Found Deceased IL - Benedetta 'Beth' Bentley, 41, Mount Vernon, 23 May 2010 #5

[Jenny60123]

I am going to comment before reading the rest. But, I have taken the train from both St. Louis and Centralia. I have no idea how many times. Not as much from Centralia. I have taken this same train, but, only on weekdays.

There have never been many getting on. Never many on train. And I don't remember ever showing id on the train, and this is more than once, LOL, since 911.


The last time I took the train at Centralia, I picked up my ticket at a travel agency in Centralia near the station. I can't swear I did not, but, I don't believe I showed id. I reserved online and picked up there. I believe I had a printed email to show, but that could be misremembering.

There have never been many folks on the train. I boarded, found a seat and later conductor comes by, takes ticket, took part off and gave back. I normally throw these away after home, get cc statement, all is well.

I have always thought you could pay cash on board, but,I have never done so. I have paid cash on board Metra's in Chicago and never had to show ID. I last rode a Metra this past May, and paid cash on board with no ID.
The very last time I got the train to Chicago in Centralia, I got off in Bloomington. I had no interaction with other people no train other than happening to make eye contract with a few as they passed me either getting on or off and just a nod. I sincerely doubt that if LE had somehow come to me days later and ask me about any I could have helped, and, I fancy myself a good witness.

I have wondered since day one - how on earth they do know if she was on or off the train. But, then again,I have always wondered why someone would drop a BFF off at the Centralia station and just leave them as it is a pretty desolate place, in MOO, and I have seen IDC drop off inmates/former inmates/whatever (and they wait till they are on the train) so DH always waits with me, and we sit in the car.

Oh, and Cubby, re hiding - you don't really, but if the train is pretty empty, and the ones from Centralia in my experience are normally (as opposed to earlier in the day/early morning from St. Louis - they get pretty crowded in my experience and likely you will have someone sitting next to you before long for at least some of the way to Chicago, in my experience again, a lot of folks board in St. Louis and various points along the way and at Joliet a lot get off, I have had a lot of seat mates going to visit family at the prison - oh the stories I have ended up hearing!). I think by nature, if we can, we like space. I will find a seat well away from others and only see folks going past me to get on or off. And the conductor once or twice. After you deal with him once, you can turn and look out the window and really not see anyone else on board. I think when able people tend to leave each other alone.

Respectfully bolded by me. I have ridden the trains in Chicago often. The Metra and also the L, no id ever asked for on either. With metra we buy our tickets from the conductor, on the L there is a little electronic ticket machine you purchase from before getting onboard. Just saying, if she made it this far that night, there would be no trace on either of our trains, by ticket anyway.

 

[Jenny60123]

It wasn't a sexual romp that happened once or twice between Beth & SS. It was going on for months. So....it is possible that SS fell in love with Beth and wanted each to leave their spouse so they could be together. Now, since Beth was resisting his request for so long, why would he tell his wife if she wasn't going to tell her husband?

Like you said earlier, you can't see Beth leaving the current life she was living, to be with him. So he may have been trying to convince Beth to leave SB and be with him. Maybe she didn't feel the same way he did. Maybe she regretted ever sleeping with him knowing that IF it got out, the repercussions would be huge.

Just speculating

Pure speculation on my part, but I was wondering if SS was looking at BB's lifestyle and wanting a piece of that. Perhaps he thought he was trading up? Maybe he saw BB as the golden goose so to say???

 

[wordfella]

Pure speculation on my part, but I was wondering if SS was looking at BB's lifestyle and wanting a piece of that. Perhaps he thought he was trading up? Maybe he saw BB as the golden goose so to say???

Possibilities:
1. What you said

2. He was in love with BB, and willing to give up his family to have her.

3. He wanted to confess to clear his conscience about the affair.

4. There was an unintended consequence to the affair, which he wanted to:
A. validate and legitimize, or
B. have BB eliminate, through the threat of disclosure

I hesitate to attach odds. Anyone want to? Have I overlooked a possibility?

Speculating...

 

[Cubby]

Pure speculation on my part, but I was wondering if SS was looking at BB's lifestyle and wanting a piece of that. Perhaps he thought he was trading up? Maybe he saw BB as the golden goose so to say???

