WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:04.879 This podcast is based on information sourced primarily from police 2 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:09.519 and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details 3 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:14.359 may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons. 4 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:19.679 While the events in cases discussed are based on real investigations, 5 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:24.879 some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes. 6 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:29.879 Voice actors have been used to read from statements or documents. 7 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:36.159 All information presented is intended solely to inform and raise awareness. 8 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:41.039 Hosts may discuss theories regarding the cases examined in this podcast, 9 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:45.880 but such discussions are not intended to and should not 10 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:51.399 be considered by the listener to be legal conclusions. All 11 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:56.799 persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty in a 12 00:00:56.840 --> 00:00:59.920 court of law. Listener discretion is advised. 13 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:05.719 This is Chief Anna Lally. Welcome to Somebody Knows Something, 14 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.280 a podcast from the Elgin Police Department's Cold Case Unit. 15 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.599 In this podcast, we will shed new light on cold 16 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:16.359 cases in the city of Elgin by sharing untold details 17 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:20.439 and by encouraging anyone with information to come forward. You 18 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.280 will come along with real cold case detectives as they 19 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:26.799 investigate active cold cases in real time and seek justice 20 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:30.400 for the victims and closure for their families. We believe 21 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:33.120 that the Elgin Police Department and our community can work 22 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:36.640 together to bring closure to cold cases because we know 23 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:44.640 that in these cases, somebody knows something. 24 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:49.280 Hello and welcome to somebody knows something. The Elgin Police 25 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:52.640 Department Cold Case Podcast, My name is Detective Andrew Howton 26 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:54.599 an Undetective Chris Hall. 27 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:59.239 Last episode, we visited sites related to Whyteria's time here 28 00:01:59.239 --> 00:02:02.319 in Elgin. We discussed our first two theories for her case. 29 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:05.680 For this episode, we were hitting the road and traveling 30 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.439 to joliet Illinois to search for more answers in Wateria's case. 31 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.120 As we consider our theory that Waititia left Elgin and 32 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:14.240 traveled to Joliette. 33 00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:26.960 Before we head to Joliette, let's talk a little bit 34 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:28.800 about the city and its history for people who were 35 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:33.319 not from Illinois or maybe not familiar with it. Joliette 36 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:36.560 is located in will County, Illinois, approximately forty miles southwest 37 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:37.840 of Chicago and just a. 38 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:39.319 Little over fifty miles from Elgin. 39 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:43.479 Joliette was founded in eighteen thirty one, four years before Elgin, 40 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:46.520 and in the years after the Blackhawk War, settlers flocked 41 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:48.919 to the area because it became known as fertile soil 42 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.120 and had access to the Splains River. By eighteen fifty one, 43 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:54.840 the city of Joliette was incorporated and had a population of. 44 00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:56.439 Just under twenty seven hundred people. 45 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.319 The Joliette of today boasts the population of overhall hundred 46 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:03.400 and fifty thousand people, making it the third largest city 47 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:06.840 in Illinois, behind Chicago and Aurora. But even in the 48 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:10.360 early nineteen eighties, Joliette was already growing. It had become 49 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.560 a moderately sized city with the population of around seventy 50 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:17.360 eight thousand people in their early nineteen eighties, almost identical 51 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:21.080 to Elgin's population. Joliette at that time was the eighth 52 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:24.400 largest city in Illinois and Elgin was the ninth. So 53 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:28.159 when Waitiia went missing, she was potentially leaving behind a 54 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:31.639 blue collar industrial hub for another. And because both were 55 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:34.400 large urban centers, there were at least two major ways 56 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:35.599 to travel to them. 57 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:38.520 The first mode of transportation from Elgin to Joliette was 58 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:41.800 by the Highway. Joliette is situated along the historic Route 59 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:45.199 sixty six, which was established on November eleventh, nineteen twenty six, 60 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:48.080 and ran nearly twenty five hundred miles across eight states, 61 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:51.680 from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. The highway was 62 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:54.360 paved in nineteen thirty eight. It connected hundreds of small 63 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:58.800 rural communities to larger urban centers, including Joliette. Since Wateria 64 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:00.479 didn't have a car, and you know that she was 65 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:03.919 allegedly spotted at a bus stop somewhere downtown, a stop 66 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:06.080 that we think we've identified on Grove Street, a bus 67 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:08.240 seems like the most logical option for her to use 68 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:10.479 the highway system, but it is possible she could have 69 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:12.479 gotten a ride from someone else or found another way 70 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:15.400 to travel. Again, that's why we need more information about 71 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:16.959 her social circles here in Elgin. 