Jon R. Van Dyke- Still missing- Please help find him

Missing since
May 19, 2005
MSGT USMC RET
Jon R. Van Dyke
Message from Jon's wife (May 19, 2007):

It has been 2 years today since I hugged and kissed Jon goodbye at our front door and then never saw or talked to him again. 2 years, it's unimanginable. Please if you know anything, if you remember anything about that day that Jon disappeared, please email me. If you saw or talked with Jon when he left Citigroup that day, or if you saw Jon at Smith's Grocery Store in front of the Budget Rental counter (or if you saw him in the Smith's parking lot) where he was running his errand to on his lunch break, please let me know what you saw or heard!!!!!

Thank you,

Maureen
Jon's Wife

Thank you ! ! !

Thank you to everyone who has been helping us search for Jon. From family, friends and even total strangers please know your efforts are so appreciated by this family. Bless each of you!




Background (Summary): More complete info can be found by clicking here.

Missing since May 19, 2005 from work at CitiGroup Command Center in Las Vegas. Ran errand never returned to work or home.

Download Jon's route he would have taken from work to Budget Rental. MS Pub | Adobe PDF

Jon has been missing since May 19, 2005. On May 31, 2005, Jon had made brief contact with his daughters in one phone call that ended abruptly. The family still considers him missing and are very worried about his safety. You can help by continuing to send the updated flyer out to law enforcement agencies, medical/psychiatric hospitals and rehab centers across the country and to shelters. Thanks! The Update page was revised on 06-17-07. Wondering how you can help? Click here to find out (updated 10-13-06)!

Jon's family may have been threatened leading to Jon's disappearance. Jon may have seen something or became involved in something where his family is being threatened. If you have any information please email Jon's wife, Maureen or fax to 1.800.570.8915

-----------------

As of 3/29/08 we are not 100% sure this is Jon, we assume it's Jon and if it is we are not sure if he is okay. His wife has NOT talked with or seen him since May 19, 2005 and has never seen video or photos of him since before May 19, 2005. There is NO direct phone number or direct address for Jon. No driver's license, no tax returns filed, no arrest record, and no cell phone activity. No single concrete piece of evidence has ever been given to Jon's wife, Maureen. Not one report to challenge the above has ever been given to Maureen by a legal or professional entity........an amateur organization that used middle school tactics does not count and that so called organization never turned over a professional report of findings or concrete proof to Maureen or her attorney.

Maureen's replies to this:

In the spirit of foregiveness I forgive the following:
An organization that is lying about me and my daughter to get their volunteers diverted to other cases.

A detective in Las Vegas who has lied to me for 2 1/2 years; and most recently telling me a psychic had contacted him and told him Jon had been found. The organization up above says that it was Jon who contacted you. Who is lying to who here?????????????

Whoever is saying that Jon has contacted me and the family many times .... well I guess that can be pretty well be proven not to be true with phone records, so produce them!

To the LVMPD detective who did nothing on his own but went off a PIs report (not paid by this family!) a report that I can debunk everything on and have already done so

To whatever person says I saw a video where Jon talked on it, the detective up above knows darn well that I pleaded to see the tape and he wouldn't get it for me. Wow, how many people go up to a camera on an ATM and talk to it? Not to mention that my contact in the Sheriff's office told me the image was very bad quality.

And, to the organization that says me and my daughter have lied and duped them wow that is just mind blowing considering how open book we've been. So I guess they have physically seen Jon then??? No one that knows him has seen him.

And my all time favorite thing to forgive is the organization trying to play a daughter against her mother, and a mother against her daughter. Poor souls they must have never have known real love, real family bonds in their life time. My daughters and I are solid and we tell each other everything ..... no lies between us. Must have made you mad you couldn't play that game with us.

Oh, and I have copied what you said about the volunteer PI to him...hope he forgives you for your lies.

Anyone out there wonder why they blocked me and my daughter so we can't refute on the forum what is being said? I wonder!


So I forgive you all! My integrity and my family's integrity is intact and always will be. And, don't forget we know real love. We know Jon loves us as it is that love, because of that love, that has made us open books and fighters. We will always have a better life than those who tried to hurt us. Peace to you all!


