IL IL - Wendy Gessing, 50, car found in Joliet, Crest Hill, 12 Jun 2021

[IllinoisMissing]

It’s been awhile since I posted but this is close to home.

Wendy lives, with her partner, within 3 minutes of the pizza restaurant that he owns and where she works. The restaurant is located at the last location given for Wendy.

Her phone and car were found in opposite directions. Some surrounding areas are sketchy,and we’ve had a number of car jackings locally.

But…given that she worked for her partner and didn’t show up on the 12th, but wasn’t reported missing until the 15th, makes me believe something was going on with her.

Maybe he thought she’d come home, and when she didn’t? IMO, I don’t think her bf or ex did anything to her. I think she found some very bad “friends” that weekend, and at some point it didn’t end well. I hope I’m wrong.

Not sure how relevant but it was very hot here that weekend. 90’s.

Her house, work, motel, and places where car and phone were found are all less than 10 miles apart…some much closer.

 

[YaYa_521]

The FBI and Homeland Security's involvement in Wendy's case, in less than a month after she vanished, suggests to me there's more to her disappearance than a woman who simply walked away to head out on a binge. It's especially shocking because as recently as 24 Jun police didn't believe she is/was a victim of violence. So...what's happening here?

Was Missing Person Wendy Gessing Really At Motel 6 In Joliet?
Jul 2, 2021
SBM

But was Gessing actually at the Motel 6? [snip] Joliet Patch's editor visited the Motel 6 and interviewed one of the managers, [snip] ...police have concentrated on reviewing the Motel 6's video surveillance cameras...

Patch asked the Joliet Motel 6 manager what the police investigators are trying to learn from his business?

• ..."Video and the people who were staying at Rooms 143, 148 and 147,"
• ...outside video cameras for the Motel 6 property captured images of a woman thought to be Gessing over a three-day period, June 14-16.
• ...he is positive that Gessing has never checked into the Motel 6 on McDonough Street as a guest.
• ...he does not recognize her as being someone he has encountered on the Motel 6 property in recent history.
• The video footage ..."it's very far from the camera. It's outside and at night."

[snip]

...manager said it was his understanding that the police also went and obtained video surveillance cameras from the 7-Eleven across the street on Larkin Avenue, as well as the Budget Inn on McDonough Street that is next door to Motel 6.

Joliet Patch visited ...Police Chief Ed Clark, but he was not available,... [snip] During Wednesday's interview, Clark said that his agency had enlisted the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Will County Sheriff's Office to help... [snip] The chief has not disclosed the specific roles each of those outside agencies are providing to Crest Hill.

 

[YaYa_521]

FBI Now Involved In Wendy Gessing Disappearance: Crest Hill
Posted Wed, Jun 30, 2021 at 4:50 pm CT|Updated Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 11:22 am CT
SBM

Now, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Will County Sheriff's Department are helping investigate the missing person case...[snip] "We are constantly working this, ..." To preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation, Clark said he did not want to disclose why those particular agencies were asked to help ... The chief also would not disclose the specific roles each of those outside agencies are providing to Crest Hill.

[snip]

...police have had an opportunity to analyze Gessing's cell phone records, but he did not want to divulge the details of those calls, such as whom she last called or may have spoken with. "They have done some analysis and are using that information,"

[snip]

Because Gessing has remained missing for three weeks, police investigators have a heightened concern about her welfare and her safety, Clark said.

 

[YaYa_521]

There are 54 comments. C.W.'s comment about her gray SUV is interesting.

Chief: Missing Crest Hill Woman's Car Found In Joliet
Posted Thu, Jun 17, 2021 at 7:04 pm CT|Updated Fri, Jun 18, 2021 at 3:09 pm CT
SBM

Crest Hill Police Chief Ed Clark told Joliet Patch that police found the gray Honda CRV belonging to 50-year-old Crest Hill resident Wendy Gessing on Thursday in the city of Joliet, in the 400 block of Buell Avenue.

 

[Acorunadepor]

This is a map of the area. Buell Av. is where her car was parked. Up north is the area where her phone was found. She works at Marchelloni. And I added the Motel 6 where she allegedly stayed..

