IL IL - Veronica Blumhorst, 21, Mendota, 20 Sep 1990

[Kat]

The Doe Network:
Case File 2372DFIL

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2372dfil.html

Veronica Jill Blumhorst
Missing since September 20, 1990 from Mendota, La Salle County, Illinois
Classification: Missing



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Vital Statistics

Age at Time of Disappearance: 21 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'0"; 100 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blonde short hair; green/hazel eyes. Wearing wire rim glasses.
Marks, Scars: Surgical scar on knee, scar on elbow, scar on chest. Pierced ears.
Clothing: Off white corduroy pants, a mint green tank top, and a green sweater. Blue sapphire class ring, black watch.
Dentals: Available
DNA: Available


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Circumstances of Disappearance
Veronica Blumhorst was last seen leaving her place of employment in Mendota, Illinois during the early morning hours of September 20, 1990.
Blumhorst left work at Super Value Grocery Store, her vehicle was found parked in the garage of her residence just four blocks away from her place of employment the following morning.

Local law enforcement authorities were contacted and an extensive investigation was conducted, however Blumhorst whereabouts remain unknown.
In September 1991 dogs searched for the body of Veronica Blumhorst, in southern Lee County, including property surrounding the home of her boyfriend, but came up empty.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Mendota Police Department
815-539-9331

Agency Case Number: 90-3157

NCIC Number: M-943176792
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
Illinois Missing Adults
alt.missing-kids
Unsolved in the News
The Journal Star

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/blumhorst_veronica.html
More details at Charley Project.

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/7572/0/
NamUs Profile:
Dental: Charted and entered
DNA: Sample submitted-tests complete
Fingerprints: NA

snipped case report from NamUs:

Circumstances Veronica Blumhorst departed her place of employment located at 1207 13th. Avenue, Mendota, Illinois at approximately 1:05 A.M on September 20, 1990. Blumhorst's vehicle was discovered parked in her garage at 1204 Monroe Street, Mendota later that morning. Veronica was last seen driving away from her place of employment and has not been seen since.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=26416306&blogId=132750126

http://am1250wspl.com/MENDOTA---The-Veronica-Blumhorst-Memorial-Expo-for/8051936

http://findveronica.blogspot.com/2007/12/welcome-to-find-veronica-blumhorst.html

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...28_1_body-dental-records-manual-strangulation
1993 article that only mentions Veronica.

There appears to have been an article that was published within the last 60-90 days but I can't find it online or archived. Just references to it that says no article when I click on the link.

Veronica has been missing almost 20 years. She is dearly missed by her family. Come home soon.

 

[Claudette]

I couldn't find anything either.

I have been trying to find a "pet case" in Illinois, where I'm from, that I think is solvable but so far there isn't much information on any cases that I come across - even those that have occurred in the last few years.

 

[Claudette]

ps - as you noticed, in 5 days it will be 20 years since she vanished (1990 was 20 years ago? omg.). It sounds like the town has not forgotten about her, hopefully with the internet now being around there will be a spike in interest in her case.

 

[Peter J.]

Hi All,

I don’t post on WS that much anymore but wanted to fill you in on what’s happening concerning the twentieth anniversary of Veronica’s disappearance.

Memorial to mark 20 years since Mendota woman's disappearance

LaSalle News Tribune
By Tamara Abbey
Friday, September 03, 2010

“It’s been 20 years since Veronica Blumhorst, also know as the “bubbly grocery store clerk” pulled into her family’s garage and vanished.

The uncertainty about the events that took her from her family remain as vivid today as they did 20 years ago, but her younger brother, Todd, has decided it is time to find some peace.

Her family may never know exactly what happened to her, but Todd believes she has died and is now guiding him as he plans an all-day event in her honor and to help other area families.

“The Veronica Blumhorst Memorial Expo for a Safer Community” will be 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19 at Mendota’s Tri-County Fairgrounds…”

Complete news report, additional news reports, and photo of Veronica at my link:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1712645&l=d1730355e4&id=1212153052

Peter

 

[STANDREID]

Miss Blumhorst's case is one of the most notorious vanishings here in Central Illinois - the others, to my knowledge, being Fay Rawley 1953 and Walter Donley 1943.