If anyone would like the emails/private messages that were sent to us that would shed light on just who you are dealing with on that forum we would be happy to share them! deskside2@yahoo.com
The Myth of Closure
by Ashley Davis Prend, ACSW
Hospice of North Idaho

"When will I begin to feel better? When will I return to normal? When will I achieve some closure?" grievers often ask. Closure, our culture tells us, will bring about a tidy ending, a sense of completion. Some grievers hope that the desired magical closure will occur after the funeral or memorial service. Others are confident it will come once they have cleared out their loved one's room. Or maybe after a special personal ritual.

Or perhaps after the first anniversary comes and goes—"surely then, we will have closure," we think.

We pray…

The reason we long for closure, of course, is because we would like to neatly seal away all of this pain. We would like to close all of the sad, confused, desperate, angry feelings out of our life. We would like to put all of this behind us. Closure. What an odd concept really, as if we could truly close the door turn the lock and throw away the key. The truth is far more complex, of course. Closure is for business deals. Closure is for real estate transactions. Closure is not for feelings or for people we love.

Closure simply does not exist emotionally, not in a pure sense. We cannot close the door on the past as if it didn't exist because, after losing someone dear to us, we never forget that person or the love we shared. And in some ways, we never entirely get over the loss. We learn to live with the loss, to integrate it into our new identity.

Imagine if we really could end this chapter in our life, completely. It would mean losing our memories, our connections to those we love. If we really found closure, it would ironically hurt even more because the attachment would be severed. And this attachment is vital to us—the memories are treasures to be held close, not closed out.

Perhaps it is better to think in terms of healing. Yes, we can process our pain and move to deeper and deeper levels of healing. Yes, we can find ways to move on and channel our pain into productive activities. Yes, we can even learn to smile again and laugh again and love again.

But let's not ever think that we'll close the door completely on what this loss means, for if we did that, we would unwittingly close the door on all the love that we shared. And that would truly be a loss too terrible to bear.
--------------------

Detailed information on the disappearance:

Facts:

Jon is missing.

Scenarios, Activities and Thoughts - Why the family is so worried.

May 31, 2005 Phone call.
Jon's one phone call was made to his stepdaughter, my daughter, Alisa. On the call he also talked to our daughters Johnna and Mary. All three children are adults.
The call sounded like he had a gun to his head, he was forced to make the phone call. He asked that the search be called off for him yet he didn't know that his daughters were in Las Vegas....that makes no sense. The only way he would have known a search was going on for him is if he saw the TV reporter interviewing Mary which was clearly done in Las Vegas.
He was monotone during the phone call. This was not Jon's personality. After 24 years of marriage I know him well enough to know that when he heard his daughters crying it would have torn him apart.
He was sober, not drunk when the call was made.
He kept repeating to the girls to "take care of Mom." You don't maliciously walk out on someone and then worry about them being cared for.
Jon would never have called Alisa to tell her what was going on and lay this all on her like that, he would have called me. He was too good of a parent to lay that on his children. My guess is that Jon couldn't call me because he would not have been able to stay monotone; he would have lost it hearing my voice and if he were in survival mode that loss of composure would have gotten him killed.
The call ended abruptly. Either he couldn't keep his composure anymore or they took the phone from him.

Casino Sighting:
The reports that Jon was seen in a California Indian casino (almost 2 weeks after the phone call) are dubious.
If it was him then it was major cry for help as he would have known he would be found if he used an ATM: ATM transactions are easily tracked and there are cameras on them; also, casinos are full of cameras....Jon knew this.
If it wasn't a cry for help then it was someone using Jon's identity. If he was just off starting a new life then why is there no other trace of him since the supposable trace to this casino? Nothing on his credit, banks, no new addresses, nothing.........all traces end at the Las Vegas home.
Also, by this time he thought the rental car was listed as stolen (he was told this on the phone call) so why would you go someplace so easily traceable if you thought you were a felon?


Disturbing phone call:
Shortly after the casino incident Alisa received a call that clearly disturbed her. Someone called her cell and there was silence. Thinking it was Jon she said "Dad, dad if that's you talk to me. If you don't talk to me I'm hanging up." At that point someone starting choking, horribly choking as if they were being strangled or extremely struggling to talk. Alisa hung up, called me, and then called the Overland Park, KS police where she was living. This call still haunts her to this day.

