270 replies to this topic

[Denise]

http://www.foxnews.c...,273320,00.html
Missing Mom: Cops Obtain Search Warrants for Lisa Stebic's House
Thursday, May 17, 2007
This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," May 16, 2007. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Why did police raid the home of Lisa and Craig Stebic? You have been following this case closely with us. Lisa Stebic, of course, is the mother of two. She vanished more than two weeks ago. Lisa and her husband, Craig, are divorcing, but oddly, despite that decision to divorce five months ago, they've been living in the same house together. After she vanished two weeks ago, Craig quickly filed for sole custody of their children.
So what's up now?
Joining us, Chicago Tribune staff reporter Jo Nepolitano. Jo, any news? I know that there's been an execution of a warrant. When — or a search warrant. When was that?
JO NEPOLITANO, CHICAGO TRIBUNE: That was late Monday night. I believe it started around 11:45 in the evening and carried on well into Tuesday morning.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know how long they were actually at the house and whether anything was removed from the house?
NEPOLITANO: I was — I believe they were at the house approximately four-and-a-half hours, and I'm not sure if anything was removed.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know why it was done late at night, 11:45? I mean, obviously, it seems that — I mean, it seems peculiar. Maybe there's some reason to have a surprise factor, but that's a big surprise.
NEPOLITANO: Yes, I actually asked that same question, and I was told that was when the warrant kind of became available. I couldn't really pin police down on why they chose that specific time. But apparently, Craig and his two children were home at the time.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, it's terrible to ask this question constantly, but you can't help but ask it. The husband — I mean, you always look at the family members. Is he considered to be — he's not a suspect. He's not a person of interest. But is he cooperating?
NEPOLITANO: I believe, initially, when this happened, he was really open about talking with police and he did for several days. Then he kind of — he asked his divorce attorney, Dion Davi, to kind of help him out as he deals with police. And so at that point, he was kind of less willing to talk with them without Davey's presence.
VAN SUSTEREN: And of course, people have asked about a polygraph, which is not necessarily the end-all or it's not truth serum, but nonetheless, he has backed off taking one, is that right, Jo?
NEPOLITANO: Yes, that's correct. His attorney said polygraphs are not reliable. They're often not admissible in court. They could lead to false results, and that's really not what he needs to be doing right now.
VAN SUSTEREN: Jo, thank you.
Joining us, Plainfield police chief Don Bennett. Chief, any update in the search for this woman?
CHIEF DON BENNETT, PLAINFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT: No, Greta, we have no additional leads or information on Lisa's whereabouts.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you — now, she left, apparently, about — or at least, the husband says left about 6:00 o'clock at night to go out. Her car is still there, is that right, Chief?
BENNETT: It was there, Greta. We took...
VAN SUSTEREN: Until it was seized. It...
BENNETT: Right.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. I'm sorry. You seized it though, right?
BENNETT: That is correct.
VAN SUSTEREN: Have you gone through the car yet?
BENNETT: We were working on that today with forensic people from the FBI.
VAN SUSTEREN: Is there an active search going on for her, or is this sort of like — have people now assumed that there is foul play and this is more of a criminal investigation?
BENNETT: Well, for the last two weeks, we have done extensive search both in the immediate area around Lisa's house, we've checked waterways with divers. We've done a lot in that area. And nothing has turned up, and so we need to take another direction in this case, have to make an assumption that she may not have left on her own free will. And so we started out at the home, and we're working out from there.
VAN SUSTEREN: Have you spoken to the children?
BENNETT: Not since the initial report.
VAN SUSTEREN: Were they helpful?
BENNETT: Not necessarily, but they had not a lot of information to share.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. And obviously, it's horribly traumatic to them, and I will, you know, probe no further about questioning them because I know it's tough for the kids. Chief, thank you, and good luck, sir.
BENNETT: Thank you.

[Denise]

http://www.crimelibr...bic_update.html
Police and FBI Raid Lisa and Craig Stebics Home

By David Lohr
May 17, 2007

PLAINFIELD, Ill. (Crime Library) — Police have repeatedly stated that they have no suspects in the disappearance of Lisa Stebic, 37; however at about 11:30 p.m. Monday night, investigators with the Plainfield Police Department, the Joliet Police Department's Special Operation Squad and the FBI's Evidence Response Team descended on the Stebic family home at 13244 Red Star Drive, where Lisa's husband, Craig, 41, resides with the couple's 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son.

Authorities refuse to comment on what items they removed from inside the home. According to Charles Pelkie, a spokesman for Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, the courts have sealed the contents of the warrant. All of the items taken from the house were covered up with blankets; however, police were unable to conceal the removal of Lisa's 2004 Saturn Ion and Craig's 2002 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, both of which are reportedly in a police impound lot.

"We need to focus part of our investigation on the fact that she may not have voluntarily disappeared," Police Chief Don Bennett told The Herald News.

Following the search, which lasted nearly two hours, Craig Stebic's attorney, Dion Davi, gave his own statement to the newspaper.

"They say he's not a suspect. They say he's not a person of interest. But they come in the middle of the night, take the kids out of their sleep and force them to sleep in a car while they search for hours," Davi told The Herald News. "They're trying to coerce a confession from my client when he's already stated his innocence."

 As previously reported by Crime Library, Lisa and her husband were in the middle of a divorce, but they continued to reside in the same house. Last night, Nancy Grace compared their living conditions to The War Of The Roses, a film starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner that depicts a bitter divorce battle between two couples who divide their home into separate living areas. In the end, their unrelenting fighting leads to both their deaths.
ÂÂ
War of the Roses
Yesterday, Lisa's attorney, Glenn Kahn, told police that on the day Lisa disappeared, she mailed him a petition asking that her husband be evicted from their home. According to Kahn, the petition stated that Craig was "cruel, inconsiderate, domineering and verbally abusive."

Davi has since denied Lisa's allegations and claims that his client is not a dangerous person.

"There were no allegations of distress between the two parties," Davi told the Chicago Tribune yesterday.

Lisa Stebic was last seen at about 6 p.m. on April 30 at her home.ÂÂ

The following day, one of Lisa's neighbors reported her missing. When investigators went to her home, they discovered that her car was in the garage, but her cell phone and purse were missing.

Police have not named Craig as a suspect in his wife's disappearance. They initially described him as cooperative, but he recently raised eyebrows with some of Lisa's family members when he refused to take a polygraph, purportedly on the advice of his attorney.

Last week, Lisa's family started the website www.findlisastebic.com to aid in the search for Lisa. According to a recent post on the website, the family is holding a Candlelight Vigil this Saturday to celebrate Lisa's 38th birthday.

Lisa is described as a white female, 5' 2" tall, 120 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She has a small rose tattoo on her ankle and a butterfly tattoo on her lower back. Her family is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts. Anyone with information regarding her disappearance is asked to call the Plainfield Police Department at (815) 267-7217.

[Denise]

http://cbs2chicago.c..._138181133.html

May 18, 2007 4:56 pm US/Central

Missing Woman's Family Continues Energetic Search

Suzanne Le Mignot
Reporting

(CBS) PLAINFIELD, Ill. Family and friends of missing mother Lisa Stebic are keeping up their efforts to find her.

Last weekend was tough with Mother's Day, and this weekend will likely be just as hard as the family marks her birthday.

As CBS 2’s Suzanne Le Mignot reports, Lisa's family continues raising awareness about her disappearance in many ways.

Their latest effort is a new music video, posted on the Web site FindLisaStebic.com. The video shows people from all over the world holding fliers. Each one has a picture of Lisa. So far, the Web site has more than 100,000 hits.

"Everyone is so moved and they want to do something to help us find Lisa,” said Lisa’s cousin Melanie Greenberg.

Lisa's estranged husband, Craig, says she left the Plainfield home they share on May 1. Searches of a nearby pond and hundreds of volunteers combing wooded areas turned up no sign of Lisa.

"We know there's absolutely no way she would have just run off and leave her children,” Greenberg said.

Greenberg also revealed her thoughts on the recent late night police search of the couple's home.

