Death of 21-year-old woman in Joliet Township ruled a homicide

Police are investigating the death of a 21-year-old woman as a homicide after she was found lying by a road with a single gunshot wound Friday in southwest suburban Joliet Township.

Marissa L. Koziel, 21, of southwest suburban Manhattan, was found in the 1500 block of California Avenue by a group of juveniles walking along the road, according to the Will County Sheriff’s office.

Officers were dispatched about 5:15 p.m. to a call for a possibly deceased person lying facedown on the side of the road, police said. They were unable to immediately identify the victim due to the “top half of her body being covered by an object.”

Koziel’s death was pronounced at 8:15 p.m. Friday, according to the Will County Coroner’s office. A preliminary autopsy Saturday found she had suffered a single gunshot wound. Her death was being investigated as a homicide by the Will County Sheriff’s office.

Koziel was last seen by her family Feb. 1, and was reported missing Feb. 14 to Manhattan police, the Sheriff’s office said.

Anyone with information was asked to call Will County Sheriff investigators at (815) 727-8574.