Work - another reason why he did not walk out on his life:
Why would a man who is retired twice; USMC and Sprint and a rehire by Citigroup, who never rehires anyone, walk away from his job? Why if he were planning a new life why wouldn't he give notice to his work that he was quitting? He was fired for being a no show after he disappeared. Why would anybody jeopardize an amazing work record?...........Jon sure as shit wouldn't have done that. He never burnt a bridge. Also, Jon knew the status of IT employment. Most jobs were going to India and the jobs here the salaries were falling. He knew how lucky he was to get this job, he wouldn't have just walked away from it.

Budget:

Background:

Jon had been renting a car for weeks from Budget. He didn't want to buy a new car until we had secured the pool loan. Jon was headed to Budget the day he disappeared, that was his errand he was on and I was fully aware that's where he was going.

When I called Budget to let them know Jon was missing this guy that answered the phone could not pull Jon up in the database and he was acting very nervous and not working with me at all. I went to Budget in person and a young woman there looked at the picture of Jon and said she remembered him because he was so "angry" when he was in there. Jon never gets angry with people. He would walk out of the store grumbling under his breadth but I have never seen him lose his composure in public, he was very non confrontational.

I asked if the car could be traced since the car had a sticker on it saying "This vehicle is monitored." Nope the car could not be traced. Oh yea and the same guy I had talked to on the phone was sitting behind this young woman and was clearly nervous and intently listening to everything.

After I left there with out much information Budget immediately started deducting large amounts of money out of our joint checking account ... this went on for months.

The young woman and Budget's security person said they would get the car listed as stolen. When I discovered they hadn't listed it stolen over the next weeks I continually asked Budget to get it listed as stolen and time and time again they said they would but failed to do so.

An auto theft detective became involved in the case and finally got them to list the car as embezzled and low and behold the car shows up at the Suncoast Casino in valet parking yet there was no paper trail on it....go figure. If the car had sat there since May (they have no idea how long it was there) in a town that takes terrorist threats so seriously come on how in the hell did an empty car sit unnoticed at a casino that has such a high level of security? It just doesn't happen, period. And, they conveniently found the car when the auto theft detective was off work for a week so the police never processed the car, Budget's security processed the car ........ duh, does anyone really think they would tell us if they found anything? I think that's a big No since I could have a number of lawsuits against them. And, I'll be darned they didn't even find my personal items in the car ---- "The car was clean."

Another strike against Budget and why I'm calling everyone to boycott them: After I discovered that they were hitting the checking account whenever they felt like it including once after they found the car I talked with the Budget security person and told her that my husband could very well be in that car dead and she told me "Then he's with the car isn't he?" This was her justification for hitting our checking account whenever they felt like it.
Jon wouldn't have stolen a car (he didn't even get speeding tickets) and he would have known that was what would happen with the rental car supposedly not being returned.
Another scenario is Jon dropped the car off and started walking home or back to work. Budget was in between his work and home. Something happened along the way. He accepted a ride from someone, stopped to help someone, or it was a very hot day and he may have stroked out or became disoriented. Jon was not healthy. He may have had a mental breakdown after dealing with Budget; God knows they damn near drove me the brink of one. There are also a number of homeless people in this upscale area. I was approached by a homeless man in that very parking lot. He wasn't the typical homeless guy either, he was down right scary. Budget may have been in possession of that car the whole time; I personally think this is what happened---why was that guy so nervous? Why did the car suddenly appear when they were going to have to have it listed as embezzled?