 

[summer_breeze]

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/show/7572

Case Information
Status Missing
First name Veronica
Middle name Jill
Last name Blumhorst
Nickname/Alias
Date LKA September 20, 1990 - 01:07
Date entered June 29, 2010
Age LKA 21 to years old
Age now 42 years old
Race White
Ethnicity
Sex Female
Height 60.0 to 61.0 inches
Weight 99.0 to 100.0 pounds

 

[Cubby]

:bump:

 

[ToddB]

My name is Todd and I am Veronica's brother. First of all, thanks to everyone who is concerned about finding her. I have seen links to her Facebook on here, but I also have made a full website for her as well. Here is a link: http://toddblumhorst.wix.com/veronica . This page has a lot of early articles and what we have done to search for her from the paranormal to canine cadaver dog searches.

I wanted to ask for your help and some ideas on the cadaver dogs and searching for an old grave in a wooded area with ground radar. There was a location that I always had strange feelings when I went there and several paranormal and weird events have happened here before when I was there or when I had "ghost hunters" working on her case (their videos are on her full website under The Paranormal Investigation)

In September of 2012 I secured a volunteer organization who used cadaver dogs. They went to the boyfriend's old home (nothing there) and then these woods. The dogs (2 canines) both indicated in two areas of these woods; one of the dogs were nationally certified the other had been prior but due to the handler getting an injury it was not currently certified nationally.

This past Sunday (06/02/13) they took three dogs (2 nationally certified) and hit in one of the areas again. She said they were extremely interested in this area. Ironically, it is the same spot where the heavy paranormal videos were taken. You will see me in a 2010 video getting touched- it is this spot.

I have a bad relationship with the police handling her case. They made many many errors early on in the case. It has been years since I have even heard from them. I did call them Monday and gave him the information we had, the Lt. sounded optimistic. There is an FBI agent as well that is on her case, I also let him know to ensure the information was followed up.

I just want information that would be helpful to me to make sure they are doing what they need to do in her case. Does ground penetrating radar work well in areas with dead underbrush? I have photos of the woods if you wanted to see what it was like in there. I think 5 cadaver dogs focusing on one area is a great indication from all I have learned about their work. What do you all think? Credible? It has now been 23 years almost, I just want to find her remains. We know she is gone. She needs justice.

We know who did it as well, but since there is no body, then no crime happened. This spot that the dogs indicated would make total sense for him to dispose of her there. It is close to the farm he lived on at the time.

 

[Wagara]

I can't help you but I wish you all the best. I hope you find your sister.

WagaraTapaTalk

 

[inthedark14]

Todd, I'm so sorry for the loss of your sister. :rose:

I spent a lot of time in the area (at Woodhaven) from the early nineties to about 2002. I never heard about your sister, which isn't surprising because we were only there on weekends for the most part. Your website is great and you've done a wonderful job of keeping the information on your sister out there. I hope that you find justice for her and for your family. It's such a small, yet vast place, that part of Illinois. So much open space, so few people. It really is lovely, driving through the area I always had dreams of living in such a place. I truly hope that LE pays attention and checks into the information you've provided them. You are a wonderful brother and I am sure she is proud of you.

 

[grange]

I hope you find peace Todd and fingers crossed justice will eventually be served.

 

[STANDREID]

There were several women who were murdered or disappeared in that area around the same time, including Tammy Zywicki, so I would not get too fixated on ex-borfriends or whatever (not that they can be excluded either). At the time, my girlfriend lived in Minonk, IL and we thought this guy was a serial killer and called him the Cornfield Strangler.

 

[deca]

Todd,
I don't know anything that could be of help to you- but we do have a SAR thread around here with a few experts that post. Maybe you can post the same question over there?

 

[Skully]

Todd,

First let me say how sorry I am that you and your family have gone though such a horrible experience and the loss of your sister. I can't even imagine it.

I found this link on SAR Information and finding graves in different areas. You can skip the first few pages, it starts around page 10 if you don't want to read how a body goes though the stages. Clink on the link it is the first article and it is very good if you are searching in the woods or for a shallow grave.

