WI WI - Tara Sullivan, 47, Suspicious Circ, phone found in Ringle, veh found Hwy 29 Shawno Cty, resides in Weston, Apr 2023

[Quoththeraven]

I'm afraid the same mistaken assumption that was made in the Heather Szekeres missing/murder case can be applied to the Tara Sullivan missing person case. Same county involved, too. Shawano County. We don't want to bring a bad light on the casinos up there with all those missing people, do we? After all, the casinos pull in multiple millions of dollars each year.

Considering items thrown around in Tara's residence, the smashed garage door, phone found at a dead end road and vehicle found in Shawano County, one would think there would have been more of a sense of urgency in finding Tara.

A Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team review found that the Shawano Police Department didn't treat Szekeres' disappearance as suspicious at the beginning. That lack of urgency slowed efforts to solve the slaying, the I-Team found.

Morgan Wright, an internationally recognized law enforcement expert based in Virginia, told Gannett Wisconsin Media that police complicated the case by not treating Szekeres as an endangered missing person from the start.
"In law enforcement, you can't just put blinders on," Wright said. "For God sakes, this was a mother with a small child." Wright said the failure of police to take proper action will likely lead to a tough road for prosecutors. "This will be a very tough case to get a (murder) conviction to prove beyond a reasonable doubt," Wright said. The investigation got off to a slow start, when Shawano Police Chief Ed Whealon and others in the department jumped to the conclusion that Szekeres ran away from Shawano, population 9,000.

Faulty assumption mars Shawano murder investigation

Authorities in Shawano jumped to wrong conclusion in woman's death; slaying remains unsolved

www.greenbaypressgazette.com

WI - WI - Heather Szekeres, 32, Shawano, 21 June 2013

Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team's investigation into Heather Szekeres disappearance and death. Maybe we are finally getting somewhere. http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/longform/news/investigations/2015/05/16/faulty-assumption-mars-shawano-murder-investigation/27404463/

www.websleuths.com

 

[Knox]

The last media story I could find - The strange disappearance of Tara Jane Sullivan

 

[Quoththeraven]

The last media story I could find - The strange disappearance of Tara Jane Sullivan

If I was that reporter I would have asked a lot more questions than he did. From what's known so far, it appears nobody knows anything. I'd like an answer to at least some of these questions. I doubt any of them would compromise the investigation. At least we'd know something and we'd get a general idea of what happened. Does anyone know the answers to any of these questions?

Where was she last seen, even anywhere? Nobody knows.
When was she last seen at her residence? Nobody knows.
When was she last seen at work? Nobody knows.
What date and time was her garage door damaged by her vehicle? Nobody knows.
Was her garage door opener still in her vehicle when it was found? Nobody knows.
Were there any witnesses to her vehicle backing out and damaging her garage door? Nobody knows.
Did her vehicle damaging the garage door coincide with her having gone missing or were those two separate unrelated incidents? Nobody knows.
Were anyone else’s fingerprints or DNA found in her residence, like, maybe on the items that were strewn about? Nobody knows.
Did police determine whether anything was missing in her apartment? Nobody knows.
Were anyone else’s fingerprints found on her cell phone? Nobody knows.
Where did her cell phone last ping? Nobody knows.
Did she drive her vehicle to that location on Highway 10? Nobody knows.
Did her vehicle run out of gas on Highway 10? Nobody knows.
Did her vehicle break down on Highway 10? Nobody knows.
Were anyone else’s fingerprints/DNA found on the steering wheel? Nobody knows.
Was her driver’s seat found in a position that would indicate that a larger person/man had last driven it? Nobody knows.
Did tracking dogs determine whether she walked away from her vehicle after it was abandoned? Nobody knows.
Did cadaver dogs detect any scent of a recently deceased person in her vehicle? Nobody knows.
When were her credit/debit cards/bank accounts last accessed? Nobody knows.
Were any of the videos in the local casinos in Wittenburg, Shawano, Bowler or Keshena checked to see if she was there the night(s) before April 18? Nobody knows.
Why hasn’t her family released any statement related to her disappearance? Nobody knows.
Why hasn’t law enforcement even answered any of these questions? Nobody knows.
Was law enforcement able to get into her phone? Nobody knows.

 

[Knox]

Does Tara even have any family? I've only seen co-workers speak about her, please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Does Tara even have any family? I've only seen co-workers speak about her, please correct me if I'm wrong.