My thoughts: What was going on in our life and why I don't think he just walked out:
Jon was so excited about the move back to Vegas (we had lived here in the late 80's and then moved back home to Kansas when Sprint made him a job offer). We loved Vegas and were happy to find a home on the Northwest side of Vegas where we had lived before.
Jon was so excited about the house in Vegas, he picked this house out and was crazy about it. He was so excited that my sister and her husband were coming in June to visit that he busted his butt getting the house ready for their visit. We were almost done on the inside of the house and he was looking forward to getting some tiles laid that weekend which would have finished all the rehab we had done on the house. Does this sound like a man that was going off to start a new life? We worked side by side on this project. We painted every inch of the inside, rebuilt the stair case including hand staining each step --- Jon wanted it beautiful as he felt our daughters would walk down it as brides some day; and we rehabbed all the bathrooms.
Jon had started doing a lot of walking with me and our new dog. He was crazy about out new pet. He was enjoying our walks and taking the dog to the dog park.
We were attending Mass regularly together. He was very upset when Pope John Paul died. And, one of the last conversations he had with one of our daughters, before he disappeared, was when Terri Schivo died .... he was very upset about that.
We went to the casinos occasionally and on my birthday, just days before he went missing we spent the whole day playing "tourist." Going to the dolphin show and the Secret Garden and watching the Belagio fountains. It was a great day and he was really enjoying himself.
We found some great places to eat where we became regulars and got to know the staff: Timbers, Tenaya Brewery, the Irish Pub at the Marriott and Three Angry Wives Irish Pub.
Jon had been working hard to secure a loan for the pool and he had just gotten approval that we were to sign on the day after he disappeared --- it took 2 signatures so no he didn't run off with the money -- if he had I'd be getting billed for it and I'm not.
Jon left behind his military papers, his treasured photos from Vietnam, his checkbooks, his clothes, his toothbrush, hair brush, and something Jon never leaves behind: his bowling ball............he left everything.....if he were just leaving me why wouldn't he have taken these items? Also, his email accounts have not been accessed. He has not signed up for league bowling since his disappearance. The only call showing on his cell phone was the call he made to Alisa.
Other things people keep throwing in my face:
He returned to alcoholism. Jon's addiction was bourbon and he had not drank bourbon in 11 years. After 5 years of recovery chances are slim that someone will fall back into their addiction.....at 11 years it just doesn't happen. Even if he did start drinking bourbon again one of the things Jon did when he was drunk was to pick up the phone and start calling people .... sober he never calls people. No one has heard from Jon. He would have called me 1,000 times by now if he were drinking.
He's having an affair. Don't know how this could have happened because we were together constantly. When we weren't together, he was at work and he emailed me all day long. The only way he could have had an affair was at work, but since I dropped him off and picked him up about 50% of the time or more and he only had a 1/2 hour lunch break there is no way he was having an affair. We also went out with people from his work on St. Patrick's Day ...... you wouldn't take your spouse around work people if you were having an affair with someone at work. Besides Jon had brought up that he wanted to get our marriage blessed. He had thought for a long time that getting an annulment meant that we would have to end our civil marriage. He read something at Mass that made him understand that it wouldn't end our civil marriage, it wouldn't be our marriage that would be annulled. He told me he didn't just didn't want our marriage to end for even a second. Does someone say that to someone they are going to leave? Besides if he were having an affair you don't think that his new interest wouldn't be screaming for him to get a divorce?...after all the man has two retirements under his belt. Also, in 11 years of sobriety he never had an affair, our marriage was solid at the time of his disappearance. Even during his alcoholic days the affair he had was because she let him drink .... he actually couldn't stand the woman and had said over and over again it was his biggest mistake, it was his biggest "stupid."
Poor Maureen, he just walked out on her....why does she keep searching? This mentality of "lets sweep it under the rug, he just walked out on her" has been the most damaging to my search for Jon. For the idiots that think this way all I can say is PUT JON IN FRONT OF ME if this is truly what they believe PUT JON IN FRONT OF ME. This is the easy out so people don't have to help me in the search. If I truly believed he had walked out on me why would I be putting all this effort in to finding him?.....I'd just go on with my life ....easy.

The gun shot:
I don't know if this plays into Jon's disappearance or not but it could very well be a case of Jon saw something he shouldn't have seen. One night in January, February, or March of 2005 (I don't remember now the exact month.) Jon and I were awoken by what was clearly a gun shot. Jon jumped out of bed and went to see what happened. I started to get out of bed to join him when he came running back into the room and told me not to get out of bed. He was visibly shaken. He seemed scared. I asked him if we should call the police and he said, "no." This was so not like Jon....he normally would have immediately called the police. He said he didn't see anything, but his behavior spoke otherwise. It makes me wonder if whoever fired the gun saw Jon looking out the window and threatened Jon or has done something to Jon to silence him.