"It was distressing to me that the children had been taken out of their beds in the middle of the night and sleep in a car, but I understand that the police need to do what they need to do when the feel it’s appropriate to do it,” she said.

Meantime, Lisa’s husband told CBS 2 on Friday he was touched by the outpouring of support from Lisa’s family, in keeping her story in the spotlight.

"I want to thank them, especially her cousins for what they're doing,” Craig Stebic said.

Saturday at Plainfield's Spring Fest, Lisa’s family and husband will be passing out balloons and magnets with the words "Find Lisa" on them. Saturday is Lisa Stebic's 38th birthday.

[Denise]

http://www.nbc5.com/...388/detail.html

Friends, Family To Honor Missing Woman's Birthday
Lisa Stebic Should Turn 38 On Saturday

POSTED: 7:31 am CDT May 18, 2007
UPDATED: 1:19 pm CDT May 18, 2007

PLAINFIELD, Ill. -- Family and friends of a missing Plainfield mother are holding several events to honor her 38th birthday on Saturday.

On Friday afternoon, those close to Lisa Stebic will hold a news conference, followed later in the evening by a candlelight prayer vigil.

The mother of two has been missing for almost three weeks.

A recent revelation by Stebic's attorney that the woman had made an important decision in the days before her disappearance cast a new light on the case. NBC5's Amy Jacobson reported on Wednesday that the attorney said Stebic wanted her husband, Craig, removed from their Plainfield home. Stebic filed a petition for eviction, citing her husband's behavior as verbally abusive, cruel and inconsiderate. A letter to that effect was mailed on the same day she disappeared.

A music video dedicated to the ongoing search for Stebic was posted on YouTube.com this week, adding to a growing number of dedications to the missing woman posted to the site.

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S1.article

The search for Stebic: Family keeps up hope

May 18, 2007
By JANET LUNDQUIST Staff Writer

The case of a missing Plainfield woman has touched people living around the world.

Lisa Stebic’s family Friday announced a new video has been posted on the Internet, featuring clips sent in by people as far away as New Jersey, Nova Scotia and Greece.

In each video clip, people are holding copies of Lisa’s missing person flyer, which is available for download off the family’s Web site.

The video can be viewed at findlisastebic.com, livevideo.com and youtube.com.

Melanie Greenberg, a family spokesperson, also announced two events planned for Saturday in honor of Lisa’s 38th birthday.

Lisa Stebic has been missing since April 30, when she was last seen at her Plainfield home about 6 p.m.

“It’s difficult to be optimistic this many days out,” Greenberg said. “But we can never completely lose hope.”

Volunteers will man a booth at Plainfield’s Spring Fest event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday on Lockport Street, handing out free balloons and “Find Lisa” magnets.

The magnets have a picture of Lisa on them, as well as the police department’s phone tip line and the family’s Web site.

Saturday night the family will hold a candlelight vigil for Lisa Stebic’s return. As part of the ceremony, balloons will be released in honor of her birthday.

The public is invited to attend the vigil, planned for 7:30 p.m. at a gazebo near the Stebic home, at Blakely and Red Star drives.

[Denise]

http://www.foxnews.c...,273894,00.html

Candlelight Vigil to Mark 38th Birthday of Missing Illinois Woman

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Lisa Stebic, who was last seen around 6 p.m. April 30, at her home.
Family and friends of an Illinois woman who has been missing for nearly three weeks were planning to mark her birthday Saturday with a candlelight vigil.

Lisa Stebic, a mother of two who was going through a divorce with husband Craig Stebic at the time of her April 30 disappearance, would have been 38.

"It's difficult to be optimistic this many days out," family spokeswoman Melanie Greenberg told The Joilet Herald News. "But we can never completely lose hope."

Click here to read The Herald News' story.

The vigil will take place at 7:30 p.m. CT in Plainfield, Ill., and balloons will be released to honor Stebic's birthday, the Herald News reported.

Craig Stebic has not been named a formal suspect in the case and has been compliant with police requests, according to Michelle Sigona, a correspondent for America's Most Wanted, which has profiled the Stebics' case. Craig Stebic gave police the family's computer but would not submit to a lie-detector test on the advice of his attorney, Sigona told FOX News.

It was reported Thursday that Stebic was trying to have Craig Stebic evicted from their Plainfield, Ill., home so the family could "live in peace."

Stebic's petition for temporary eviction stated he was being "unnecessarily relentless, cruel, inconsiderate, domineering and verbally abusive," reported The Joliet Herald News. His behavior was "jeopardizing the mental well-being" of their children, she wrote.

Divorce proceedings began in December. The couple has lived in the same house since then but rarely spoke.

Craig Stebic's attorney, Dion Davi, denied the abuse allegations to the Tribune, noting the couple cited irreconcilable differences in their divorce action. He said Stebic was never in danger from her husband.

Stebic was last seen at about 6 p.m. April 30 at her Red Star Drive home in Plainfield, Ill. The mother of two worked at a local school cafeteria so she could be home in the afternoons with her kids. She disappeared while her husband was in the backyard and her two children were out.

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S4.article

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S4.article

BLOOD FOUND IN VEHICLE

May 20, 2007
SUN-TIMES NEWS GROUP

PLAINFIELD -- Missing Plainfield woman Lisa Stebic's blood was found on a tarp recovered from husband Craig's vehicle, an unnamed police source said.

A DNA test determined that the blood on the tarp was Lisa's, and authorities used that information to convince a judge to issue a search warrant that was executed at the Stebic's Plainfield home late Monday night.

Charles Pelkie, spokesman for Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, would neither confirm nor deny the report.

"The contents of the warrant are under court seal," Pelkie said Friday.

But the police source said authorities used the blood evidence to obtain the warrant by offering a scenario that Craig, an avid hunter, might have used the tarp to transport his wife's body from the home.

Until now, it was unknown as to how police got the search warrant.

Lisa Stebic, whose 38th birthday was Saturday, was reported missing May 1. Police say there has been no activity on her cell phone or credit cards since April 30, when she was last seen at home by Craig Stebic at about 6 p.m.

Searchers have found no trace of Lisa in the almost three weeks since she was reported missing. On Tuesday, the day investigators spent the early-morning hours combing the Stebic home and recovering possible evidence, authorities for the first time acknowledged that Lisa might be a victim of foul play.

"We need to focus part of our investigation on the fact that she may not have voluntarily disappeared," Plainfield Police Chief Don Bennett told The Herald News.

Bennett also said May 15 that police aren't looking at anyone as a suspect.

Although investigators are considering the possibility that Lisa Stebic's disappearance was not voluntary, Bennett said after the search at the home that they had no hard evidence of foul play.

Police also confiscated the family's two vehicles: a 2002 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck and a 2004 four-door Saturn Ion. Both were registered to Craig Stebic, but one was used by Lisa, said Mark Eiting, Plainfield deputy chief of police.

"America's Most Wanted" also has picked up on the case.

Paula Simpson, a producer for the show, said host John Walsh's people have been working directly with Plainfield police and have passed along tips from the show's Web site, www.amw.com.

"Our efforts are to get leads in, to give them and help find some answers," Simpson said.

Locally, friends and family members continue their campaign to find Stebic.

"It's difficult to be optimistic this many days out," said family spokeswoman Melanie Greenberg. "But we can never completely lose hope."

[Denise]

http://www.suntimes....ofile20.article

She looked forward to new single life
Worked out, lost weight: 'Started feeling good'

May 20, 2007
BY CATHERINE ANN VELASCO Herald News

Lisa Stebic loved butterflies, because they symbolized her transformation.

In the middle of a divorce, she started a fitness regimen, lost weight and looked forward to a life as a single mom, friends and family say.

To celebrate, Lisa got a butterfly tattoo on her lower back with her children's names on each side.

Monday will mark three weeks since Lisa Stebic disappeared from her home in southwest suburban Plainfield. Lisa Stebic's estranged husband, Craig Stebic, reported to Plainfield police that he last saw her in their home about 6 p.m. April 30.