"Marathon County Sheriff Chad Billeb told The Wausonian they’ve followed up on all the leads they’ve been given and still haven’t come up with much. And they aren’t really receiving new leads.

They are hearing a lot from family members and friends who are concerned for Sullivan’s safety and the investigation’s progress. Billeb says he understands their frustration and worry."

The strange disappearance of Tara Jane Sullivan

It's been three months and police gave no word on the investigation; I decided to ask

www.thewausonian.com

 

[Knox]

"Marathon County Sheriff Chad Billeb told The Wausonian they’ve followed up on all the leads they’ve been given and still haven’t come up with much. And they aren’t really receiving new leads.

They are hearing a lot from family members and friends who are concerned for Sullivan’s safety and the investigation’s progress. Billeb says he understands their frustration and worry."

The strange disappearance of Tara Jane Sullivan

It's been three months and police gave no word on the investigation; I decided to ask

www.thewausonian.com

Ok thanks. But when I look at MSM stories and social media posts, I only see direct quotes/comments from those who worked with Tara. Which I always thought was odd. Maybe I need to go back and research to be sure I'm remembering correctly.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Ok thanks. But when I look at MSM stories and social media posts, I only see direct quotes/comments from those who worked with Tara. Which I always thought was odd. Maybe I need to go back and research to be sure I'm remembering correctly.

I've seen no statements yet by any family member.

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

I'm afraid the same mistaken assumption that was made in the Heather Szekeres missing/murder case can be applied to the Tara Sullivan missing person case. Same county involved, too. Shawano County. We don't want to bring a bad light on the casinos up there with all those missing people, do we? After all, the casinos pull in multiple millions of dollars each year.

Considering items thrown around in Tara's residence, the smashed garage door, phone found at a dead end road and vehicle found in Shawano County, one would think there would have been more of a sense of urgency in finding Tara.

Faulty assumption mars Shawano murder investigation

Authorities in Shawano jumped to wrong conclusion in woman's death; slaying remains unsolved

www.greenbaypressgazette.com

WI - WI - Heather Szekeres, 32, Shawano, 21 June 2013

Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team's investigation into Heather Szekeres disappearance and death. Maybe we are finally getting somewhere. http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/longform/news/investigations/2015/05/16/faulty-assumption-mars-shawano-murder-investigation/27404463/

www.websleuths.com

View attachment 471196

This is really scary - way too many people missing in this small of an area. Thank you for putting this together and bringing this to light. This should definitely be a discussion

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

If I was that reporter I would have asked a lot more questions than he did. From what's known so far, it appears nobody knows anything. I'd like an answer to at least some of these questions. I doubt any of them would compromise the investigation. At least we'd know something and we'd get a general idea of what happened. Does anyone know the answers to any of these questions?

Where was she last seen, even anywhere? Nobody knows.
When was she last seen at her residence? Nobody knows.
When was she last seen at work? Nobody knows.
What date and time was her garage door damaged by her vehicle? Nobody knows.
Was her garage door opener still in her vehicle when it was found? Nobody knows.
Were there any witnesses to her vehicle backing out and damaging her garage door? Nobody knows.
Did her vehicle damaging the garage door coincide with her having gone missing or were those two separate unrelated incidents? Nobody knows.
Were anyone else’s fingerprints or DNA found in her residence, like, maybe on the items that were strewn about? Nobody knows.
Did police determine whether anything was missing in her apartment? Nobody knows.
Were anyone else’s fingerprints found on her cell phone? Nobody knows.
Where did her cell phone last ping? Nobody knows.
Did she drive her vehicle to that location on Highway 10? Nobody knows.
Did her vehicle run out of gas on Highway 10? Nobody knows.
Did her vehicle break down on Highway 10? Nobody knows.
Were anyone else’s fingerprints/DNA found on the steering wheel? Nobody knows.
Was her driver’s seat found in a position that would indicate that a larger person/man had last driven it? Nobody knows.
Did tracking dogs determine whether she walked away from her vehicle after it was abandoned? Nobody knows.
Did cadaver dogs detect any scent of a recently deceased person in her vehicle? Nobody knows.
When were her credit/debit cards/bank accounts last accessed? Nobody knows.
Were any of the videos in the local casinos in Wittenburg, Shawano, Bowler or Keshena checked to see if she was there the night(s) before April 18? Nobody knows.
Why hasn’t her family released any statement related to her disappearance? Nobody knows.
Why hasn’t law enforcement even answered any of these questions? Nobody knows.
Was law enforcement able to get into her phone? Nobody knows.

