mundo, 27.
She said the family received word Monday afternoon that his body was found along a rural road near Tolono.
"That's all we know," Mundo said. "We're waiting for answers from police."
Her brother's body was found in the opposite direction of Mahomet, she said, near where his phone had pinged a cellphone tower before apparently going dead, and where she and her husband went searching for a sign of him last week.
"His car is also missing. His phone is also missing," Mundo said. "Everything that he had on his person is still missing."
Still, she said she anticipates finding out what happened to her brother.
"I am hopeful," she said.
In the meantime, Mundo asked friends and schoolmates to post pictures and memories of her brother on his Facebook wall.
"He was a very kind and caring individual," she said. "People are sharing ... the small things he would do to make sure they were cared for by him."
Mundo's body was found shortly before 9 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.
Anyone with information was asked to call the U. of I. police at (217) 333-1216 or Champaign police at (217) 351-4545. Those who want to remain anonymous can call (217) 373-8477 or text the information along with "CCTIP" to 274637.
