Beth Bentley - gone 91 weeks now

How does a week pass so quickly? It seems only yesterday that it was Beth's birthday, but it was a week ago, on February 12, at the 90-week mark.

Is there anything going on in the case? Any further investigation? Any leads?

The Illinois State Police (ISP) denied a FOIA request for all information, even such innocuous information as their last contact with the Woodstock Police Department. What in the world could be top-secret about that?

ISP stalled me and asked for seven additional days to respond, claiming the records were somewhere other than in Springfield. Of course, they are somewhere else. Probably in DuQuoin, at the ISP Investigations zone office there.

The reasons for denial were remarkably similar to the reasons that Woodstock P.D. gave me when denying my FOIA request to it. "On-going investigation". Release of information could ...(you can guess the rest). I'm debating whether to file a Request for Review with the Attorney General's Office. I certainly don't see how providing the date of the last contact with the Woodstock PD could jeopardize any investigation.

How can missing women all over the country get so much publicity and be found so quickly, but a missing Woodstock woman can't even merit occasional press conferences by the police chief or the family with some real information? When the police department has nothing to say in a case that is now 21 months old, the public can reasonably believe that nothing is happening. Is nothing happening?

Obviously, the missing women who are murdered and found quickly get the headlines. There are probably thousands of women missing. Are all the cases as cold as this one?

How many of those women are likely to be women who did disappear on their own, fleeing abusive husbands who had threatened to kill them? It's a whole lot better to run than to be found dead. But tell someone you're going; okay?

What's even better is to buy a good gun and learn how to use it. Line up a good teacher, practice a lot and be on Red Alert all the time. And, if he breaks in and comes for you, drop him. No warning shots. No "shoot to injure". Don't try to shoot the knife out of his hand.

Remember to keep your mouth shut until your lawyer is with you. About all you'll want to say is, "He broke into my house, came at me with a knife and said he was going to slit my throat." Then shut up!