If he wanted them to leave both their spoused there would no golden goose. SB would have a good argment for family court for getting custody of the youngest son and the other two are older and not SB's so no child support....

jmo

 

[schwabie]

1. Are we assuming all transportation services; limos, Greyhound, charter flights, etc in MtV area were investigated? IIRC airports were definitely by LE for Rogers & Bentley. (IMO cash + tip + outfit change/hat/wig > privacy),
2. Are there any other alias (IDs) names that B/B had/used besides Rogers, Bentley, Velmont & Ballard?

 

[mjl62]

From amtrak.com-

"...Photo ID Required

Amtrak customers 18 years of age and older must produce valid photo identification when:

Obtaining, exchanging or refunding tickets
Storing baggage at stations
Checking baggage
Sending Amtrak Express shipments
Onboard trains, in response to a request by an Amtrak employee...

Passengers purchasing tickets from station ticket agents or on board trains from conductors must provide photo identification and be at least 15 years old..."

I'm a regular Amtrak user, and I've never been asked for an ID if I already had a ticket in hand, and was boarding(or already on) the train. I have been asked for an ID every time I've purchased an Amtrak ticket from an agent or conductor.

 

[Joe Friday]

From amtrak.com-

"...Photo ID Required

Amtrak customers 18 years of age and older must produce valid photo identification when:

Obtaining, exchanging or refunding tickets
Storing baggage at stations
Checking baggage
Sending Amtrak Express shipments
Onboard trains, in response to a request by an Amtrak employee...

Passengers purchasing tickets from station ticket agents or on board trains from conductors must provide photo identification and be at least 15 years old..."

I'm a regular Amtrak user, and I've never been asked for an ID if I already had a ticket in hand, and was boarding(or already on) the train. I have been asked for an ID every time I've purchased an Amtrak ticket from an agent or conductor.

When they asked for your ID did they write your information down or enter it in to a computer of some sort or just look at the ID to see if your face matches the picture on your ID?

Sounds to me like some of the Amtak conductors do their job as required and some are some what relaxed when it comes to proper procedures as far as ID'ing riders. I would think that after 9/11 trains would have high standards just as airplanes as far as boarding and screening luggage. I have not ridden a train in over 35 years so I don't know exactly what the procedure is but it seems if someone wanted to get on a train carrying a large amount of explosives to be detonated in a station like Union Station it would be not that hard to pull off.

JMO

 

[juliec1215]

IF BB or "anyone else" was actually in Union Station, there would be proof on video. After 9/11, that stations security would have been beefed up due to possible terrorism target. There is no way BB or anyone else walked through that station, and was not recorded on video.



Just my very strong opinion.


Now, what information or video LE has or has not, well..... we know the answer to that-they are not saying.

My brother does some work over at Union Station (installs recorders, cameras , etc. ) and he said there are about 200 cameras, so if Beth was there, it WOULD be on film. I don't think she ever made it on the train, JMO.

 

[mjl62]

When they asked for your ID did they write your information down or enter it in to a computer of some sort or just look at the ID to see if your face matches the picture on your ID?

When I've bought tickets online or at a station, my name is printed on the ticket- either from my CC info(online) or my ID(at the station).

When I bought a ticket on the train, the conductor made sure my name (written on the ticket) matched my ID. I've also had conductors ask for me to sign the station-issued tickets- there's a space in the upper right(of the part they keep) where the rider is supposed to sign(legibly) their name.

 

[Irish Eyes]

Pure speculation on my part, but I was wondering if SS was looking at BB's lifestyle and wanting a piece of that. Perhaps he thought he was trading up? Maybe he saw BB as the golden goose so to say???

In that close knit group it is entirely possible that BB and SS's wife are friends

 

[AlwaysThinking]

In that close knit group it is entirely possible that BB and SS's wife are friends

Yes, BB and SS's wife ARE friends. Not sure if that will remain true if BB shows up again one day.

 

[orangeneptune]

You can publicly view BB's friends on facebook. SS's wife and BB are friends on facebook. Type in maiden last name on the caselookup link that people have provided before. Per googling, I found out that the wife's name on FB is her middle name. Case lookup tells me she was arrested twice for battery. This makes me think that since she has a history of violence, she might have already found out and gotten angry? SS has an alibi for sunday, but what about the wife?

 

[Cubby]

The wife wasn't aware of the affair until after Beth went missing. They were friends prior to Beths disappearance. So I don't see her as a possisble POI since she was unaware of the affair at the time BB went missing.