Lisa Stebic's birthday is today and she had planned to celebrate it with with Kim Young, her friend and boss at Sodexho Food Service, and co-workers.

Moved from Waukegan
About a year ago, Lisa Stebic and Young focused on getting healthy.

"She lost 40 pounds. Over the year, she started working out. She was running and taking the dog for a run around the house," Young said. "She started feeling good and wanted to get other people involved."

Co-worker and friend Ruby Zegar described Lisa Stebic as a true friend.

She had looked forward to the summer, planning trips to the beach, the water park and museums with Zegar and her three sons.

Lisa Ruttenberg graduated in 1987 from Libertyville High School, where she competed on the swim team and was involved in jazz dancing. She attended Southern Illinois University before going to Kendall College, where she earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management. She worked in hotels in Lincolnshire and Northbrook.

"She met Craig at a party," said Melanie Greenberg, a relative of Lisa Stebic's. "They got married April 6, 1993, in Jamaica. They eloped."

Two years later, the couple celebrated the birth of their daughter, Alexis, with Zachary following about a year later.

The couple lived in Waukegan, but Craig Stebic, a pipe fitter, traveled to the Plainfield area a lot for work, so they moved there five years ago, Greenberg said.

While Lisa Stebic's disappearance has raised many questions, there's one thing of which Stubner is certain.

"She would never leave her children alone," Stubner said. "If her husband wasn't going to be there . . . she wasn't going to go out."

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S1.article

POWER PLAY
Families have sizable impact on the media

May 20, 2007
By JANET LUNDQUIST Staff Writer

Several days after Lisa Stebic disappeared, her story made national headlines.

Seemingly vanishing without a trace, she was last seen at her Plainfield home April 30.

Eventually, news of the search for Lisa went international, with help from a highly-publicized family Web site.

The attention was largely the result of a campaign that began soon after Lisa was reported missing. Her cousin, Melanie Greenberg, got the ball rolling with help from a friend in the news industry.

Leigh Harris, a former television producer working for KPHO CBS 5 in Phoenix, immediately set to work creating a plan to get Lisa's face and information in front of cameras and on the front pages of newspapers.

Harris had Greenberg set up the site www.findlisastebic.com, which Harris ensured used colors and a layout that would photograph well. She also told the family to hold a press conference, gave them scripts to work from and tips to maximize their time on camera.

It worked. Every television news crew in Chicago and print and radio reporters showed up for the family's first press conference, held near the Stebics' house.

"I could never have done any of this without her," Greenberg said. "Everybody else was frozen and paralyzed. She was like the cavalry coming in, saying, 'This is what you have to do.'"

Greenberg and her husband, Mark, Lisa's first cousin, have become family spokespeople and have appeared on numerous national and local news programs.

A missing person's family has a lot to do with the level of media attention their case receives.

Missing people such as Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old from Alabama who disappeared in 2005 in Aruba, and Laci Peterson, a pregnant California woman who disappeared in 2002 whose husband was later convicted of her murder, become household names in part because they have family members willing to speak out about their disappearances, Harris said.

"It is a family member that opens their heart to the public, through the national media," she said. "That's really the key."

Missing adults an epidemic
While it plays a significant role, family involvement may not be the only key.
As of Jan. 31, there were 2,960 active missing person cases in Illinois -- 1,798 are children, said Kelly Bennett, a case manager for the National Center for Missing Adults. Nationally, there are more than 50,000 missing adults listed in the National Crime Information Center database.

A person's gender, race and socioeconomic status could also have something to do with the attention his or her case receives. Missing men, for example, don't receive a lot of camera time, she said.

"A lot of the cases that are seen on TV are the ones that are a pretty girl. Not too many that are of males," Bennett said. "They're all still missing, regardless of what the circumstances are."

Missing adults, she said, are an epidemic.

"We get 150-200 calls a week for missing adults, if not more. And that's only the people that know about us," she said. "It happens all the time and people do not see it because it's not media-worthy."

Scott Arcaro, of Lisle, would have celebrated his 38th birthday Friday. He was reported missing Feb. 27 by his fiancee.

John Spira, 46, of St. Charles, disappeared Feb. 23. He was last seen by employees at his construction company.

Bradley Olsen, 26, of Maple Park, has been missing since Jan. 19. His cell phone and bank account remain untouched, and a massive ground search by 140 people in February yielded no clues.

The men's friends and families say it's out of character for them to leave without telling anyone.

Their cases have been covered by local news outlets, but have not garnered the level of focus Lisa Stebic's case has received.

On Saturday, Spira's family and friends organized a search in West Chicago. The group plans to post a video of the event on youtube.com. Scott Arcaro's twin sister, Sherri Arcaro, joined the search -- to help look for Spira and to raise awareness of Scott's case. Olsen's family also planned to attend.

"You feel so alone when you hear about (a missing family member)," Arcaro said. "There are a lot of transient males. That's the assumption. A male, he's got his credit cards and could just leave. (Missing) women and children get priority."

Influencing media coverage
Missing children are an obvious news story. Missing adults are harder to figure out.

"I think anytime you have a missing person it is a very difficult circumstance," said Paula Simpson, a producer with the television show "America's Most Wanted." "A missing adult can leave under their own volition at any time. It's hard to sift through who is a Chandra Levy and a Laci Peterson and who is a person who wants to escape their life."

Lisa Stebic's case likely touches people because she is described as a devoted mother who would never leave her children, Simpson said.

Even if the story is compelling, it takes constant work to attract and hold the public's attention.

"It's definitely an uphill battle, and the family of Lisa and the Stebic family is doing a very good job of keeping it in the thoughts and minds of both the media and the public," she said.

High-profile cases are often built by the missing person's family, said private investigator Thomas Lauth. Lauth, who is recommended by the National Center for Missing Adults, has 20 years of experience searching for missing people in North America.

But he echoed the opinion that race, gender and socioeconomic status also influence media coverage.

"Typically in the media you'll see the higher profile cases will be Caucasian females, such as the Natalee Holloway case," he said. "You'll see less minorities receive higher profile status. Rarely do you see that."

The media has a huge influence on missing person investigations, he said. News coverage can help the search for a missing person, and it can pressure police to make an arrest. Once an arrest is made, the pressure continues to show if the suspect is guilty.

"It's just unfortunate that there are so many families out there with missing loved ones that just don't get the attention," Lauth said. "How (does Lisa Stebic) compare to Laci Peterson? To me that's every other adult case out there."

Support system
Lisa's family wants to keep her story in the news as long as possible, holding events to help the search and to provide an outlet for the community to help.

"Once people are able to bond in a crisis, it allows them to start healing and start making sense of something," Harris said. "It is a circular support system between the community and between the family."

She has jumped at the chance to help on the "other side" of a missing person case.

"I'm not in the Chicago market, I don't have to worry about being on the side of the press," Harris said. "I'm in another market, but I have the expertise. It has been tremendously therapeutic for me to be able to do something."

[Denise]

http://cbs2chicago.c..._139213821.html

May 20, 2007 6:17 am US/Central

Stebic Blood Found In Husband's Vehicle
Authorities Acknowledge Lisa Stebic Might Be Victim of Foul Play

Pamela Jones
Reporting

(CBS) Plainfield, Ill. There's a new lead in the disappearance of Lisa Stebic; it comes as friends and families mark the missing woman's birthday.

The Naperville Sun is quoting an unnamed police source saying police found a tarp in Craig Stebic's truck which has tested positive for his wife Lisa Stebic's blood.

The Will County State Attorney's Office will neither confirm nor deny that, saying the warrant is under seal.

It's information the missing woman's side of the family was surprised to hear.

Satruday balloons lifted skyward against a setting sun. The family of Lisa Stebic said it's a fitting tribute on her 38th birthday.

They're grateful for those who attended the candlelight vigil in Stebic's honor Saturday evening.

"It's just a difficult day in general because it's Lisa's 38th birthday and she's not here with us and she's not with her two children," said Melanie Greenberg, Stebic's cousin and family spokesperson.

