Sunday, October 24, 2010

Beth Bentley - Week 22

It was TWENTY-TWO (22!) weeks ago that Beth Bentley is reported to have disappeared from Centralia, Ill. Many are not sure now that it was even from Centralia. Could have been Mt. Vernon and anywhere between Mt. Vernon and Woodstock, and maybe nowhere near any of those places.

The last announcement of the lead investigatory law enforcement agency, the Woodstock Police Department, was on June 9. At that time WPD classified Beth as Missing and Endangered, but without any explanation of "endangered". Nothing was reported about her missing any medications, being at a known health risk, having been threatended by anyone, suffering any memory problems, etc. So, what did "endangered" really mean?

The reward fund is stagnant. There are three components to it:
Up to $1,000, Crime Stoppers of Woodstock;
Up to $1,000, CrimeStoppers for McHenry County; and
$3,000 from another source (not known if it is an "up to" reward)

The Crime Stoppers of Woodstock reward was broadened to include information that would lead to her whereabouts.

CrimeStoppers for McHenry County (a separate CrimeStoppers organization) is hiding out behind a P.O. Box and is very difficult to contact. They took a month to reply to my first letter and then the Secretary chastised me for not understanding CrimeStoppers. I have re-contacted them for the information requested the first time. They are apparently a 501(c)(3) organization and cannot hide.

The McHenry County Sheriff's Department, although it furnishes dispatchers for the tip line, refused to provide a contact other than the P.O. Box, and the Undersheriff did not acknowledge or reply to my September 16th request for information. He told a reporter that he has never received an email from me. My September 16th email wasn't returned as undeliverable, so what happened to it?

And the $3,000 reward fund? Presumably, the Bentley family (that would be Scott Bentley) is in charge of that. Will it pay out if somebody spots Beth at a bus stop? Are the funds escrowed for the reward? Or does someone know it's a sure thing that she won't be spotted at a bus stop?

Information to follow about a new billboard in southern Illinois...

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