Google Maps

 

[Normancita]

Agreed, she was seen over the course of several days at that certain motel.

I read this article again Wendy Gessing's Phone Recovered By Crest Hill Police Especially the replies. Not looking good.

But still so close to home, there must have been contact with her partner during that time.

Oh wow, the comments.

At this point I think it’s looking like: 1.) major bender or 2.) drug OD and then dumped.

Such a sad case!

 

[Filly]

FBI Now Involved In Wendy Gessing Disappearance: Crest Hill
Posted Wed, Jun 30, 2021 at 4:50 pm CT|Updated Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 11:22 am CT
SBM

Now, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Will County Sheriff's Department are helping investigate the missing person case...[snip] "We are constantly working this, ..." To preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation, Clark said he did not want to disclose why those particular agencies were asked to help ... The chief also would not disclose the specific roles each of those outside agencies are providing to Crest Hill.

[snip]

...police have had an opportunity to analyze Gessing's cell phone records, but he did not want to divulge the details of those calls, such as whom she last called or may have spoken with. "They have done some analysis and are using that information,"

[snip]

Because Gessing has remained missing for three weeks, police investigators have a heightened concern about her welfare and her safety, Clark said.

Wow. Just wow!

 

[YaYa_521]

Wendy's loved ones are weighing heavily on my heart today...mostly her mom. I'm saying a special prayer for her as I'm sure it must be very difficult on her emotional and mental health right now. If you're a believer, please join me. I'm hoping Wendy makes it home soon.

 

[YaYa_521]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
NamUs #MP82176
Wendy E Gessing
Date of Last Contact June 12, 2021
Missing From Crest Hill, Illinois
Female
Missing Age50 Years
Height 5' 5" - 5' 6" (65 - 66 Inches)
Weight 130 - 140 lbs
Race / Ethnicity White / Caucasian
Hair Color Blond/Strawberry
Head Hair Description Hair was shoulder length last time she was seen.
Eye Color Brown
Eye Description Wears contacts
Tattoo - Sugar Skull tattoo on her left forearm.
Tattoo - Tattoo of Flowers on left forearm and wrist
Tattoo - Tattoo of Celtic Cross on right shoulder (NOT Pictured).

Circumstances of Disappearance - The missing person, Wendy E Gessing, was last seen at her place of employment, Pizza by Marchelloni, which is located at 1603 N. Raynor Ave. Crest Hill, IL. A fellow employee said Wendy left in her gray in-color Honda CRV on 06-12-2021 at approximately 1600 hours. Wendy was possibly in route to Joliet, Illinois. The Honda CRV has since been recovered, but Wendy's whereabouts are still unknown. She has a sugar skull tattoo on her left forearm, flower tattoos on her left wrist, and a Celtic Cross on her right shoulder.

 

[YaYa_521]

Hmmm. This author seems to have little faith in CHPD solving Wendy's case. I wonder why?

Crest Hill Mystery Makes Me Think Of Stebic, Morrow Cases: Ferak
John Ferak 12 Jun 2021
SBBM

• ...wondering whether the Crest Hill Police Department is up to the task of solving this complicated investigation.
• At no point during the past month has anybody from Gessing's family reached out to me to be interviewed.
• ...missing persons posters for Gessing taped to the glass doors for the new Will County Courthouse
• ...you will not find one single poster of Gessing posted at the city of Crest Hill Municipal Building

Snip

For the first several days of June, Crest Hill police investigated Gessing's disappearance under the belief that she was alive and well, but may have chosen to run off. I have my doubts that Gessing simply ran off.

• has lived in the Crest Hill-Joliet area for many years.
• She had a stable job
• She has lived with the long-time Crest Hill small business owner for many years

On Friday, Chief Clark told me ... Gessing's boyfriend as continuing to be helpful and cooperative... In the early stages of the investigation, Crest Hill police worked off the premise that Gessing had frequented the Motel 6 in Joliet on McDonough Street. My subsequent interviews with the Joliet hotel manager, however, left me convinced that the woman...probably was not Gessing.