But Saturday, the family also reacts to new information on the police investigation into Stebic's disappearance almost three weeks ago.

The Naperville Sun is reporting that a tarp investigators confiscated from Stebic's home as evidence has tested positive for Lisa Stebic's blood and that evidence sparked a judge to approve a search warrant on the home executed Monday.

"It's extremely painful and difficult," said Mark Greenberg Lisa Stebic's cousin. We've been contacting and discussing what's been going on with police. We've asked them to tell as much as they can to us without jeopardizing the investigation. This is news to us."

Children were shielded from Stebic's birthday celebration, just a block away from Stebic's home. Her husband opened hte door during the gathering.

Craig Stebic told CBS 2 he'd talk to us later, but was busy with family.

Loved ones will save a piece of Lisa's birthday cake with the hopes she'll taste it someday along with a huge birthday card for her to read.

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S2.article

Vigil celebrates Stebic's birthday

May 20, 2007
By Patrick Ferrell Staff Writer

PLAINFIELD -- The birthday card showed a nature scene with birds and wildflowers.

Its words were poignant, given that the person it was meant for -- 38-year-old Lisa Stebic -- has been missing since April 30.

"Heaven is under your feet as well as over our heads," the front of the card reads.

Inside, it says: "Wishing you a touch of heaven, especially today. Happy Birthday."

It was signed, "Love, Kimberly," and affixed to a memorial to Lisa at a gazebo near the home she shared with husband Craig and the couple's two children at 13244 Red Star Drive.

Dozens attended the Saturday night vigil held for Lisa at the gazebo. The vigil coincided with her birthday.

Earlier in the day, volunteers handed out Find Lisa magnets and balloons at a festival in downtown Plainfield.

At the nighttime vigil, the group released hundreds of pastel purple, blue and pink, balloons "to send all our love and wishes as the wind carries them to her," family spokeswoman Melanie Greenberg said.

Kathi Eckland, a neighbor whose kids used to play with Lisa's two children, brought her own balloons: two pink ones with a picture of Lisa and the number for the Plainfield Police Department attached.

"I hope that somebody finds them and can say something on the tip line that gets her back home," Eckland said.

Nearby, a large poster-sized birthday card from the community was filled with messages such as "I wish you were here. I miss you very much. Please come home," and "To my friend Lisa, Happy Birthday."

The group then lit candles and said a prayer. Afterwards, they ate birthday cake, which featured Lisa's picture and the message: "Happy Birthday. 38 great years."

"Tonight we celebrate Lisa's birthday the way she wanted, with a party," said Kim Young, Lisa's boss at Lincoln Elementary School, where she worked in the cafeteria. "Lisa, we will save a slice of cake for you to enjoy when you safely return."

Craig Stebic and the couple's children did not attend the vigil, which was held about 100 yards from the family's home.

During the vigil, the sounds of children frolicking in the back yard could be heard.

[Denise]

http://cbs2chicago.c..._140180625.html
May 20, 2007 5:02 pm US/Central

Neighbors Respond To News of Stebic Blood
Lisa Stebic's Blood Identified on Tarp Found in Husband's Car
ÂÂ
Joanie Lum
Reporting
(CBS) Plainfield, Ill. Blood from a missing Plainfield woman has reportedly been found in her husband's truck. CBS 2's Joanie Lum spoke with Lisa Stebic's neighbors about the new lead.
Sources told the Naperville Sun, the blood evidence convinced a judge to issue a search warrant of the Stebic's home last week.
Home video shows authorities impounding two vehicles.
The source says DNA from the blood-stained tarp found in Craig Stebic's truck matched Lisa Stebic.
The Stebic family has kept this case active through continuous media exposure, including volunteer searches and daily news conferences. A family spokeswoman said it's time to let police work on their investigation, issuing this statement.
"The family of Lisa Stebic was not aware of, and does not know the grounds on which the Plainfield Police Department obtained the search warrant executed at Lisa and Craig's home last Monday."
Neighbors say the lack of information about Lisa Stebic's disappearance is troubling.
"It's a horrible thing," said Stebic neighbor Clinton Kuchta. "She's missing. They can’t find her, but they don't know what's going on yet."
"I think we all want to put this to rest, find out what happened, be at ease," said neighbor Jim Cervenak.
Neighbors say they aren't sure what to think of Craig Stebic, who was in the process of divorcing Lisa when she disappeared.
"He acts like it's a normal life," said neighbor Lisa Maggio. "He does landscaping, goes to and from work. I live close to him. He acts like it's normal day to day."
The Stebic family has been supportive of Craig and says it has full confidence in the Plainfield Police Department and remains thankful to supporters who hope for Lisa's safe return.
The family says it won't be making any more public statements for a while.

[Denise]

'Light Lisa's way home'

People travel across country to vigil for missing Libertyville High grad

May 21, 2007
BY EMILY McFARLAN Sun-Times News Group

It was not the birthday celebration they had planned.

Family and friends of Lisa Stebic gathered with members of the community Saturday night for a candlelight vigil and balloon release on the missing Plainfield mom's 38th birthday.

"We're sending Lisa love wherever she is. We're celebrating her birthday," said Melanie Greenberg, wife of Stebic's cousin Mark Greenberg.

About 150 people gathered for the sad celebration, held next to the impromptu Lisa Stebic memorial at the park near the Stebic home. The memorial has been rebuilt since it was trashed earlier this week.

Stebic, a Libertyville High School grad and former Waukegan resident, was reported missing by a neighbor May 1. Her husband, Craig, said the last time he knew she was in the house was 6 p.m. April 30. She left with her cell phone and credit cards, which have not been used since her disappearance.

After releasing almost 700 pink, purple and blue balloons into the Saturday night sky, the group lit candles "to light Lisa's way home," said Leigh Harris, a close friend of Melanie Greenberg.

Harris traveled from Phoenix, Ariz., to take part in the birthday vigil. A former producer for the CBS affiliate in Phoenix, she met Melanie Greenberg online more than two years ago and has helped Lisa Stebic's family build the Web site www.findlisastebic.com and plan community events, such as the vigil.

Jenny Mesirow and her mother, Kathy Masleid, traveled from the Homewood, Ind., area to share their support with the family.

"(Lisa Stebic's disappearance) touched me the moment I heard about it, and I said a prayer right then and there," Mesirow said. "With the outpouring of hope from everyone, it touched me, and I really do feel like I know her."

Masleid and friend Joanne Stoklasa read about the vigil on the Web site and volunteered their musical talents for the occasion. Accompanied by drums and guitar, the two performed several songs, including Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl," as the group cut pieces of Lisa Stebic's birthday cake.

Melanie Greenberg read a statement from Lisa Stebic's sisters Debbie Ruttenberg and Jamie Bouma, who spent the day with their parents, who live out of state. Lisa Stebic's husband, Craig Stebic, was absent from the vigil, along with the couple's two children, 12-year-old Lexi and 10-year-old Zach. The couple is divorcing, although they still share their Plainfield home.

Mark Greenberg and Pastor Ron Schehr of Hope Lutheran Church offered prayers for Lisa Stebic's safe return, and several friends spoke of her laughter and love of children.

"Lisa, we will save a piece of cake for you to enjoy on your safe return," said Kim Young, Lisa Stebic's supervisor at Lincoln Elementary School where they work for Sodexho food service.

The vigil ended as the group sang "Happy Birthday" to their missing loved one.

Earlier in the day, volunteers from the community handed out free balloons and magnets at Plainfield's Spring Fest. The magnets featured a small picture of Stebic, the phone number of the Plainfield Police Department's special tip hot line and the Web site address.

Stebic timeline
April 30

2 p.m. Lisa leaves Lincoln School. After picking up a sandwich from Jimmy John's on Illinois 59, she runs some errands.

3 p.m. Lisa may have picked up her 10-year-old son, Zach, from Walkers Grove Elementary School and taken him home.

6 p.m. Craig says he sees Lisa in the house for the last time, while he is working in the yard.

6-7 p.m. Lexi and Zach visit a local Walgreens to buy candy.

May 1

Early morning: Craig takes the kids to school and goes to work.

