FBI Now Involved In Wendy Gessing Disappearance: Crest Hill

CREST HILL, IL — It's been almost three full weeks since Wendy Gessing was last seen in Crest Hill, near Raynor Avenue and Theodore Street. Now, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Will County Sheriff's Department are helping investigate the missing person case, Crest Hill Police Chief Ed Clark told Joliet Patch on Wednesday afternoon.

At no point since her June 12 disappearance has the 50-year-old Gessing tried to contact any of her friends, family or other acquaintances, according to police. She lives on Hosmer Lane with her long-time boyfriend, and Crest Hill police have said that Gessing's "significant other" has been extremely helpful in the ongoing missing person's investigation.

Now, three weeks into the disappearance, Crest Hill police are becoming more concerned about Gessing's safety and welfare, Chief Clark acknowledged. The Crest Hill woman has worked for several years at the Pizzas By Marchelloni restaurant near the corner of Theodore and Raynor Avenue, which is owned by her boyfriend.

"We are constantly working this, and we've enlisted outside assistance from the FBI, Homeland Security, and we're getting assistance from the Will County Sheriff's Department," Clark told Patch on Wednesday.

To preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation, Clark said he did not want to disclose why those particular agencies were asked to help in the Crest Hill woman's disappearance.

The chief also would not disclose the specific roles each of those outside agencies are providing to Crest Hill.

Besides the last confirmed sighting of Gessing on June 12, which was a Saturday, there have been three noteworthy developments in the case that Crest Hill police have disclosed:

Multiple people had told police they thought they saw Gessing inside the Joliet Motel 6 near McDonough Street and Larkin Avenue on June 16.

One of Gessing's vehicles, a gray Honda CRV, was found in Joliet in the 400 block of Buell Avenue the next day, June 17.

Gessing's cell phone was recovered a few days later in the village of Romeoville in the area of Taylor Road.

During Wednesday's interview, the Crest Hill chief said 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," Clark said of investigators.

The ongoing investigation into Gessing's whereabouts has mostly focused on the Joliet and Crest Hill areas, the chief said.

Clark said it remains undetermined as to why Gessing's cell phone turned up in Romeoville. The distance from where Gessing's car was found on Buell Avenue in Joliet to Taylor Road in Romeoville is roughly 9 miles.

"We don't have evidence to show how that phone was left there," Clark remarked. "We don't know."

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

Patch asked if enlisting the FBI, Will County and Homeland Security has been productive for Crest Hill, which has put Investigator Conor Sweeney in charge of the case.

"It's been helpful," Clark said. "We remain hopeful that we can still find Wendy."