72 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:29.920 Taking that into consideration, we did some research into bus 73 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:32.959 lines from the nineteen seventies and nineteen eighties, and there 74 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:36.439 were two main companies that operated intercity and interstate buses 75 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:39.800 in Illinois. The first company was Greyhound, which most people 76 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:43.079 are probably pretty familiar with, and the second was Trailways. 77 00:04:43.319 --> 00:04:46.079 According to the New York Times, by nineteen eighty three, 78 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:49.959 Greyhound operated nearly four thousand buses in the United States 79 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:53.279 and carried approximately sixty percent of all inner city bus traffic. 80 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:57.639 Trailways also operated buses, but most people today probably have 81 00:04:57.720 --> 00:05:00.639 never heard of them. In fact, Trailways disappeared nineteen eighty 82 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:03.600 seven when Greyhound bought the company and fully absorbed it. 83 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:06.319 Chris Beth and I did a lot of digging and 84 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:08.920 located some maps that depicted routes for both companies from 85 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:11.399 the late nineteen seventies and into the early nineteen eighties. 86 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:13.720 As far as we can tell, at least at this point, 87 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:16.560 we have not found any direct Greyhound or Trailway buses 88 00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:19.720 from Elgin directly to Joliet or Elgin directly to Aurora, 89 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.639 which kind of makes sense. Chicago's close enough that it's 90 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:24.759 a major hub. Based on the maps we did locate 91 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.680 Whyteria could have taken a Greyhound bus from Elgin to Chicago. 92 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:30.480 Then from Chicago she could basically get anywhere in the country. 93 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:33.680 There were Trailway buses that ran from Chicago to both Aurora, 94 00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:36.360 where she had previously lived, and a Joliette and multiple 95 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:38.600 bus lines of all sorts that come out of Chicago 96 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:41.360 to regional cities or other areas around the country. So 97 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:44.800 if she did take an intercity bus like Trailways or Greyhound. 98 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.040 It seems most likely that she would go to Chicago 99 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:48.920 and use that main hub to then get back out 100 00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:50.160 to another suburb like. 101 00:05:50.160 --> 00:06:01.040 Joliet Additionally, they were commuter trains in the nineteen eighties 102 00:06:01.079 --> 00:06:03.759 as well, but Metra as we know it today didn't 103 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:09.040 exist yet. The Regional Transit Authority or RTA operated area 104 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:11.560 train lines which later became Metro, and there were no 105 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:15.480 direct train routes from Elgin to Juliette or Aurora. Similar 106 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:18.439 to the Greyhound and Trailways bus routes, Waityia would have 107 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:21.040 had to take a commuter train to downtown Chicago on 108 00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:23.680 the Milwaukee West Line. The train station was just a 109 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:25.959 few blocks from the Douglas Hotel, as we described in 110 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:28.879 our last episode, so it is possible that the witnesses 111 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:32.399 who reportedly saw Whitia possibly waiting for a bus could 112 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:35.079 have potentially seen her waiting to walk a little further 113 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:36.040 to that train station. 114 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:39.279 If Waityia did take a train to Chicago, she would 115 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:40.959 have had a ton of options to get anywhere in 116 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:42.319 Illinois or anywhere in the country. 117 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:42.639 Really. 118 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.360 If she wanted to go to Aurora, Waityia could have 119 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.879 taken the Burlington Northern Line train back to Aurora to 120 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:50.240 the west, or if she planned to go to Joliette, 121 00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:53.120 she had two different options, the Illinois Central Golf Line 122 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:55.839 or the Rock Island Line. The Illinois Central Golf Line 123 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:58.199 seems more likely because it left from Union Station. The 124 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:00.360 line from Elgin would have terminated there, and she wouldn't 125 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:02.240 have had to walk anywhere else with her bags. 126 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:04.279 So theoretically that would make the most sense. 127 00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:07.079 However, she could have taken the Rock Island Line, but 128 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:08.600 she would have had to walk to La Salle Street 129 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:09.839 in Chicago to get on that train. 130 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:12.720 Either way. To get to either Aurora or Joliette. 