8:50 a.m. Craig leaves a message at Lincoln Elementary School, saying Lisa never came home the night before and asking if she is at the school.

9:07 a.m. Lisa's co-workers listen to the message and realize she hasn't shown up.

9-10 a.m. Craig calls a next-door neighbor to ask if she has seen Lisa.

10 a.m. Neighbor reports Lisa missing to Plainfield police.

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S1.article

[Denise]

http://www.suntimes....ssing21.article

Missing woman's family tight-lipped about probe
PLAINFIELD | Husband denies blood found in his car was hers

May 21, 2007
BY KATE R. HOULIHAN Naperville Sun

The family of missing Plainfield woman Lisa Stebic was keeping mum Sunday about revelations over the weekend of new evidence in the case.

An unnamed police source said blood was discovered on a tarp found in the vehicle of Lisa's husband, Craig Stebic. DNA testing confirmed the blood belonged to Lisa, and police used that discovery to get a judge to issue the search warrant for the family's southwest suburban home and vehicles, according to the source.

Police executed the warrant last Monday and Tuesday. Although Lisa and Craig Stebic were estranged and in the middle of a divorce, they continued to share the house.

Craig Stebic told WMAQ-Channel 5 on Sunday that the blood on the tarp did not belong to his wife but was deer's blood left from a hunting trip he took to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan the week before his wife disappeared.

Channel 5 also reported that Plainfield police officials would meet today with Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow concerning the case.

Vanished 3 weeks ago
Plainfield police were tight-lipped late Sunday.

"We have no suspects or persons of interest at this time," Deputy Police Chief Mark Eiting told the Sun-Times. Asked if a Saturday night segment on the TV show "America's Most Wanted" had helped bring in clues, Eiting said: "There's several avenues out there we're getting information from" and pursuing.

"We're confident we're doing everything we need to for the safety of the community,'' said Eiting. Lisa Stebic's credit cards remain unused, he said, and there has been no activity on her cell phone.

It has been three weeks since the mother of two was last seen in her home, by Craig Stebic, about 6 p.m. April 30. She turned 38 Saturday.

Lisa Stebic's cousin Mark Greenberg of Naperville said his family is not in the position to comment on the reports of DNA evidence. The family released a statement Sunday that said, "We continue to have full confidence in the Plainfield Police Department."

[Denise]

http://www.foxnews.c...,274418,00.html

Family of Missing Illinois Mom Lisa Stebic Not Yet Casting Blame

Monday, May 21, 2007

Lisa Stebic, who was last seen around 6 p.m. April 30, at her home.

The cousin of missing Illinois mom Lisa Stebic says her family is holding off casting blame on who may be responsible for her disappearance until evidence proves exactly what happened to her.

"The police have not told us they have a suspect," Mark Greenberg told FOX News on Monday. "The people pointing fingers at this point are the media."

Plainfield, Ill., police were able to obtain a warrant to search Stebic's home on May 14. Local news reports said they obtained the warrant because they had found traces of her blood on a tarp in her husband's vehicle.

But Dion Davi, the attorney for Stebic's husband, Craig, told FOX News that it's not yet clear whether the tarp was the cause for the warrant. Davi said that after two searches of the Stebic home earlier this month, he received from police an itemized list of what was taken from the home, which included the family computer. The tarp was not on the list for either of those two searches.

That means it may be something else police found after those two searches that prompted the May 14 warrant.

Unnamed police sources, as reported in local newspapers like The Naperville Sun and the Joliet Herald News, had said officials used the blood evidence to obtain the warrant by positing a scenario that her husband Craig, an avid hunter, might have used the tarp to transport his wife's body from the home.

But FOX News confirmed that the car the blood was found in was one of the family's two vehicles, a 2002 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck. The family's other car was a 2004 four-door Saturn Ion. Both were registered to Craig Stebic, but Lisa used the Saturn. Both have been confiscated by police.

Craig Stebic has never been named a formal suspect in the case and has been compliant with police requests, according to Michelle Sigona, a correspondent for America's Most Wanted, which has profiled the Stebics' case. Craig Stebic gave police the family's computer but would not submit to a lie-detector test on the advice of his attorney, Sigona told FOX News. His divorce lawyer has advised him against submitting to the test.

"We just have to hold out hope as long as we possibly can," Greenberg told FOX News on Monday.

He said Lisa's family was "very concerned" about the couple's children, ages 10 and 12, and how they're holding up while their mother is missing. Greenberg said Craig Stebic brought the children to stay with another relative two weekends ago to take a break from the media frenzy surrounding the case.

"It's very important we try to preserve as much of a normal life as possible for these children," Greenberg said.

On Saturday, friends and family of Lisa Stebic gathered for a candlelight vigil to mark the mother of two's 38th birthday.

Stebic was last seen at about 6 p.m. April 30 at her Red Star Drive home in Plainfield, Ill.

She disappeared while her husband — from whom she was seeking a divorce — was in the backyard and her two children were out. She was reported missing by her husband the next day. Since then, there has been no activity on her cell phone or credit cards.

The search on May 14 was the first time authorities publicly acknowledged Stebic may be a victim of foul play.

"We need to focus part of our investigation on the fact that she may not have voluntarily disappeared," Plainfield Police Chief Don Bennett told the Sun.

It was reported May 17 that Stebic was trying to have her husband evicted from their Plainfield, Ill., home so the family could "live in peace."

Stebic's petition for temporary eviction stated he was being "unnecessarily relentless, cruel, inconsiderate, domineering and verbally abusive." His behavior was "jeopardizing the mental well-being" of their children, she wrote.

Divorce proceedings began in December. The couple has lived in the same house since then but rarely spoke.

Craig Stebic's attorney, Dion Davi, denied the abuse allegations to the Chicago Tribune, noting the couple cited irreconcilable differences in their divorce action. He said Lisa Stebic was never in danger from her husband.

[Denise]

http://www.amw.com/m...se.cfm?id=45084

AMW MISSING DATA FILE FOR Lisa Stebic

Mother Of Two Vanishes From Upscale Community

Lisa Stebic left her home with only her purse and cell phone on April 30, 2007, and has not been seen since.

According to her husband, Lisa left their home around 6 p.m. while he was working in their backyard. Lisa sometimes went to nearby Plainfield North High School to work out on the track, but she did not go to the track that night.

Lisa's husband told police and reporters that she was a good mother who would never just walk away from her children. But as days went by, and more details about Lisa's life started to become public, police found that they had more and more questions that needed answering.

When Lisa left the house she took only her purse and cell phone with her.

The Plot Thickens
Lisa's husband, Craig Stebic, had filed for divorce in January 2007, after fourteen years of marriage. Records say he cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce proceedings.

Since January, Lisa and Craig have continued to live in the same house, but have barely spoken to each other in those five months. The couple has two children together, ages 10 and 12, who both live with them, but were not home at the time of the disappearance. According to police, Craig Stebic has said that he was working in the backyard when Lisa left the house, taking only her purse and cell phone with her. Neither her credit cards nor her cell phone have been used.

Although Craig was cooperating with police from the beginning of the investigation, and willingly handed over the family computer for inspection, he refused to take a polygraph test about a week after Lisa disappeared. Police say he maintains he has nothing to hide, but refused the polygraph because his lawyer said it was an unscientific tool.

Family And Police Making Every Effort Possible
Lisa's family and friends have created a website dedicated to their search, and hope to gain publicity through the Internet. The website has extensive information on Lisa's case, and provides details of the events that take place each day. They have also circulated flyers, offered a $20,000 reward, and appeared on numerous news broadcasts pleading for help.

After ten days and no new leads on Lisa's disappearance, the FBI joined the search for the missing woman. Divers searched several bodies of water near Lisa's Plainfield home, but did not find anything to help them with their search.

On Mother's Day, May 13, 2007, Lisa's family members passed out hundreds of carnations with pictures of Lisa and police information on them.

Authorities say that a search was performed on the Stebic home and two cars registered to Craig Stebic were also searched, but have not revealed if any new information was learned as a result of that search.