Damaging Comments:

Note: Jon and I had been married for 24 years at the time of his disappearance and we are still married. Alisa, Johnna, Mary and our grandson John are the ones that were in Jon's life day in and day out. We are the people that know him best. So the following comments are from other family members who were not in Jon's life. One who had seen him maybe a handful of times since childhood and the other who hadn't seen Jon in years.
"He's anti-social." Oh please he was the neighborhood busybody. There weren't too many places in KS or in NV that we didn't walk into where people didn't know us. He was a very well liked guy.
"He's a gambler." Yea, I don't think so! Jon played the nickel slots many times just one nickel at a time .... I don't think anyone would classify Jon as a gambler with the exception of someone who really does not know him.
"He's a survivalist" - you know could hide in the mountains crap. Yea, right I couldn't even get him to go camping. The man liked his bed. He liked the comforts of home. He liked to be warm and cozy. He doesn't hunt. He once shot a pesky bird off the top of our home with a bb gun and got sick to his stomach after doing it.
"He's always ran away his whole life." - Well if you call running away from an abusive, crazy mother to go into the USMC a run away --- maybe I'm wrong about him not being a survivalist --- that was his survival he was running too.
And, my all time favorite - "He waited to leave you [meaning me] until the girls were grown so he wouldn't have to pay child support." Gee, it took him 4 years past the time of child support to leave. That family member doesn't even know the ages of other family members, give me a break. I'm still laughing on that one!

Unfortunately, when comments are made to law enforcement and investigators like those above it's no wonder we are getting little cooperation. 24 years, come on guys, 24 years of marriage and you all don't think I know my husband? No one knows him better than me....no one!

Private Investigator:

The private investigator came up with report on Jon that was totally full of misconceptions and in one incident totally false, didn't happen. What follows is my response to that report:

Talk to Jon on his cell phone in December – didn't happen:

That is my cell phone that I purchased for Jon and paid for the Verizon services. I had it reported as stolen and turned off in July or August of 2005. I monitor the activity on that cell phone and there has been none since Jon's one phone call to my daughter Alisa. I also call it every couple of weeks and it is still shut off…..rings busy. No one could have talked to Jon on that phone number. The phone was just recently completely turned off (March 2007).

Jon's work:
I doubt very much that Jon would have told anyone at work that he was starting a new life. He was only close to two people there and both those people have been in contact with me and have given me information to help in the search for Jon….they were not a part of Jon's disappearance.
Jon's job was a coveted position. In the IT world since 2001 many positions went to India. The positions that remain the salaries have been cut in half. Jon was rehired by CitiGroup. CitiGroup has a policy to never rehire. There were a lot of people mad who wanted Jon's position and that Jon was rehired fueled the fire even more. My guess is if that comment was made by a CitiGroup employee then there was an alternative motive for making a statement like that….they wanted his job.
I know that the employees were instructed not to talk about Jon and to refer calls to Jon's director. CitiGroup could be fearing a lawsuit since Jon was on their time when he disappeared and it very well could have happened in their parking lot.
Note: We found duck tape and fix-a-flat on the street directly west of the CitiGroup parking lot. Those two items Jon always had with him. That, coupled with the fact that Jon would always stop and help people, is where our fear that something happened to him comes in to play.
Jon's friends would be reluctant to talk to authorities because they are close to retirement and if they go against CitiGroup's directive they would stand to suffer devastating financial consequences.
As far as Jon telling coworkers that he has a controlling wife the only reason he would say that is if they wanted him to go party with them. I know he turned down many offers to do just that. Since he rehabbed 11 years ago he has stayed away from any kind of social activities that I wasn't present with him at. Not my demand but something he did for himself and as a gift to me. In fact I think one time when he needed an out I told him to say just that.
There was some talk that Jon had lied on a loan application and that he was going to be fired because of it. Loss of job and IRS lien combined may have sent him running. If this actually happened then I'm sure he thought he was going to loose the house and didn't know how to tell me this.
If Jon has left willingly why would he not give his work a 2 week notice? Why would he screw up a career of over 40 years by getting fired? This is a man who went thru a layoff…….he knows how hard it is to find work in his profession and how impossible it would be to find work should he be fired from a position.