131 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:14.959 By train, Waityia would have had to travel from Elgin 132 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:16.800 into Chicago and then back out. 133 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:26.000 Speaking of trains, we should also note that Waititiia could 134 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:29.000 potentially take an Amtrak from Chicago to a number of 135 00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:31.800 other cities in Illinois or across the country too. We 136 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:33.600 don't have any reason to think she was planning to 137 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:36.000 do that, but it is important to note that if 138 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.800 she did go to Chicago Wayteryia could literally go anywhere 139 00:07:38.839 --> 00:07:40.680 in the country if she had enough money to buy 140 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:41.720 a ticket on either. 141 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:42.720 A bus or a train. 142 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.639 Overall, Andrew and I have decided that Chicago is another 143 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:48.959 viable option for Waitiia's travels, and we will certainly discuss 144 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.040 Chicago more in future episodes as we consider the options 145 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.439 that Waititiia had backed in nineteen eighty two. 146 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:57.399 The revelation that there was not a direct Greyhound or 147 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.000 Trailways bus or a direct train from Elgin to Joliet 148 00:08:00.439 --> 00:08:02.519 suggests that Wayteria would have had to commute to another 149 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:04.600 city to get there if that was in fact our 150 00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:07.480 final destination, So that adds another layer to this case. 151 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:10.040 Watyia certainly could have gone to the city of Chicago 152 00:08:10.120 --> 00:08:12.439 nineteen eighty two and had something happen there, which is 153 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:14.000 another theory that we have to consider. 154 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:17.040 We would like to thank Bob Webber from the Pullman 155 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:20.319 Library and Bob al Kaire from the Fox River Trolley 156 00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:22.360 Museum for helping us get a bunch of maps from 157 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:25.079 the RTA and Metra. With these old cases, you have 158 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:26.839 to really think outside of the box to try to 159 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.839 track down old records, So Andrew and I reached out 160 00:08:29.879 --> 00:08:32.840 to the Illinois Railway Museum, the Fox River Trolley Museum, 161 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:35.519 and the Pullman Library to find old train and bus 162 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:39.120 schedules and maps. We certainly appreciate the emails and letters 163 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:41.240 we got back from both of them. The records are 164 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.240 really helpful for us to get a better idea of 165 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:45.759 the options that Waiteria had in nineteen eighty two. 166 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:48.480 Bob Webber from the Pullman Museum also gave us another 167 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:52.000 piece of really useful information. In addition to Greyhound and trailways, 168 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:55.039 the RTA, which operated the train lines back then, also 169 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:58.519 operated suburban buses, so Beth, Chris and I decided that 170 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:00.279 we also needed to look at that option as well well. 171 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:03.279 In fact, that option might actually make the most sense. 172 00:09:10.120 --> 00:09:13.080 Similar to trains which are now operated by Metra. The 173 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:16.519 RTA bus doesn't exist anymore either. Pace took over bus 174 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:19.320 services in the area in nineteen eighty four and still 175 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:22.440 operates in Chicagoland, with a large downtown station here in 176 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:25.120 Elgin near the Metro station. So we reached out to 177 00:09:25.159 --> 00:09:27.759 Pace and the company provided us with additional maps and 178 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:31.080 schedules from the nineteen eighties. It appears that the bus 179 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:34.200 lines then were similar to the ones now. We would 180 00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:36.360 like to thank Maggie Daily for helping us out with 181 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:39.639 the old Pace records. We also know that buses and 182 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:42.120 trains are a pretty large hobby for people, so if 183 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:44.960 anyone is listening that has additional information that might be 184 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:47.279 useful for the bus and drain lines, we would really 185 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:51.639 appreciate the assistance. Tracking down the exact locations of bus 186 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.480 stops and lines from forty plus years ago might give 187 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:55.720 us a new trail to follow. 188 00:09:56.440 --> 00:09:59.120 Based on the records that we've gathered so far, Whyteria 189 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:01.440 certainly could have taken in an RTA bus to Chicago, 190 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:03.159 just like the greyhound. 191 00:10:02.759 --> 00:10:03.519 Or train options. 192 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:05.960 The big difference with the RTA bus option is there 193 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:08.600 was a direct route from Elgin to Aurora on Bus 194 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:10.759 eight oh one. That route picked up in Elgin every 195 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:13.279 fifteen to twenty minutes and continued all the way to Aurora, 196 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:15.480 but it didn't go to Joliet. 197 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:18.200 Once we learned that the RTA bus to Aurora could 198 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.000 be an option, who wanted to find out if there 199 00:10:20.039 --> 00:10:23.399 was an RTA bus that directly connected Aurora to Juliet. 