[Denise]

http://abclocal.go.c...ocal&id=5325754

New developments in missing Plainfield woman case

By Evelyn Holmes

May 21, 2007 - Lisa Stebic disappeared from her home in Plainfield late last month. Investigators have had little to say and not have confirmed the fact that the blood of the missing woman was found on a tarp inside her estranged husband's car.

Neighbors are unsure about what to think about her estranged husband Craig Stebic or the recent discovery by police in the connection of the disappareace of his estranged wife, Lisa.

"I'm hope the truth comes out, whatever it is and she is found," said neighbord Leanne Morter.

According to published reports, an unnamed police source said blood was discovered on a tarp found in Craig's vehicle. Sources close to the investigation said that D.N.A.testing confirmed the blood belongs to Lisa. A judge issued a search warrant for the family's home and cars which police began executing May 14. Lisa's family had little to say about the recent development.

"The family is aware of the press reports that came out over the weekend regarding the search warrant that was executed at Lisa and Craig's house," said Lisa Stebic's cousin Mark Greenberg. "We are unaware whether or not there is any truth e to those reports. We don't know what grounds the police had to obtain the search warrant."

Although Lisa and Craig Stebic were in the middle of a divorce, they continued to share a home until roughly about three weeks ago when the mother of two disappeared. Detectives said Craig was the last to see her around 6:00 P.M. on April 30. Even with no activity on the cell phone or credit card, that it is believed she had, Plainfield police. remain tight-lipped about the investigation.

Even though police have not talked about a change in course of the investigation, they also add that they are not focusing on anyone as a suspect. So far no arrests or charges have come in this case which police still classify as a missing person's investigation.

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...EBIC_S1.article

Mortgages on missing woman's home more than home's value

May 22, 2007
BY JENNIFER GOLZ Sun-Times News Group

PLAINFIELD -- Mortgages on the Plainfield home of Craig and Lisa Stebic exceed the home's value, public records show.

While it is not uncommon for couples going through a divorce to find their main residence drained of its value, the records indicate that couple may have overextended themselves financially.

Lisa Stebic, a Libertyville High school graduate, was reported missing May 1, and her family has since celebrated Mother's Day and her 38th birthday in her absence.

The mother of two was last reported seen by her estranged husband at 6 p.m. April 30 in the Plainfield home they shared. It is believed that her purse and cell phone were with Lisa at the time she left; however, neither her credit cards nor cell phone have been used since her disappearance.

Within the past week, reports have surfaced that Craig Stebic recently was laid off from his job as a pipefitter, and Lisa Stebic was moving forward with a petition to evict Craig from the couple's shared home.

According to Lisa Stebic's petition, she earns less than $10,000 a year as a lunchroom worker and Craig Stebic had earned more than $80,000 annually at his union job.

While only liens on a property are public record, the couple's history of taking multiple mortgages on their Plainfield home and later refinancing for larger amounts shows they were looking for cash.

Assuming Craig and Lisa Stebic had no other outstanding debt such as credit cards or student loans, they are paying as much as $3,000 per month for the two outstanding mortgages on their property when taxes and homeowners insurance are included. Utilities and other household expenses, such as groceries, would be additional expenses the couple would have to cover each month.

The Stebics' Plainfield home that was purchased in 2000 for $208,411 now has $313,000 in mortgages on it, according to records from the Will County recorder of deeds' office. Many homeowners liquidate the equity in the homes, a mortgage broker said.

Each time the Stebics' Plainfield home increased in value, Craig Stebic took a second mortgage on the home.

According to documents obtained from the Will County recorder of deeds' office, those smaller second mortgages would later be rolled into a larger refinanced mortgage, the latest in 2002 for $248,000. But once again, a second mortgage was taken out two years later, drawing the equity from the home to the tune of an additional $65,000.

To qualify for the $248,000 mortgage without insurance, the Plainfield home would have had to been valued at $310,000 or more during the refinance in 2002, Papiernik said.

But the Will County assessor's office only values the property at about $260,000 in today's dollar. According to Zillow, a real estate sales tracking Web site, comparable properties in the same block of the Stebics on Red Star Drive in Plainfield are selling for about $283,000.

"One of the challenges with second mortgages is sometimes they don't get appraisals," Papiernik said.

With $313,000 financed on the home, the couple may be overextending themselves in their credit-to-income ratio, Papiernik said.

"As a broker, I cannot do loans above the value of the property," he said. "You don't want anyone upside-down on the house. You can't refinance, or if you transfer, you have to come to the table with a lot of money," he said.

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S1.article

Blood is from animal, Stebic says
3 weeks and Lisa's still missing; officials mum about evidence

May 22, 2007
BY JANET LUNDQUIST Staff Writer

PLAINFIELD -- Craig Stebic said Monday afternoon the blood police found in his truck had to have come from a dead animal he had hunted.

He had just walked into the house after picking his son up from school. Standing at the kitchen counter, he poured a dose of antacid for the 10-year-old, who had said his stomach was upset.

It's been three weeks since Lisa Stebic was reported missing. Seemingly disappearing without a trace, she was last seen about 6 p.m. April 30 at her house.

Her 38th birthday was Saturday, and her friends and family held a candlelight vigil in her honor that night.

Earlier Saturday, volunteers manned a booth at a local festival, passing out magnets and balloons with Lisa's picture, the family's Web site, findlisastebic.com, and the police department's tip line printed on them.

Craig said he and his kids stayed away from the weekend activities to shield the children from the media.

"I don't know what to think, say or do," he said.

Lawyer questions source
Stebic dismissed a weekend report that police found a tarp in his truck with his wife's blood on it -- evidence that reportedly led to a search of his house.

"We do a lot of hunting," he said, adding that any blood in his truck is likely from a dead animal. "I know there's blood all over the back of the truck. For them to find blood in the back of the truck doesn't surprise me a bit."

Police Monday would not comment on the report, in which The Herald News' partner The Naperville Sun cited an unnamed police source saying the bloody tarp was used to obtain a search warrant for the family's house and vehicles.

Stebic's attorney Dion Davi questioned the unnamed source, saying police provided a list of items taken from the two consensual searches authorities conducted at the Stebic house -- and a tarp isn't on the list.

"How accurate is this information?" Davi said. "On the other hand, if it is accurate, why was this information not provided in their list of items? It draws into question the veracity of the statements being made by this unnamed source."

Police Chief Don Bennett said the search warrant, and the authorities' grounds for obtaining it, is under court seal.

Lisa Stebic's family issued a statement saying they declined to comment on the police investigation, and that they do not know the grounds police used to obtain the warrant.

Some neighborhood residents who heard the weekend report didn't know what to make of it either.

"I don't know that I believe there was blood on the tarp," said one nearby resident. A picture of Lisa was taped to the window next to her front door. "I just don't know what to think about it."

Cindy Curulewski said she has worked out at Plainfield North High School with Lisa, last seeing her the Wednesday before she disappeared.

"I hope it's not (Craig Stebic)" who is responsible for Lisa's disappearance, she said. "But I don't know much about him either."

Coping with disappearance

Stebic also said he didn't know about a petition to evict him from the house that Lisa mailed to her attorney the day she disappeared.

The petition, in which Lisa accused Craig of verbal abuse, was introduced by Lisa's attorney Glenn Kahn as part of his response to Craig's motion for temporary custody of the couple's son and 12-year-old daughter.

The motion will be heard this morning in Will County Circuit Court.

Monday, three of Lisa's co-workers from Lincoln Elementary School stopped by her house and left a bouquet of purple flowers on the front step.

One nearby resident said it's been hard to deal with Lisa's disappearance.

"We miss her," she said. "You know you think she's gone ... but you still hope she's coming back."

Anyone information on Lisa Stebic's location is asked to call the Plainfield Police Department at (815) 267-7217 or Will County Crime Stoppers at (800) 323-6734.