I will check out your web site too. I do believe people that have crossed over try to connect with us. I know my dad has on many occasions, so follow your heart and best to you and your family.


http://sarti.us/sarti/reference.php

 

[STANDREID]

There were several women who were murdered or disappeared in that area around the same time, including Tammy Zywicki, so I would not get too fixated on ex-boyfriends or whatever (not that they can be excluded either). At the time, my girlfriend lived in Minonk, IL and we thought this guy was a serial killer and called him the Cornfield Strangler.

Others besides Veronica and Tammy were Robin Abrams, who vanished from Beecher, IL in 1990, and an unidentified murdered woman who was found in a farmer's field near Norway, IL in 1991.

 

[Oriah]

My name is Todd and I am Veronica's brother. First of all, thanks to everyone who is concerned about finding her. I have seen links to her Facebook on here, but I also have made a full website for her as well. Here is a link: http://toddblumhorst.wix.com/veronica . This page has a lot of early articles and what we have done to search for her from the paranormal to canine cadaver dog searches.

I wanted to ask for your help and some ideas on the cadaver dogs and searching for an old grave in a wooded area with ground radar. There was a location that I always had strange feelings when I went there and several paranormal and weird events have happened here before when I was there or when I had "ghost hunters" working on her case (their videos are on her full website under The Paranormal Investigation)

In September of 2012 I secured a volunteer organization who used cadaver dogs. They went to the boyfriend's old home (nothing there) and then these woods. The dogs (2 canines) both indicated in two areas of these woods; one of the dogs were nationally certified the other had been prior but due to the handler getting an injury it was not currently certified nationally.

This past Sunday (06/02/13) they took three dogs (2 nationally certified) and hit in one of the areas again. She said they were extremely interested in this area. Ironically, it is the same spot where the heavy paranormal videos were taken. You will see me in a 2010 video getting touched- it is this spot.

I have a bad relationship with the police handling her case. They made many many errors early on in the case. It has been years since I have even heard from them. I did call them Monday and gave him the information we had, the Lt. sounded optimistic. There is an FBI agent as well that is on her case, I also let him know to ensure the information was followed up.

I just want information that would be helpful to me to make sure they are doing what they need to do in her case. Does ground penetrating radar work well in areas with dead underbrush? I have photos of the woods if you wanted to see what it was like in there. I think 5 cadaver dogs focusing on one area is a great indication from all I have learned about their work. What do you all think? Credible? It has now been 23 years almost, I just want to find her remains. We know she is gone. She needs justice.

We know who did it as well, but since there is no body, then no crime happened. This spot that the dogs indicated would make total sense for him to dispose of her there. It is close to the farm he lived on at the time.

Welcome ToddB, although I'm so sorry you have a need to be here.

If there are any questions I can help with regarding SAR HRD K9's, GPR, or most other SAR techniques-including locating old graves or aged remains- you will usually find us in the Parking Lot SAR area. Please feel free to ask any specific questions down there related to searches, and we will see them quickly.

Oriah

 

[Cubby]

Welcome to WS. ToddB. I hope we can be of some help bringing your sister home.


Has any ground penetrating radar ever been done in this area dogs hit? LE working the case now, is probably not anyone who worked the case in the early days of her disappearance, so I would hope you would give LE a chance. Honey attracts more flys than vinegar type thing....

Have you ever tried contacting, NecroSearch International? Maybe LE would be willing to work with them?

From their site:

NecroSearch International is a volunteer multidisciplinary team dedicated to assisting law enforcement in the location of clandestine graves and the recovery of evidence (including human remains) from those graves.

The NecroSearch mission is to assist law enforcement agencies by providing applied research, training, and on-site investigations. NecroSearch scientists and investigators work on a volunteer basis.

http://www.necrosearch.org/

There is a lot more at the site.

hth

 

[Cubby]

Todd, Here is the link to the Search and Rescue area in the Parking Lot (a members only area) Oriah mentioned above.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[Miss Chevious]

I just wanted to bump and tell all that Veronica's brother Todd, who has never relented in the search for information about his sister, is very ill.

It is the fervent wish of all those who knew Veronica or her family to ask for continuing efforts in bring Veronica, or knowledge of her disappearance, back to her loved ones.

(I went to HS with her sister Caroline.)

 

[MagnoliaMountain]

Thinking of Veronica and praying for her brother Todd.