200 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:26.120 Based upon the maps we have so far, we haven't 201 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:29.279 found any direct RTA train or bus route from Aurora 202 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:31.799 to Joliet, so it seems like the best way to 203 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:34.039 get to Juliet would still be to take a bus 204 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:37.440 or train to Chicago and then out to juliet. 205 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:38.799 Yeah, if there may have been a way to pop 206 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:41.720 on multiple buses between multiple cities and maneuver her way 207 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:45.240 from Elgin to Joliet via Aurora, but records from RTA 208 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:47.679 maps from the late seventies and early eighties do not 209 00:10:47.720 --> 00:10:50.799 include direct lines that connect Aurora with another city that 210 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:54.000 also connects to joliet Traveling to Chicago remains the easier 211 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:56.200 and quickest hub for that, and she reportedly had. 212 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:56.919 Belongings with her. 213 00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:00.320 Changing multiple buses across multiple cities would not be as 214 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:02.639 likely as just going to Chicago and coming back out 215 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:04.679 on a bus line. It'd be really difficult to use 216 00:11:04.679 --> 00:11:06.679 Aurora as a launch pad to joliet unless she went 217 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:09.720 to Chicago first. We'll talk about Aurora in our next episode, 218 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:11.519 but a big part of this episode was trying to 219 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:13.759 figure out if Waytyia could get to Joliette on an 220 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:16.480 RTA bus or some other way directly from Elgin. 221 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:20.639 Yes, so sticking with Juliette for now, Whytia could have 222 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:23.360 taken in train to Chicago and announce Joliette, or she 223 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:25.639 could have taken either a Greyhound on ARTA bus to 224 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.879 Chicago and then ount to Juliette. Or even possibly she 225 00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:31.480 could have gone to Aurora on the RTA bus but 226 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:34.000 then worked her way back across multiple routes and cities 227 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:37.279 to end up in Joliette. But that last option certainly 228 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:41.039 seems the least likely. If Waitiia was traveling to Juliette, 229 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:43.840 as a witness told police, she was supposed to be 230 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:46.519 going to the Joliette Motor Lodge. But as we started 231 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:50.039 this investigation, we then ran into another problem. There is 232 00:11:50.120 --> 00:12:00.879 and never has been a hotel called the Joliette Motor Lodge. 233 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.440 When it comes to these old cases, Chris and I 234 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.360 have found that some of our best information comes from 235 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:10.000 local historical societies and museums. So for this case, we 236 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:13.639 contacted the Joliet Area Historical Museum and we corresponded with 237 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:16.000 their curator there named Stephen Wright. We want to thank 238 00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:17.600 him for helping us track down a bunch of old 239 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.559 records that really did help us on this case. 240 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.519 The records were received from Stephen were able to indicate 241 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:25.639 that there was no joliet Motor Lodge, but there were 242 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:28.279 two potential hotels that had a similar name. One of 243 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:31.200 which was the Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge in Joliette, which 244 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:33.919 was located at I fifty five in Route fifty two, 245 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:36.879 and the other was the Joliett Motor Hotel, which was 246 00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:41.200 located at three seventy three Western Avenue. The Howard Johnson 247 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:44.519 Motor Lodge changed hands multiple times over the years and 248 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:47.759 was recently demolished, so it is unfortunately no longer in 249 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:50.240 existence today. But Stephen was able to get us some 250 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.720 old phone directories from hotels in the nineteen eighties and 251 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:56.879 joliet and those were extremely helpful. The directories provided exact 252 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:59.879 addresses and in some cases phone numbers, which reminded us 253 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:02.480 that we actually had a phone number listed in the 254 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:06.600 original Elgin police report along with the name Joliett Motor Lodge. 255 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:08.679 Chris and I quickly dug out the old report and 256 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:11.000 we compared the phone number to the nineteen eighties phone 257 00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:14.080 number for the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge, and they were different. 