[Denise]

http://cbs2chicago.c..._142071522.html

http://cbs2chicago.c..._142071522.html

May 22, 2007 5:53 am US/Central

Report: Stebics May Have Had Financial Trouble

(CBS/Naperville Sun) PLAINFIELD, Ill. Mortgages on the Plainfield home of Craig and Lisa Stebic exceed the home's value, public records show.

As CBS 2 News partner the Naperville Sun reports, while it is not uncommon for couples going through a divorce to find their main residence drained of its value, the records indicate that couple may have overextended themselves financially.

Lisa Stebic, a Libertyville High school graduate, was reported missing May 1, and her family has since celebrated Mother's Day and her 38th birthday in her absence.

The mother of two was last reported seen by her estranged husband at 6 p.m. April 30 in the Plainfield home they shared. It is believed that her purse and cell phone were with Lisa at the time she left; however, neither her credit cards nor cell phone have been used since her disappearance.

Within the past week, reports have surfaced that Craig Stebic recently was laid off from his job as a pipefitter, and Lisa Stebic was moving forward with a petition to evict Craig from the couple's shared home.

According to Lisa Stebic's petition, she earns less than $10,000 a year as a lunchroom worker and Craig Stebic had earned more than $80,000 annually at his union job.

While only liens on a property are public record, the couple's history of taking multiple mortgages on their Plainfield home and later refinancing for larger amounts shows they were looking for cash.

Assuming Craig and Lisa Stebic had no other outstanding debt such as credit cards or student loans, they are paying as much as $3,000 per month for the two outstanding mortgages on their property when taxes and homeowners insurance are included. Utilities and other household expenses, such as groceries, would be additional expenses the couple would have to cover each month.

The Stebics' Plainfield home that was purchased in 2000 for $208,411 now has $313,000 in mortgages on it, according to records from the Will County recorder of deeds' office. Many homeowners liquidate the equity in the homes, a mortgage broker said.

Each time the Stebics' Plainfield home increased in value, Craig Stebic took a second mortgage on the home.

According to documents obtained from the Will County recorder of deeds' office, those smaller second mortgages would later be rolled into a larger refinanced mortgage, the latest in 2002 for $248,000. But once again, a second mortgage was taken out two years later, drawing the equity from the home to the tune of an additional $65,000.

To qualify for the $248,000 mortgage without insurance, the Plainfield home would have had to been valued at $310,000 or more during the refinance in 2002, Papiernik said.

But the Will County assessor's office only values the property at about $260,000 in today's dollar. According to Zillow, a real estate sales tracking Web site, comparable properties in the same block of the Stebics on Red Star Drive in Plainfield are selling for about $283,000.

"One of the challenges with second mortgages is sometimes they don't get appraisals," Papiernik said.
With $313,000 financed on the home, the couple may be overextending themselves in their credit-to-income ratio, Papiernik said.

"As a broker, I cannot do loans above the value of the property," he said. "You don't want anyone upside-down on the house. You can't refinance, or if you transfer, you have to come to the table with a lot of money," he said.

Custody Hearing Scheduled
A custody hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning for the two children of Craig and Lisa Stebic.

Craig Stebic is seeking full custody of the two children he has with Lisa, who has been missing from their Plainfield home since April 30. The two have been in the process of getting a divorce.

Police say Craig Stebic is not a person of interest in the case, but DNA matched stains from a tarp in Craig's truck to Lisa Stebic's blood.

When CBS 2 asked Craig about reports that Lisa's blood was found in his truck he said, "There's nothing there."

He also said he hunts all the time and had last used his truck to haul deer in November. When I asked him about using the truck for recent hunting trips he referred to the last weekend before Lisa disappeared saying, "We used it to hunt rabbits that weekend."

[Denise]

http://www.chicagotr...ll=chi-news-hed

Missing woman’s husband loses custody bid

By Jo Napolitano and Hal Dardick
Tribune staff reporters
Published May 22, 2007, 7:59 PM CDT

The husband of a missing Plainfield woman was denied temporary sole custody of their children Tuesday as a Will County judge said there was insufficient evidence to support the request.

Craig Stebic's attorney, Dion Davi, told Judge Joseph Polito that he needed to protect the family's two children in case their mother came back and took them elsewhere. Lisa Stebic has been missing since April 30.

"She's gone, not here, not present, not presently caring for the children," Davi said in court, adding that it's possible Lisa Stebic neglected or abandoned them. Craig Stebic was not at the hearing.

Lisa Stebic's attorney, Glenn Kahn, said arguments would have to be made regarding the best interests of the children and that Davi's petition fell short. A July 18 court date is set.

Melanie Greenberg, a spokeswoman for Lisa Stebic's family, said she thought Davi's argument was misguided.

"We are happy that the judge made a correct decision," she said. "Dion Davi's motion didn't make any sense to us in the first place. I don't think Craig is getting the best legal advice. Craig is the parent. He already has custody. I don't know why at this time he would have to make a motion like that."

And if Lisa Stebic should come back, she shouldn't be stripped of her rights, Greenberg said.

"If she comes back, then they could deal with [custody] at that point," she said. "Lisa did not run off. The people who saw her at work that day . . . said she was in a good mood.

"Something has happened. I don't know what. She would never leave her children and would never do this to her family."

Davi has said his custody filing did not have to do with the possibility of Lisa Stebic's family trying to gain custody in the future. It had only to do with her.

He said his client is a "proper and fit parent" and there is no evidence to suggest he is unable to care for his children, a girl, 12, and boy, 10.

Greenberg said her family is in regular contact with Craig Stebic and that she spoke to him over the weekend.

Away from the courtroom, Davi said he does not believe news reports quoting unidentified sources saying that police found DNA evidence on a tarp in Craig Stebic's possession and that investigators used that evidence to get the search warrant last week for the family's home and vehicles.

Davi said he has a complete inventory of the items taken from the Stebic home during two voluntary searches. None indicated that police took a tarp. Davi said he did not know what was taken during the third search, the one for which police obtained a warrant.

"I can't believe it's true," Davi said of the tarp report. "Police can't confirm it as a true statement."

Davi said he did not know if Craig Stebic owned a tarp and would not discuss conversations he had with his client.

Greenberg said the family also had no idea if police found such evidence.

"It has not been confirmed or denied to us by the Plainfield police," she said. "As far as we are concerned, it is a rumor. . . . We do not know what the police used as probable cause to get the search warrant."

The warrant is under seal, and police aren't talking about possible evidence.

"I can't relate the specifics in that direction," said Plainfield Police Chief Don Bennett. "We have to obviously keep some of the things under wraps. There's a difference of opinion on certain things that occurred, that were taken and not taken, and we just can't respond to that."

As for Lisa Stebic, the chief said, "She may not have walked away of her own accord, so we are looking at different venues and avenues that we didn't prior."

Bennett said there were still no suspects or persons of interest in the case.

"Are we still looking for Lisa?" he said. "Yes, we are. Do we have an organized search going on or planned? No, we don't."

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...EBIC_S1.article

Stebic's husband convicted of weapons charge in '95

May 23, 2007
By ART PETERSON Apeterson@scn1.com

The News-Sun has learned that the husband of the Libertyville High School graduate missing since May 1 from her Plainfield home was convicted of a weapons-related charge in 1995.

Craig R. Stebic, husband of Lisa Ruttenberg Stebic, a 1987 graduate of Libertyville High and mother of two, was a Waukegan resident when he was arrested in Lincolnshire.

In 1995, Craig was living at 332 Fourth St., on Waukegan's Near North Side. Then 29, he was arrested by Lincolnshire police on Jan. 3 after driving his Toyota pickup truck on Riverwoods Road, past Daniel Wright Middle and Laura B. Sprague schools.

Police said the truck was stopped after officers noticed the windshield was shattered. Found in the bed of the truck were four weapons -- including two assault rifles. The guns were in plain view, according to police, and the truck did not have a cap over the bed.

The weapons included a Chinese-made AK-47 semiautomatic assault rifle, a Ruger Mini-14 assault rifle, a Universal 10-gauge double-barrel shotgun, and a Desert Eagle .44 Magnum semiautomatic handgun.