Indian Casino in California
There are certainly varying stories coming out of the sheriff's office up there. My contact told me that the film was too grainy to make anything out clearly. Next I hear and I believe it was from Detective in Vegas that the film was good quality. I was told that I could not view the video that it had to be passed from law enforcement to law enforcement hands…….the Detective wouldn't get a hold of it for me. I later learned, from a former DA from another state, that I had every right to see that video and that more than likely the sheriff's office didn't want a lawsuit brought against them. I've later discovered that they have been hit with many lawsuits including a high profile one lending validity to the DA's statement. I've also been told that Jon was with someone in the video and then told it was just another customer sitting at a slot next to Jon. Also, I doubt that he told anyone he was starting a new life…….you don't steal a car and be on the run from the IRS and make statements like that.
I'm not 100% sure it was Jon at that casino it could have been a Jon look a like who has Jon's bank card.
I am the only one who could look at that video and 1), know for sure it was Jon; and 2), assess his mental and physical condition.
I can't help but think that if that was Jon at that casino it was a cry for help. Why would you sign up for a casino club card if you weren't staying there or living near there? He would have known I'd find him if he used his bank card from our joint account. He had other accounts that I didn't have access to that he could have used instead. Although he had little money in them if this were planned why didn't he move money into those accounts? I've got the statements and no money was moved in or out of those accounts.

Email that went around Sprint saying he had been found:
After Jon's phone call my daughter, Alisa, sent it out because there were people in the Sprint family that were in tears over Jon's disappearance. Jon was well liked in the Sprint family and at that moment it appeared Jon was found so Alisa was just trying to put their concerns to rest.
After the "strangling" phone call, and after we digested the first phone call, and the fact that he made no further contact with us, it became clear as can be to us that Jon is not in a good situation….he is still missing.

Statement that Jon was drunk on the first phone call:
I was standing there when Alisa was talking to the detective and her statement was was that she had worked in a pub for many years and that she is an expert at determining if someone is drunk or not. She told the detective that Jon was NOT drunk and he was NOT slurring his words. Alisa has a severe hearing problem so it could be she answered some question of the Detective not hearing what he had actually asked and that has led to the miscommunication, but her original comment I heard as clear as a bell.

Strangling Phone Call:
My daughter, Alisa, has an extremely high IQ, gifted student with a military background. She is probably closer to Jon than anyone in this world. Their minds thought alike…they could finish each other's sentences and thoughts. They have always had an amazing relationship together, deep respect and love for each other. When Alisa received that phone call she knew it was Jon. That phone call has haunted her. She tries to say that it probably was just a prank but that night that it happened she knew it was Jon. She even called the police.

Jon owning a business:
Why would he start a business using his SS when he's in trouble with the IRS? He definitely did not start a business in Vegas in 1994 …… we were living in Kansas. Jon's not a business man, he would admit that and he definitely would not know how to start his own business and run it while living in another state. If the PI thought this is his business then why didn't he call that business and ask for him? If his name is attached to the business and his SS is attached to the business then it most definitely is a case of stolen identity. I wouldn't put it past the people who assumed the mortgage on our first home in Vegas (Dalegrove address) to have done something like that.

Jon used aliases.
The aliases were ones Jon and I just laughed over. We were constantly getting junk mail with both our names so screwed up it was laughable. When we signed on our house there was a report with all of our aliases. We got a chuckle out of that but we were amazed that junk mail aliases showed up on a report.

Budget Rental Car:
Why when I contacted Budget via phone on that Monday after Jon went missing could they pull up no record of him? (Note: Spoke with male employee.) He had been renting that car for weeks and he was not in their system.
On Tuesday after Jon went missing I physically visited Budget. Spoke with a very young woman employee. I showed her a photo of Jon and she knew who he was immediately. She said that the last time he had been in there (I think it was like a week or 2 weeks before) he had been very angry and yelling. This one statement I found very strange. Jon is non confrontational. If he were mad he would walk away and walk out the door grumbling under his breadth but he would never stand in a store where we shopped (Budget was in the Smith's Grocery Store) and cause a scene….that's just not him. She never would tell me why he was mad. Please note that a male employee was sitting there while I was talking to this young woman, he did not make eye contact with me and he never once said anything to the effect of not being able to pull Jon up in the computer when I called.
I asked why they couldn't run a trace on the car since there was a sticker on the car saying "This vehicle is monitored." I was told it was not a monitored car. Jon and I had even discussed that we felt safe in that car knowing it was monitored.
Jennifer, in Budget's security, made one of the cruelest remarks I've ever heard when I made a statement to her that my husband could very well be dead in the trunk of that car and she responded back to validate why they kept hitting our joint bank account for $1,400.00 at a pop that "He's with the car then isn't he?"
Note: Budget continued to hit the joint account even after the car was found. $1400.00 whenever they feel like it.