258 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:17.480 So we began to think that the joliet Motor Hotel 259 00:13:17.559 --> 00:13:20.159 might be the better option for this investigation. Of Course, 260 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:22.480 as luck would have it, the old directories didn't even 261 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:25.159 list the Joliet Motor Hotel or a phone number for it. 262 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:27.919 So we were back to square one again, that is, 263 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.240 until Steven sent us a newspaper article that he found 264 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:33.000 about the Joliet Motor Hotel that was published in nineteen 265 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:33.519 eighty four. 266 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:37.399 Stephen came across a news clipping from the October twentieth, 267 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:41.039 nineteen eighty four edition of the Joliet Herald News. The 268 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:44.639 article mentioned that the Joliet Motor Hotel, discussed that the 269 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:48.159 property had numerous code violations, and even noted that nearly 270 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:51.480 one hundred people occupied the nine story hotel as of 271 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:54.879 nineteen eighty four. The hotel was also delinquent on water 272 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:57.679 and sewage bills, with the city threatening to cut. 273 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.039 Off the water later that week. 274 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.440 The final line of the article held that the information 275 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:04.000 that we were looking for. It mentioned that the owners 276 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:07.360 of the Joliet Motor Hotel had previously owned a hotel 277 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:11.639 in Elgin, and it named those owners Chester and June Zema. 278 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:14.399 As soon as Chris and I read the article, we 279 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:16.200 immediately knew we were on the right track with the 280 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:19.919 Joliet Motor Hotel because we recognized that last name Zema. 281 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:23.080 In fact, as listeners know from our last episode. The 282 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:25.759 hotel that the Zema's owned an Elgin was the Douglas Hotel. 283 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:28.480 So Chris and I both firmly believe that if Waityia 284 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:31.200 was going to the Joliet Motor Lodge, as she allegedly 285 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:35.159 told another witness, she actually met the Joliet Motor Hotel. 286 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:38.799 That location certainly makes sense. Waitiia was living in a 287 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:41.960 hotel that the Zemas were operating in Elgin, and so 288 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:44.000 it seems likely that she would know that they had 289 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:46.679 another hotel. It also makes sense that the owners would 290 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:49.720 potentially tell residents that they could accept them at that 291 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:53.600 other property once the Douglas Hotel closed. That, along with 292 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:56.519 the fact that an independent witness told police that Wayitiia 293 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:59.759 mentioned moving to Joliet, makes at least sense that that's 294 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:01.720 hospital she was considering that option. 295 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.840 Absolutely, it certainly seems most likely that the hotel and Joliet, 296 00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:08.120 if she was planning to go there, would have been 297 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:12.240 the Joliet Motor Hotel located at three seventy three Western Avenue. 298 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:15.879 Because the physical building still exists, we decided that we 299 00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:16.919 should check it out in person. 300 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:17.360 To see it. 301 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:20.080 Detective Striker came along with us as we visited the 302 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.840 former hotel called the Joliet Motor Hotel. 303 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:28.240 So this is the hotel. 304 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:32.480 Yep, this is literally triple the size of the Douglas Hotel. 305 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:33.120 That's crazy. 306 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:36.039 It's still pretty in shape. So it's head and side 307 00:15:36.039 --> 00:15:36.559 and take a look. 308 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:43.759 Yeah, sounds good, all right, So we went into the 309 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:45.759 hotel and it turns out it's an apartment. 310 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:46.039 Now. 311 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:52.120 Back then in the eighties, the upper third through ninth 312 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:55.240 floor were kind of apartments and the first two floors 313 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:58.080 were hotels, right correct, Yeah. 314 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:02.320 The lady that worked at the desk said that the 315 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:07.960 current owners bought it in nineteen ninety five from the 316 00:16:08.039 --> 00:16:11.759 Zema family who had owned the Douglas Hotel in alg. 317 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:16.480 Yeah, we were able to meet with an actual resident 318 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:19.559 who lived here since about nineteen seventy seven, and so 319 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.879 he did not remember why Chirier looked at some photos 320 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:25.399 of her, but he did know the family owned a 321 00:16:25.399 --> 00:16:28.840 different hotel in Elgin and he actually hold something kind 322 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:29.799 of interesting, right, Chris. 323 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:36.480 Yeah, He told us that he, along with several other residents, 324 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:40.639 eventually got on a believe a Greyhound bus and went 325 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:44.000 all the way down to Texas to relocate to another location. 326 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:44.519 Down there. 327 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:47.320 Yeah, because the Zema family owned a hotel down there. Apparently, 328 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:51.200 unfortunately he did not recall Whiteitiria being one. 329 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:52.720 Of the people that went with him. 330 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:56.200 But it sounds like when this hotel was either closing 331 00:16:56.279 --> 00:16:59.200 or there are some issues here, the owners put several 332 00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:00.559 of the tenants on a bus and took them to 333 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:02.519 another hotel. So now we have to kind of consider 334 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:05.079 that as an option for Elgin. You know, maybe they 335 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:07.920 put people on a bus there and just brought them 336 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.720 over here to the Douglas. 