Found Deceased IL - Jake Cefolia, 49, jogging, car found, SVP of United Airlines, Chicago, 6 Aug 2020

[Arizonagrl]

He could also have staged it and want people to believe there’s foul play...

 

[tandemcamel]

Some golfers will leave their clubs in their car for a while. It’s not the best for the clubs, but I’ve known multiple guys that do it.

I don’t know that you can read much into the clubs. I’d only question them if say, Jake had them in his car and no one had ever heard of him golfing before.

ETA: He could’ve started heading to the corporate golf event on Aug 8 and then bailed/run into someone, but why wouldn’t he have his cell with him or in the car in those situations?

 

[Spartygirl]

Do you guys think he may have an overseas untraceable account? That would give him $ out of his name and off his records. That may be a source for him. Just curious. JMO

That was my first thought when thinking possible "just took off" scenario

 

[Spartygirl]

I believe the corporate event he missed that day was a golf outing. Sounds to me like he was heading to that and foul play happened somewhere along the way. His clothing certainly sounded more like golf wear than for a run. MOO

Or he wants it to look like he was heading to the golf outing.
I would think he would have his phone with him for a golf outing though, if he truly was going there.
I think he wanted it to look like that is where he was going.
JMO

 

[StarEyes]

In response to a FOIA request, CrimeOnline obtained records and photos related to the search for Cefolia at the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. The documents show that multiple agencies, including the Elmhurst Police Department, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, and the Law Enforcement arm of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, performed extensive searches of the forest preserve, including searches of waterways, on several dates in August.

Among the documents, CrimeOnline obtained images of Cefolia’s Range Rover, which was found abandoned in a dirt or gravel parking lot at Cass Avenue and Bluff Road, adjacent to the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. Among the listed items found in the vehicle are a set of golf clubs, a sweatshirt, and a First Aid kit. The photos also show what appears to be a type of face mask commonly worn to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, hung on or next to the steering wheel. As CrimeOnline previously reported, investigators said there was nothing suspicious found in the vehicle.

Photos of missing United Airlines executive Jake Cefolia’s abandoned car show face mask, clothing item left behind

He was supposed to go golfing that day. That makes me think he didn’t intend to miss it. Hmmmm..... jmo

 

[Cirxe]

He was supposed to go golfing that day. That makes me think he didn’t intend to miss it. Hmmmm..... jmo

Or considered going but ultimately decided to run off. Do we know where the corporate golf outing was? Could help pinpoint if the location his car was found was even in that general direction.

 

[rainynights]

Surveillance video shows missing United Airlines executive Jake Cefolia at gas station; police docs reveal new details about the investigation

Via a FOIA request, CrimeOnline obtained police records pertaining to Cefolia’s disappearance and video footage of his last known sighting on the morning of August 7. According to an Elmhurst Police incident report, Cefolia was spotted at a Shell gas station on Butterfield Road in Elmhurst shortly after 9:15 a.m. on August 7. The grainy surveillance footage appears to show Cefolia fill his dark-colored Range Rover with gas before he drives off.

Cefolia’s vehicle first appears in the footage at about the 3-minute mark:

Police records show that as of August 12, Cefolia’s transaction at the gas station was the last known use of any of his credit cards. Also as of that date, Cefolia had not made any large cash withdrawals.

(more at link/TOS)

 

[LadyL]

His golf clubs were found in his vehicle. Someone matching his description was seen on surveillance at the gas station. Can police confirm with certainty that was in fact Jake at the gas station and not someone who resembled him?

Those clubs in the car leave room for considering foul play, imo. Is it possible someone else drove Jakes car to the location it was found?

I don't understand the connection between the golf clubs being in the car and foul play. Can you elaborate?

 

[moslym3]

It looks to me like he filled up his gas tank. Is that something you do when you do not intend to return to your vehicle? I dunno. That doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

He could also have staged it and want people to believe there’s foul play...

Missing Airline Exec Under Investigation: Elmhurst Police

 

[tandemcamel]

It looks to me like he filled up his gas tank. Is that something you do when you do not intend to return to your vehicle? I dunno. That doesn't make sense to me.

I’m wondering if his gas tank was almost nearly empty and he filled it up so the abandoned car didn’t seem as strange. That would point more toward voluntary disappearance without self-harm, but self-harm still wouldn’t shock me.

 

[StarEyes]

I honestly almost never believe the missing person really disappeared to go start a new life. While I still lean into a simple freak accident, I’m also leaning towards voluntary missing. This is the 1st time I’ve ever felt that way in all my years of true crime. JMO

 

[tandemcamel]

I honestly almost never believe the missing person really disappeared to go start a new life. While I still lean into a simple freak accident, I’m also leaning towards voluntary missing. This is the 1st time I’ve ever felt that way in all my years of true crime. JMO

I still lean self-harm over “started a new life” but like you, I feel this one is strange. It does seem like JC may have had the resources to pull something off. I’d be interested in knowing what arguments there are here against “started a new life” beyond “that doesn’t really happen often and is harder than you’d think.”