Car being found at Suncoast:
How in the hell did a car sit in Valet Parking at a major hotel/casino and go unnoticed for months? Vegas is a prime target for terrorists. Abandoned cars just don't go unnoticed in that city. You can't tell me that there is no paper trail, no video no nothing on how that car got there I don't buy it. Vegas is a town that literally when you leave your home there are cameras on you everywhere.
How do we know that Budget didn't take the car and plant it in the Suncoast valet parking themselves? The Suncoast is right near Budget. Hell they had a great thing going there with hitting our joint account whenever they felt like it.
Car being processed and nothing being found in it: Well since Budget processed the car why would they let us know if they did find any evidence in it? There were a couple items of mine that should have been in there…funny no mention of those items. Budget fears a lawsuit from me they would never let us know if they found anything in that car.

Recap:
One phone call from Jon. No emotion in his voice even when his daughter's were crying…….that would not be Jon. When it comes to family he was emotional. He spoke in a controlled voice, devoid of emotion, leading the girl's to believe someone was controlling the call. And, that the call ended abruptly furthers our concern.
Last sighting of Jon was in June of 2005 – strangers determined it was Jon.
There has been no credit activity, no banking activity, no contact with family members other than the initial phone call and maybe the strangling phone call. No one that knows Jon has physically seen him. (Note: his mother says she saw him but that was right after I got a flyer in the hands of the real estate agent selling the home across the street from her….too big of a coincidence and given the fact that his mother has always had a severe problem of lying then the validity of her seeing him is low. Her spiel was consistent with what was on the flyer.)

End of response to PI's report.____________________________________________________________________________________________________



Comments from Maureen

To those that have stood beside me throughout this ordeal, some of you complete strangers, I say thank you and God bless!

To those who turned their backs on me and instead of helping caused friction, I say to you that my family, my girls, my grandson and I will always, no matter the outcome of all of this, we will always have a better quality life than any of you. But, to you I also say God bless.

To those who chose not to help and to those who closed their eyes all I can say is I hope this never happens to you, because when it does you are going to feel very guilty about your choice not to help me. But, to you I also say God bless.

To those who may have caused Jon's disappearance, who may have hurt Jon or worse and to those who have stolen his identity and/or military retirement check and his military ID to you I say watch out. I'll never give up and I will find you. You will need to pray for forgiveness and seek God's blessing.
-------------------------

Search updates over the years:

01-03-08 Jon is still missing.

We just went through our 3rd Christmas holidays without Jon ... it doesn't get easier, time does not mend anything when you don't have answers.

There is still no activity ... no trace...the search goes on.

In this new year:

Thank you goes out to Matt O'Brien of lvcitylife.com for writing an article on Jon and highlighting a little bit of what the families of the missing go through. Thanks for including Jessie Foster in the article. There are so many others missing from Vegas and many all on the same side of town that Jon went missing on .... like Trevor Morse who has been missing since May of this year. My prayers for answers goes out to both Jessie's and Trevor's families and prayers that these two young people are found safe.

Thanks to my MySpacer friends and all the sleuthers who cared enough to let me know over the holidays that you were thinking of me and for caring enough to not let Jon's case go cold. Thanks to everyone that is helping in the search!

Thanks to Amy Camasso and Debbie Lewis for caring enough to stay in touch. Anyone ever need a real estate person in Vegas ... contact Amy! :)

My prayers and hugs go out to Tina Porter. Rest in peace in God's arms Sam and Lindsey.