JMO

hth

 

[sadnpod]

WELCOME to all the "newbies"...

 

[2catlady]

I think the big question now is whether BB got on the train or not.... If so, she could be anywhere between Centralia and Chicago... if not, then where could she be?
I also found it interesting that SG posted on FB today that police have asked NOT to have a PI involved. ( in the disscussion about the fundraiser funds and how they are being spent on the discussion tab). Why would that be? Cuz it is a criminal investigation and don't want to tip off the POI?

ok... interesting... that whole discussion has been deleted. Figures.....

 

[Cubby]

I'm going to guess if LE really did ask for a PI NOT to be involved LE is pretty close to solving this one. There are no body murder trials and no body murder convictions. It does happen. I'm just personally at a point where I am not taking anything as confirmed fact unless it is a direct quote from a named source with Woodstock PD or another agency involved in investigating this case. Too much which has come out as fact has been retracted and later stated as an opinion or speculation.

IMO, if Beth did not get on that train it is really hard to tie SS into her disappearance. At least for me at the moment. I can't see him having the means to get someone else to commit murder. And I can't see him having the time to drive all the way south and back without his wife noticing his absense. Or, LE having found his car gone through the tolls or something..... His vehicle would either be tracked as paying tolls with I-Pass or not. There would also be survellience from the tolls if Beth was in his vehicle.

JMO

ETA: Where is this info that LE does NOT want a PI hired? I couldn'f find it..... or is this a misstatement which has been removed? I wish things would not be removed if they are mistatements. Leaving them, if possible, and then statement to make corrections if necessary would make it so much easier to follow this case. It is so hard to follow the info on this case.

 

[wordfella]

I'm going to guess if LE really did ask for a PI NOT to be involved LE is pretty close to solving this one. There are no body murder trials and no body murder convictions. It does happen. I'm just personally at a point where I am not taking anything as confirmed fact unless it is a direct quote from a named source with Woodstock PD or another agency involved in investigating this case. Too much which has come out as fact has been retracted and later stated as an opinion or speculation.

IMO, if Beth did not get on that train it is really hard to tie SS into her disappearance. At least for me at the moment. I can't see him having the means to get someone else to commit murder. And I can't see him having the time to drive all the way south and back without his wife noticing his absense. Or, LE having found his car gone through the tolls or something..... His vehicle would either be tracked as paying tolls with I-Pass or not. There would also be survellience from the tolls if Beth was in his vehicle.

JMO

Court records (08TR049288) show the issuance of a "Judicial Driving Permit" after his DUI conviction (10/10/2008--issuance; 03/26/2009 --termination.) It appears he has his license now.

http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/circuitclerk/Pages/index.aspx

You have to enter the name for the search. It doesn't hotlink. And don't be confused by the same names with 1981 and 1985 birth dates.

 

[2catlady]

ETA: Where is this info that LE does NOT want a PI hired? I couldn'f find it..... or is this a misstatement which has been removed? I wish things would not be removed if they are mistatements. Leaving them, if possible, and then statement to make corrections if necessary would make it so much easier to follow this case. It is so hard to follow the info on this case.[/QUOTE]

Cubby... it was on the FB page earlier today under the discussion tab about the funds raised but has since been removed. Someone was questioning once again where the funds were going and said that KB had stated that a PI and billboards etc were to be paid out of the funds so basically what was going on ( paraphrasing). Now those particular posts have been deleted but someone is again scolding those that are questioning the whole process.

 

[wordfella]

Respectfully snipped: Or, LE having found his car gone through the tolls or something..... His vehicle would either be tracked as paying tolls with I-Pass or not. There would also be survellience from the tolls if Beth was in his vehicle.

Best way to get there is I-39 to US 51. There are no tolls involved.

 

[Cubby]

Court records (08TR049288) show the issuance of a "Judicial Driving Permit" after his DUI conviction (10/10/2008--issuance; 03/26/2009 --termination.) It appears he has his license now.

http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/circuitclerk/Pages/index.aspx

You have to enter the name for the search. It doesn't hotlink. And don't be confused by the same names with 1981 and 1985 birth dates.

Thanks for the link again. I wasn't thinking along those lines..... unsure what you mean and how the DUI would tie into this. Could you further explain how you are tying the DUI and Beth's disappearance?

TIA.