I'm wondering if they have a suspect and are quietly building a case? Perhaps this is why none of this information has been released to the public?

Then again, sometimes it takes the efforts of loved ones to discover and release more information.

Fauna Frey and Michael Bryson come to mind. In places where law enforcement doesn't have many resources family and friends often have to pressure investigators to obtain more information or they have to obtain it themselves.

Sadly it seems like Tara doesn't have anyone advocating for her, which is so incredibly sad

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

Not sure if I mentioned this previously, but in this area it's rare to have surveillance of any sort. I don't remember ever seeing a camera or security system at a business, home, street pole, or dash of a vehicle.

When I moved to California I was shocked because there are cameras everywhere!

 

[spyblond]

I don't think this was mentioned before:

• On 08-28-2023, this is months after her disappearance, a small claims case was filed by Gold Key Investments Inc vs Tara. Wisconsin Circuit Court Access
• This case was for the amount of $5,101.50. The case was closed as obviously Tara did not show up in court.
• Gold Key Investments seems to be an investment company owned by a businessman who also has a building company. They don't have a working website or facebook, so this information comes from https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_wi/G028440
• In previous claims cases against Tara (also found on wcca.wicorts.gov), the judgement was satisfied due to bankruptcy. It appears that at some point Tara declared bankruptcy.

MOO All this together leads me to believe that Tara's disappearance was financially related. Perhaps she owed money to the wrong people.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I wonder if LE checked the security cameras at Ringle Storage near where Tara's phone was found? Would the pictures be overwritten by now?

 

[Knox]

To expound on your information: Tara Sullivan's residence at 5816 Connie Lane, Weston, WI 54476 is owned by Stanley J. Budleski, doing business as Gold Key Investments with their business address at 2215 Schofield Ave, c/o Connie Budleski, Weston, WI 54476. **

Bankruptcy was 10 years ago in 2013, so I don't see any financial connection to 2023. But, she still could have been in debt. LE hasn't mentioned anything about her financial situation or whether her bank accounts have been accessed since her disappearance. *

Wisconsin Circuit Court Access *

Wisconsin Dept of Financial Institutions **

GOLD KEY INVESTMENTS, INC. (G028440)

View attachment 472379

I think one of the keys to her disappearance is to find out why her phone ended up at the Ringle Avenue dead end.
It appears the phone was either thrown out of her vehicle (or another vehicle) and who ever did it left her ransacked residence after crashing through her garage door on Connie Lane and had assumed Ringle Ave merged with Highway 29 and would take that person to where her vehicle ended up off of Highway 29 on Old 29. Both the locations of the phone and her vehicle indicates she or her abductor(s) were (1) unfamiliar with the streets in that area and (2) were clearly headed east out of town. If the garage door mishap happened shortly before her phone was found then I think it ties both incidences together.

Zillow shows the rent estimate for that property at $1,281 and even shows a photo of the property with the damaged garage door.

5816 Connie Ln, Weston, WI 54476 | Zillow

5816 Connie Ln, Weston WI, is a Single Family home. The Zestimate for this Single Family is $401,900, which has increased by $38,700 in the last 30 days.The Rent Zestimate for this Single Family is $1,394/mo, which has increased by $144/mo in the last 30 days.

www.zillow.com

I find it odd none of the neighbors heard the garage door incident?

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

To expound on your information: Tara Sullivan's residence at 5816 Connie Lane, Weston, WI 54476 is owned by Stanley J. Budleski, doing business as Gold Key Investments with their business address at 2215 Schofield Ave, c/o Connie Budleski, Weston, WI 54476. **

Bankruptcy was 10 years ago in 2013, so I don't see any financial connection to 2023. But, she still could have been in debt. LE hasn't mentioned anything about her financial situation or whether her bank accounts have been accessed since her disappearance. *

Wisconsin Circuit Court Access *

Wisconsin Dept of Financial Institutions **

GOLD KEY INVESTMENTS, INC. (G028440)

View attachment 472379

I think one of the keys to her disappearance is to find out why her phone ended up at the Ringle Avenue dead end.
It appears the phone was either thrown out of her vehicle (or another vehicle) and who ever did it left her ransacked residence after crashing through her garage door on Connie Lane and had assumed Ringle Ave merged with Highway 29 and would take that person to where her vehicle ended up off of Highway 29 on Old 29. Both the locations of the phone and her vehicle indicates she or her abductor(s) were (1) unfamiliar with the streets in that area and (2) were clearly headed east out of town. If the garage door mishap happened shortly before her phone was found then I think it ties both incidences together.

