Death of Quesola Mimms ruled homicide, three months after her head was found in the McKinley Park lagoon

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 17:14:42 -0600

By JORDAN OWEN and SAM CHARLES
Chicago Sun-Times

Community activist Andrew Holmes (center) speaks last month at the McKinley Park lagoon, where the head of 20-year-old Quesola Mimms was found last September. | Sam Charles/Sun-Times

Three months after her remains were found in the McKinley Park lagoon on the Southwest Side in September, the death of 20-year-old Quesola Mimms has been ruled a homicide.

Mimms’ head was found in a bag in the lagoon by a park district worker about 10 a.m. Sept. 23, authorities said at the time. Though the lagoon was drained, the rest of her body has yet to be found.

An autopsy at the time did not rule on cause and manner of death, but has since been ruled homicide by unspecified means, the Cook County medical examiner’s office announced Thursday.

Her last contact with her family had been Sept. 21, but no missing person report was ever filed for Mimms, according to Chicago Police.

Mimms filed a police report on Sept. 12 for criminal damage to property, though that incident was not thought to be violent or domestic-related, according to a police source.

Community activist and crisis responder Andrew Holmes announced a $2,000 reward for information leading to her killer’s arrest and conviction in November.

“You are cruel. You are not human,” Holmes said in reference to her killer.

Holmes said Mimms had a 1-year-old daughter, and the child often asks where her mother is. The girl now lives with her grandmother.

At the time of her disappearance, Mimms was slated to start a new job in a factory, he said.

Police did not have any updates on the case Thursday and said the investigation is ongoing.

Quesola Mimms | Homicide Watch Chicago

Death of Quesola Mimms ruled homicide, three months after her head was found in the McKinley Park lagoon