337 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:12.920 I mean, if they had a place in Texas this 338 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:16.079 whole time, that's obviously an option too. Maybe some people 339 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:18.240 went down there from Elgin. Maybe they didn't come here 340 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:18.720 first too. 341 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:23.720 Yeah, for sure, still put up another potential entire location 342 00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:24.400 to look at. 343 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:27.799 Yeah, so now we have to consider Texas as an option. 344 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:35.000 And I'm hoping maybe I know these the people we 345 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:37.440 talked to you who work here now said that they 346 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:41.920 are part of the historical society and Juliet and that 347 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.240 they are interested in the history. So maybe if they 348 00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:46.759 they were incredibly helpful. Yeah, and maybe if they come 349 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.759 across something or if they you know, yeah, some records, 350 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:52.039 some records they can they'll call us and let us know, 351 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:56.119 or they come across somebody else who might have some 352 00:17:56.119 --> 00:18:00.039 more knowledge or lived here back then. I know the 353 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.359 resident who lived here. He has spent here since he 354 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:04.079 was eighteen, and. 355 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:05.160 He's what he said he's going to be. 356 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:07.680 Yeah, he's sixties sixty. 357 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:08.400 Yeah, he said that. 358 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:10.319 The hope when it was a hotel. 359 00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:12.240 On the bottom floor is like the long term extended state. 360 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:14.720 It was single person room, so you didn't have roommates. 361 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:18.319 My apartments upstairs were in a little bit more so 362 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:21.519 we would maybe assume that if Lacheria did come here 363 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:23.200 that she would have her own room. It's a cheaper 364 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:27.119 option for her. The only records they could find were 365 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:29.640 some paybooks from the nineteen eighties. It was nineteen eighty nine. 366 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:31.799 It looks like it was about eighty five bucks to 367 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:36.359 stay here for the month. For the month, but this 368 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:38.880 resident said that he would get his checks from the 369 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:40.920 state for his Social Security and that's how he would 370 00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:43.119 pay for his stay. So it sounds like that's pretty 371 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:47.839 similar over was one on Belgian as well. But yeah, overall, 372 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:49.880 some good new information for us. 373 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:51.160 You're a Joliet. 374 00:18:50.799 --> 00:19:00.240 Interesting similarly to the Douglas Hotel we don't have many 375 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:04.119 records of tenants for the Joliet Motor Hotel. Wateria also 376 00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:07.119 is not listed in federal census records for the Joliet 377 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.039 Motor Lodge like she was for the Douglas Hotel, so 378 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:12.039 we can't confirm it she ever even made it there. 379 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:15.559 The original witness who told police that Wayteria planned to 380 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:18.480 go to Joliette also set in nineteen eighty three that 381 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:20.839 she had called the hotel and that they told her 382 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:23.960 that Waititia had never been a tenant there. So what's 383 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:26.720 likely that even if records didn't exist, and given her 384 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:29.799 absence in the census records, Wayteria would not be listed. 385 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:32.559 It seems like even though we've identified the location that 386 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:34.960 she may have been going to, we've hit another dead end. 387 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:42.359 Another thing we did for this episode was reviewed numerous 388 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:45.160 missing person cases from Will County, which is where Joliet 389 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:48.079 is located. Just like Kinge County and other areas of Illinois, 390 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:52.279 there are many more people missing than people probably realize. 391 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:55.359 Our goal in reviewing missing persons cases for the area 392 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:58.400 was to look for any missing person's cases involving women 393 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:01.440 in the area from the early night eighties, when myteria 394 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:03.799 could have been in will County. So as we have 395 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:06.359 come through these old cases, we came across a few 396 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:09.039 that we want to briefly touch on. The first case 397 00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:12.119 is from Frankfurt, Illinois, which is roughly fifteen miles east 398 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:14.519 of Joliet, and it involves a sixteen year old girl 399 00:20:14.599 --> 00:20:17.960 named April rose Zaane. The records for her case are 400 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:21.160 a little spotty, but she disappeared on either Easter Sunday 401 00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:24.359