Remember one of the first stories about Beth Bentley's disappearance?
The Woodstock Independent carried this as part of the story in its May 27, 2010 online edition:
"Bentley, who resides in Woodstock, left her home Thursday, May 20, in the company of a friend and travelled to southern Illinois. Bentley reportedly was last seen in Centralia May 23 boarding a train bound for Chicago.
"It was believed that Bentley would then return to Woodstock from Chicago May 24; however, she has not returned nor has she been heard from by her family or known friends."
It wasn't long until many people knew that Beth had never taken the train and had never intended to. Yet that story still has legs. Where did the "last seen ... boarding a train" part come from? Had to come from Jennifer Wyatt; right? Or was it second-hand information? People went to Centralia to look for her. People reportedly went to Union Station in the Chicago Loop to put up fliers. When was that trip to Union Station? Was it June 5, 2010?
Jenn Wyatt, that traveling companion of that fateful week-end, called me on June 10, 2010, and told me that, while she had driven Beth to Centralia, Beth had never intended to take the train to Chicago. If that's true, why didn't she say so sooner and save the group a trip to the Loop to put up fliers? Or did she?
What, exactly, did Jenn tell the Woodstock Police about the last time she saw Beth - where it was that she saw her and what she believed Beth would be doing? Where and when were they to meet up to return to Woodstock? Or were they?
Even though this is "just" a missing person case and now over a year old, the City of Woodstock has denied my FOIA request to inspect the Police Department's files on this case. The Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor is reviewing that denial. The police have never called this a criminal case. Over a year has passed. The files ought to be open.
Readers are asking me why the F.B.I. is not involved. That's an answer I don't have (yet). I think the answer might be that, so far, there is no evidence of any interstate crime. If drugs are involved and they came into from Illinois and got into Beth's hands, would that be sufficient to bring in the F.B.I.?
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3 comments:
I think the FBI chooses NOT to become involved that’s why. If they suspected kidnapping that is a Federal offense since the Lindbergh Baby. Classified as ‘MISSING” and therein lies the answer.
All I can say is good luck.
First off and foremost>
The McHenry County States Attorney's Office has some Major INTEGRITY PROBLEMS. The top SA, Lou Bianchi and some top SA's were/are under indictment for none other then favoring "friends". Who do you think Scott Bentley is and Scott's "good freind", Ray Flavin? OK, so do you think anything the police do won't get back to them?? Think again.
Secondly
The police had an opportunity to look at this case, as with all good detectives, with an open mind. That did not happen, it was 100% a missing person and at Beth's gage, it's not a crime to take off.
But to look at it with open eyes, that may mean you have to look at the first and always the first, the spouse and a possible domestic situation gone bad. That never happened, so how do you put toothpaste back in the tube... good luck. She missing and even Ray Charles can see that she is most likely deceased.
So maybe when you elect an honest, oath abidding states attorney, maybe, just maybe, you can get to the bottom of it.
By the way, the FBI can lok into the case when a local juristiction requests help.
Several months ago Chief Lowen said the Illinois State Police were to be involved. Never have heard anything about the FBI.
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