...a few irrefutable facts...:

• ...Gessing was last seen on Saturday, June 12, at ...Pizzas by Marchelloni...
• Five days later, Gessing's abandoned car turned up in the 400 block of Joliet's Buell Avenue,...
• ...cell phone turned up in the village of Romeoville, in the area along Taylor Road.
• ...she did not pack a suitcase or an overnight travel bag when she vanished June 12.
• ...has not made any contact with family, coworkers, friends or acquaintances.

There are two notable Will County missing persons cases that remain on my mind... One of those cases is Lisa Stebic, who disappeared from her Plainfield home on April 30, 2007. [snip] The other case ... Jasmine Morrow, a missing 33-year-old woman.

Snip

• Is Wendy Gessing living in a hotel under an assumed name in another community?
• Did someone kill the Crest Hill woman and hide her body in an out-of-the-way location?

Snip

Let's hope the Crest Hill Police Department is up to the task of solving Gessing's disappearance. I have my doubts.

 

[YaYa_521]

Sheezz, I don't like the fact that some of the witnesses are pan handlers and CIs. For some reason this makes me very leery of their statements to LE. These types of witnesses combined with the FBI and Dept. of Homeland Security's involvement in her case make me extremely worried about Wendy's safety. What in the world is going on here?

Missing Crest Hill Woman Entered Into National Missing Person System | 1340 WJOL
JUL 16, 2021 @ 3:11PM
SBBM
The Crest Hill Police have announced that a missing 50-year-old woman is now in the National Missing and Unidentified Person System.

Snip

Before Wendy was reported missing to Police, her cell phone was found and turned over to an addiction recovery program. The addiction recovery program turned the phone over to her live-in boyfriend, who turned it over to police when he reported her missing.

Snip

The vehicle was towed to the Crest Hill Police Department where it was processed for evidence.

Snip

Several panhandlers and tenants around Larkin Ave. and McDonough Street have indicated that they have seen Wendy. Confidential informants have told the Crest Hill Police Department that Wendy has been seen at several motels in the Joliet/Will County area.

 

[YaYa_521]

I wish LE or her family would give some insight into Wendy's mindset/attitude when she left work that day. Perhaps it would help figure out if this is a voluntary disappearance or something more sinister. LE's media release gives a few new details, but also raises a few questions for me which I've listed below.

Crest Hill
16 Jul 2021

1. Has LE tracked down whomever Wendy was planning to meet when she left the pizza joint? If so, I wonder what they have to say about the plans they had with her? Where were they going and what were they planning to do that evening/night? Did they happen to have plans at the Budget Inn Motel in Joliet or any place nearby?

2. Who is the male tenant at Motel 6 who gave a key to the couple? Why would the guy give his room key to someone else, anyway? What happened after he gave them the key? Did he leave or did the couple leave with plans to come back to the room? Something stinks here, imo.

3. Who is the couple? The male tenant thinks the female of the couple was Wendy based on the photo LE showed him. However, Wendy's BF doesn't think it was Wendy in the CC video still from Motel 6. I'm not sure it matters, but Joliet Patch Editor John Ferak claims to have seen the vid, and he too isn't convinced it was Wendy.

4. Are the pan handlers and CIs separate witnesses from the folks Wendy was planning to meet? Do they know the male tenant at Motel 6? I ask that specifically because if they know him, it might be possible they are associated with him or indebted to him in some way.

5. Why is the US Dept. of HS and the FBI involved in this case? Maybe it's just me, but I find it unusual they're involved in Wendy's MP case. There are hundreds of cases similar to Wendy's (i.e., MP leaves work, car/phone found with no sign of MP), yet most cases are lucky to have a detective assigned to them. Why is Wendy's case getting these resources? That concerns me about what it is LE knows that we don't.

I'm very worried about Wendy's well-being. All of the above is speculation and MOO.

 

[Acorunadepor]

The question of course is how her phone and car end up so separated from each other.

And remember her phone was found before she was reported missing...