Stebic told police he had just returned from hunting in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Police said Stebic was cooperative.

Among several weapons-related charges the most serious was a felony offense of possessing firearms within 1,000 feet of a school. He also was charged with operating an unsafe motor vehicle and driving with a revoked driver's license.

At the time, Stebic was wanted on a Lake County warrant for failing to appear in court on a charge of driving with a revoked license.

On April 7, 1995, he entered a negotiated guilty plea in Lake County Circuit Court to a reduced charge of illegal possession of firearms without having a state Firearm Owner's Identification card. He was sentenced to court supervision and fined $200. On April 1, 1996, his sentence was terminated early.

Court records indicate the Stebics' Plainfield home has higher mortgages on it than the value of the home. They had purchased the home for $208,411 in 2000, and it now has $313,000 in mortgages on it. Homeowners can liquidate the equity in their homes in exchange for cash.

Lisa reportedly was moving foward with a petition to evict Craig from the home.

She was earning less than $10,000 a year as a lunchroom worker, while he was earning $80,000 annually as a pipefitter. Reportedly, he had been laid off recently.

[Denise]

http://www.wbbm780.c...ontentId=537254
Craig Stebic Refuses To Let His Kids Talk To Cops
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PLAINFIELD, Ill. (CBS 2) -- Investigators in Plainfield say Craig Stebic will not let them talk to his children about their mother's disappearance, and that he is no longer speaking to authorities himself.
His estranged wife, Lisa Stebic, has not been seen since April 30. Craig Stebic is no longer talking to police on the advice of his attorney.
He has also refused to allow police to question 12-year-old Lexi and 10-year-old Zach since investigators initially interviewed them just after their mom was reported missing May 1.
Deputy Chief Mark Eiting said Craig, as the children's legal guardian, can prohibit police from interviewing them.
"He has the right as the parent to not let us talk to the children," Eiting said.
But the Plainfield police do feel that the kids could be instrumental in the search for Lisa.
"I feel confident that the 10- and 12-year-old children want us to find the whereabouts of their mom," Plainfield Police Commander Mike Altenhoff told CBS 2.
Aside from visiting Lisa's two sisters two weekends ago, the children have remained home with their father when they are not at school.
Lexi attends Heritage Grove Middle School, and Zach goes to Walker's Grove Elementary School.
Family members have sheltered them from media attention, with Craig monitoring their television viewing.
A neighbor, who only wanted to be identified by her first name, Lisa, says she occasionally has witnessed Craig or the children leaving and entering their home. As the "hot topic" in the neighborhood, the Stebic family is frequently the focus of conversations, she said.
The neighbor said she and many of her neighbors are concerned about Lexi and Zach continuing to live with Craig.
"I'm really scared for those children and that's really what everyone says, too," she said. "Who knows if he's going to snap with those children in the house."
Lisa Stebic disappeared the same day she petitioned for Craig to be evicted from the home. Craig said Lisa left for the gym and never came back.
On Wednesday night, CNN's Larry King interviewed Lisa Stebic's cousins – Mark and Melanie Greenberg, Craig Stebic's father, Joe, and court TV anchor Lisa Bloom.
While Bloom emphasized that Craig Stebic has not been called a suspect or person of interest in his wife's disappearance, she said women in abusive relationships are often in danger when it comes time to part ways, and she also said the circumstances of the case did suggest foul play.
"She had been exercising a lot, she lost about 40 pounds in the months since her disappearance, she got a tattoo of a butterfly on her back, symbolizing rebirth, and according to all her friends, she was looking forward to this divorce," Bloom said. "She was starting a new life and she was optimistic. So it's very odd, and it certainly does sound like foul play, that she would simply disappear and never be heard from again."
Joe Stebic told King his son has done nothing wrong. Lisa's cousins hope the national exposure from the show will help them find her.
Craig Stebic Has Faced Past Weapons Charges
Craig Stebic told reporters this week that his love of hunting was the reason police found blood on a tarp in the back of his truck. He said he was not surprised blood was found in his vehicle since he often uses it to transport animals.
An unnamed police source told The Naperville Sun blood was found on a tarp in the back of his truck that matched Lisa's. The discovery led to a search of the Stebic home late May 14.
Twelve years ago, he received six weapons-related charges as he was returning from one such trip.
Lincolnshire police stopped his truck Jan. 3, 1995, after they noticed his windshield was shattered.
Police found four weapons in the back of his truck, including two assault rifles. The weapons included a Chinese-made AK-47 semiautomatic assault rifle, a Ruger Mini-14 assault rifle, a Universal 10-gauge double-barrel shotgun, and a Desert Eagle .44 Magnum semiautomatic handgun.
Craig was charged with two felonies and six misdemeanors. The most serious charge was a felony offense of possessing firearms within 1,000 feet of a school.
Stebic told police he had just returned from hunting in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Police said Stebic was cooperative.
Friends also say Craig has a large collection of guns. When police searched the Stebics' home last week, they were acting on information that Craig had two .50-caliber weapons in his possession, according to the police source.ÂÂ

[Denise]

http://www.suburbanc...SING_S1.article

No questioning for Stebic kids

May 24, 2007
By Paige Winfield sun-times news group

Craig Stebic is keeping his two children under wraps as the search continues for his missing wife, Lisa.

He has not allowed police to question his 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son since investigators initially interviewed them just after their mom was reported missing May 1.

Family members have tried to keep Craig and Lisa's children, 12-year-old daughter Lexi and 10-year-old son Zac, out of the media spotlight. These photos were taken at a vigil for their missing mother two weeks ago.

Deputy Chief Mark Eiting said, as the children's legal guardian, Craig can prohibit police from interviewing the children.

"He has the right as the parent to not let us talk to the children," Eiting said.

Aside from visiting Lisa's sisters two weekends ago, the children have remained home with their father when they are not at school.

Family members have sheltered the children from media attention, with Craig monitoring their television viewing.

The 'hot topic'
A woman, who only wanted to be identified by her first name, Lisa, is a neighbor who lives a block away from the family. She says she occasionally has witnessed Craig or the children leaving and entering their home. As the "hot topic" in the neighborhood, the Stebic family is frequently the focus of conversations, she said.

Lisa said she and many of her neighbors are concerned that the Stebic children continue to live with Craig.

"I'm really scared for those children and that's really what everyone says, too," the neighbor said. "Those children should not be in the public eye with all this going on. ..."

[Denise]

http://www.nbc5.com/...688/detail.html

Police Say Assault Rifles Found In Stebic's Home
Stebic's Family Makes National Plea For Help

POSTED: 11:00 pm CDT May 23, 2007
UPDATED: 1:01 am CDT May 24, 2007

CHICAGO -- There was new information about what police found during last week's raid at a missing Plainfield woman's home.

Lisa Stebic has been missing for approximately a month. Stebic and her husband, Craig, were going through a divorce, though they both shared their home in Plainfield.

NBC5's Amy Jacobson reported that besides the couple's two cars, some blankets and towels, the FBI seized high-powered assault rifles and handguns from Stebic's home. Police said they found an AK-47 assault rifle, a Desert Eagle .44 Magnum and a Ruger mini-assault rifle. A police source also said there was also a 10-gauge double barrel shotgun that federal authorities confiscated.

Jacobson reported that Stebic, who is an avid hunter, was caught with the same weapons in 1995 when he was arrested for having the high-powered rifles in the back of his pickup truck near an elementary school in Lincolnshire. During the time of his arrest, the Stebic's were separated and Lisa Stebic was pregnant. The Stebics reconciled.

Stebic's family also made a plea for help in finding her on a national cable show on Wednesday.

Craig Stebic's father, Joe, described Lisa Stebic in the past tense during an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live." Craig Stebic said he did not believe his son had anything to do with Lisa's disappearance.

"All he told me one time was that she was on that computer," Joe Stebic said. "He figures something happened over that computer and e-mail stuff. That's all I know."

Plainfield Police Chief Donald Bennett said "there was no question" that Lisa Stebic was meeting other people, and police have investigated those people. Bennett added, though, that there were "no red flags."