There’s no evidence of him withdrawing or squirreling away money, so that piece would require foresight. It also seems like you’d need an accomplice of some kind for transportation, and I feel like it’s hard to buy silence.

 

[StarEyes]

I still lean self-harm over “started a new life” but like you, I feel this one is strange. It does seem like JC may have had the resources to pull something off. I’d be interested in knowing what arguments there are here against “started a new life” beyond “that doesn’t really happen often and is harder than you’d think.”

There’s no evidence of him withdrawing or squirreling away money, so that piece would require foresight. It also seems like you’d need an accomplice of some kind for transportation, and I feel like it’s hard to buy silence.

If it was voluntary, he might have overseas accounts that aren’t traceable to him. He could’ve been squirreling that money away for a very long time. He could’ve even done that to avoid paying in higher tax brackets. That would give him enough to at least lay low for a while. I’m not 100% on board with this at all. I think he’s tooclever to involve anyone else in the alleged plan. All purely jmo.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Surveillance video shows missing United Airlines executive Jake Cefolia at gas station; police docs reveal new details about the investigation

Via a FOIA request, CrimeOnline obtained police records pertaining to Cefolia’s disappearance and video footage of his last known sighting on the morning of August 7. According to an Elmhurst Police incident report, Cefolia was spotted at a Shell gas station on Butterfield Road in Elmhurst shortly after 9:15 a.m. on August 7. The grainy surveillance footage appears to show Cefolia fill his dark-colored Range Rover with gas before he drives off.

Cefolia’s vehicle first appears in the footage at about the 3-minute mark:

Police records show that as of August 12, Cefolia’s transaction at the gas station was the last known use of any of his credit cards. Also as of that date, Cefolia had not made any large cash withdrawals.

(more at link/TOS)

Ok wow!!! The link is full of info! Thank you crimeonline!

Timeline-

Under investigation- not sure when, for what or who knew.
Aug 4 - San Francisco - sees GF #1 who had broke up w/him. He wanted back together. Intoxication mentioned
Aug 5- Flew back to Elmhurst
Aug 6- Family member had dinner with him at his home. Intoxicated
Aug 6- Missed meeting with Realtor home was under contract (Thursday evening mtg)
Aug 7- Video surveillance 9:15am Shell @ Butterfield rd.
Aug 7- Missed corporate event
Aug 7- Gf # 2 can’t reach him
Aug 8- Missed planned dinner with GF #2
Aug 8- Car tag scanned (Cass & Bluff rd)
Aug 8- Reported missing
Aug 8- Car scanned- realized belonged to a missing person.
Aug 11- POA signed doc moving home to a trust.

 

[BeckyF]

Reading about this case reminds of the bizarre case of John Glasgow, an Arkansas business man who disappeared after leaving for work in 2008. His remains were found in 2015. There is no resolution as to how or why he died or how he ended up where he was found.
Body found of LR exec missing since '08

 

[Cubby]

He could also have staged it and want people to believe there’s foul play...

Yes, but why would he choose to stage foul play over an accident? I think it would be much easier for something to appear as an accident than as foul play.

My hinky meter is starting to lean toward the last person to see Jake at his home Thursday. It's possible that person resembles Jake and went about making it appear as if Jake was going about his business Friday. Especially wearing a baseball cap into a gas station.

If the person in the gas station was wearing a mask and a baseball cap, how can it be confirmed that person was Jake?

It's also possible that someone who harmed Jake knew of his plans to attend a golf outing on Friday and planted the car with the clubs inside near the Forest Preserve.

 

[Cubby]

Missing the August 6th meeting with the realtor also leads me to consider foul play. Where was the meeting to be held? Years ago, I was a licensed realtor and I would have gone to the clients home for a meeting.

Also, someone harming him, well, leave the electronic devices at the house and bring his wallet and make one last purchase using Jakes credit card (while wearing a mask and baseball cap).

 

[enelram]

So now we hear there's a 2nd girlfriend in the picture.
Hope LE is tracking all her boyfriends, ex-husbands, close male friends, etc.
And since we don't know what the criminal investigation with JC entails, it's hard to speculate
if there are other people also involved there who
may have wanted JC to disappear.

 

[enelram]

Another thought-
I'd sure like to hear the gist of his last conversations w/ others the last few days before his disappearance.
Was he despondent? Did he sound distant and emotionally troubled?
If he was staying intoxicated, it may be difficult to determine his moods.
The gas station video-
anyone else think it looked like the person sorta looked down and clumsy when walking
back to get in his vehicle?
Gonna go check it again.