Zillow shows the rent estimate for that property at $1,281 and even shows a photo of the property with the damaged garage door.

5816 Connie Ln, Weston, WI 54476 | Zillow

5816 Connie Ln, Weston WI, is a Single Family home. The Zestimate for this Single Family is $401,900, which has increased by $38,700 in the last 30 days.The Rent Zestimate for this Single Family is $1,394/mo, which has increased by $144/mo in the last 30 days.

www.zillow.com

Or they knew that it was a dead end and went there on purpose. Maybe it seemed like a good place to ditch the phone as a red herring.

 

[Teamir]

I wonder if LE checked the security cameras at Ringle Storage near where Tara's phone was found? Would the pictures be overwritten by now?


View attachment 472438

View attachment 472437

This is excellent sleuthing!

 

[Unalienable Rights]

KSAW investigation -- Tara Sullivan one year later.

Weston woman’s disappearance hits 1 year mark, investigators still searching for clues

One year ago, a cell phone was found at a dead-end road in Ringle.

www.wsaw.com

*****
Since the initial days of the investigation, the department has examined the data from her cell phone, Apple Watch, and iPad. Disappointingly, the information did little to help authorities. There was no indication that Sullivan was involved in a romantic relationship or had any close or consistent friendships.

“We hoped for, you know, some jilted ex-relationship that, you know, somebody she had a disagreement with. Somebody she had an ongoing relationship with, that talked about getting away or leaving, and there was none of that. Even your conversations with friends that you would expect to see in anybody’s phone, were largely missing, she really kept to herself,” explained Capt. Stefonek.

*****
According to investigators time-stamped location data from her phone along the route support the garage damage happening first and then the phone traveling down Ringle Ave. However, when the vehicle was abandoned is still unknown.

Before her disappearance investigators say it doesn’t appear that Sullivan was working.

*****
The last person to have any meaningful contact with Sullivan was her father which was two weeks before she disappeared. On March 30, 2023, she sent a text message to a realtor contact and talked about following God, however, the contact did not respond. Phone data showed the last outgoing activity from Sullivan’s phone was a message she sent on April 10.

“We have no good active leads. Every lead we thought might take us somewhere has become a dead end,” explained Capt. Stefonek.

NewsChannel 7′s Kassandra Sepeda spoke with Sullivan’s brother over the phone who said that he believed that Tara may have left on her own accord. He expressed that, if that is true, he asks people to respect her choice.

*****
More at link -- long article.

NBC26 Video

 

[Knox]

Interesting, had no idea she even had a brother. Guess we haven’t heard from because he feels she disappeared herself?

 

[kccorona]

Interesting, had no idea she even had a brother. Guess we haven’t heard from because he feels she disappeared herself?

I don't think we'd heard about ANY family up to this point.
I definitely don't believe there was prior information about the contact with her father two weeks prior to her disappearance. Interesting this is described as the last "meaningful" contact she'd had, but LE then go on to say she texted a realtor contact March 30th- wouldn't that date have been around the same date as "two weeks prior to her disappearance [April 17]" when she texted her father? Wonder why the March 30th text wouldn't be considered meaningful, except for maybe they can't confirm it was actually Tara since it was a text and was apparently not replied to by the realtor contact.

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

Interesting, had no idea she even had a brother. Guess we haven’t heard from because he feels she disappeared herself?

This new information is very helpful. I don't think a person would disappear in this way; there are lots of less complicated methods to disappear vs wrecking your garage door, ditching your phone & abandoning your car. It's not like she was a fugitive that needed a set up. Most importantly, it seems like she was broke, kind of hard to disappear long term with financial constraints.

Imo, more likely that she was lonely and vulnerable to encountering foul play in person at a tavern or something with a newly acquainted stranger that she never had any cell communication with.

I used to be a bartender at a dive bar in a small town near here. Hopefully they talked to all of the bartenders, but then again most of us were too drunk to notice anything that wasn't significant unless it was a slow night (less customers buying us shots)