How is it that specifically an addiction program got the phone turned over to (?!), I cannot find any recovery centers in the area of Romeoville. There is one in Naperville, but that's 11 miles up north.

 

[YaYa_521]

The question of course is how her phone and car end up so separated from each other.

And remember her phone was found before she was reported missing...

How is it that specifically an addiction program got the phone turned over to (?!), I cannot find any recovery centers in the area of Romeoville. There is one in Naperville, but that's 11 miles up north.

I'm not sure whether it's relevant to Wendy's phone, but Harmony Recovery's FB page has several posts asking for help finding Wendy. I didn't find a physical address for Harmony Recovery (HR). It could be because there isn't one given their "About" info reads as if they're more of a referral agency (see below). In Aug 2020, HR posted about rebuilding their relationship with Harmony Community Church which is located in Joliet, IL. To note: Back in Sept. 2020, Wendy was at a "Get Narcan Here" event which was tagged by Harmony Recovery. MOO

About Harmony Recovery:
Addiction recovery is hard enough without struggling to get help. When you visit Harmony Recovery's Page we will only recommend those treatment centers we would entrust to care for our own family.
harmonyrecovery1@gmail.com
Motivational Speaker · Addiction Resources Center · Personal Coach

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[ThoughtFox]

Wow, the way LE is acting - air of mystery, was she ever there or not? - makes me wonder two things. Was she some kind of police or FBI informant before she disappeared? Or was someone in the police force connected to her dosappearance in some way? Lots of other ideas, but I'll leave it at that.

 

[GraceG]

Wow, the way LE is acting - air of mystery, was she ever there or not? - makes me wonder two things. Was she some kind of police or FBI informant before she disappeared? Or was someone in the police force connected to her dosappearance in some way? Lots of other ideas, but I'll leave it at that.

She has no history of running with a crowd of people whose activities would have the interest of the FBI. The FBI was likely called in as they can get lab work done a LOT quicker than locals. I also highly doubt the police are being closed-mouthed as one of them is involved. If they have evidence, not enough for an arrest but enough where someone is on their radar they don't say anything so that person doesn't cut and run. That's pretty standard procedure.

 

[YaYa_521]

She has no history of running with a crowd of people whose activities would have the interest of the FBI. The FBI was likely called in as they can get lab work done a LOT quicker than locals. I also highly doubt the police are being closed-mouthed as one of them is involved. If they have evidence, not enough for an arrest but enough where someone is on their radar they don't say anything so that person doesn't cut and run. That's pretty standard procedure.

Any ideas on why they'd call in US Department of Homeland Security?

 

[CluelessWonder]

There are so many organizations that are now part of Homeland Security. It's mind-boggling. ICE, U.S. Customs, Border Protection, TSA. They also have labs and process a lot of evidence, including digital devices, computers, etc. They could be involved in this situation for a number of reasons. Just to name a few possibilities: drug running across U.S. borders, the involvement of illegal immigrants in what happened and air travel. It could be as simple as telling TSA agents to be on the lookout for a woman who fits her description.

 

[YaYa_521]

Police Continue Search For 50-Year-Old Woman Missing Since Early June
20 Jul 2021
SBM

"Come home. We love you, come home," Gessing's fiancé S. H. said. "I hope she's okay. I just want her home. Her son wants her home." H. has been cooperating with the investigation, according to police. He provided officials his phone for forensic analysis, allowed for a complete search of their house and gave footage from their doorbell camera.

Police said detectives are currently in the process of obtaining more search warrants, but would not provide further details.

 

[Acorunadepor]

Police Continue Search For 50-Year-Old Woman Missing Since Early June
20 Jul 2021
SBM

"Come home. We love you, come home," Gessing's fiancé S. H. said. "I hope she's okay. I just want her home. Her son wants her home." H. has been cooperating with the investigation, according to police. He provided officials his phone for forensic analysis, allowed for a complete search of their house and gave footage from their doorbell camera.

Police said detectives are currently in the process of obtaining more search warrants, but would not provide further details.

Miraculously finding her phone through an unknown third person (!) is going to be the key in this case IMO.

LE is on top of that story, hence the search warrants.