Also, rest in peace Christopher Michael Pierce, my prayers go out to your family.

Big thanks to Kelly of Project Jason and Linda (advocate for Branson Perry) for keeping tabs on me! And, thanks goes out to Todd Matthews of Missing Pieces Radio and Monica Caison of CUE for all you do for the missing and their families.

Also, prayers and thanks go out to Jan Smolinski, mother of missing Billy Smolinski and prayers also to Jim Viola, husband of missing Patricia Viola. Thanks for your calls and emails!

I'm sure I've left off people, Gretchen for the mapping and the blog, and to S. (not sure you want me to use your name --- who went out and bought books to aid in the search! LOL), and so many others that are helping .... you know who you are and my family so appreciates everything you are doing for us.

And, thanks Jesse (Be the Shepherd's Eyes) for making me laugh! And, glad you are out of the hospital.

10-13-07 Jon is still missing.

Sadly, just recently we recieved news that Jon has not recieved his military retirement during this whole time. To us receiving that news was as if someone walked through the door and said they had found Jon's body. We thank MO Congressman Emanuel Cleaver's office for obtaining this information for us.

Skip traces have shown nothing new - no activity since the Spring of 2005. No credit, no banking, no new driver's license (Jon's KS license expired in March of 2007). No bowling averages established. Nothing.

A big thank you goes out to Kyle. Kyle is a young Marine who after returning from overseas headed to Las Vegas and put up flyers everywhere. An amazing young man ... THANK YOU KYLE!!!!

Thank you goes out to Todd Matthews for caring enough to get Jon's story out on his program, Missing Pieces.

I'm starting a letter writing campaign that I need everyone to help with. I'm still working on the wording of the letter but watch for it on the main page of this website. Have everyone you know particpate in this campaign.

If you are the family of a missing or murdered loved one and it happened in Las Vegas please email me at deskside2@yahoo.com and share your story.

Our prayers go out to Brandy Shipp whose mother's remains (Summer Shipp) were found this past week. Brandy has led an amazing campaign to find her Mom and through it all she has been so wonderful to the other families who have missing loved ones. Pray that justice comes swift.

Thanks goes out to Kelly Jolkowski of Project Jason for all of her support and suggestions.

And, a thank you goes out to everyone on the forums and MySpace who are researching and/or helping spread Jon's story.

08-12-07 Jon is still missing.

Jon has missed Alisa and Johnna's birthdays this summer. He has missed baby John fishing, boating and camping.

See the photo page for new photos added of Jon as well as other family photos. All family members are reminded to please send photos. We need the rare photos of Jon actually smiling where he is showing his teeth. Jon always smiled without showing his teeth so I'm asking you all to hunt for these pics. We also need photos of different angles of Jon's head, different expressions, Jon looking unshaven/shaven as well as grubby/dressed up, and everything in between. Recent videos (2000-2005) are also needed!

Thank you to everyone that is searching for Jon. People of action are the best! For those of you that can't search, prayers are still needed. For those of you who sit around and just run your mouths, sorry I have no time or patience for you.

Don't forget to keep emailing the Flyers or flyer business cards to everyone in your address books and ask them to do the same.

06-17-07 Jon is still missing.

On this third Father's Day that Jon will not be with his children I ask everyone to stop and say a prayer for Jon and for his children.

05-19-07 Jon is still missing. Jon's family asks that you gather in prayer and pray for Jon today.

It has been 2 years today (May 19, 2007) since I hugged and kissed Jon goodbye at our front door and then never saw or talked to him again. 2 years, it's unimanginable. Please if you know anything, if you remember anything about that day that Jon disappeared, please email me. If you saw or talked with Jon when he left Citigroup that day, or if you saw Jon at Smith's Grocery Store in front of the Budget Rental counter (or if you saw him in the Smith's parking lot) where he was running his errand to on his lunch break, please let me know what you saw or heard!!!!!

Thank you,

Maureen
Jon's Wife

03-31-07 Jon is still missing.

Today is Jon's 61st birthday. We ask everyone to take a moment today and say a prayer for Jon.



03-11-07 Jon is still missing.

Thank you so much to the person who solved the Clementine connection. How that application plays into Jon's disappearance we aren't sure yet, but we do feel that somehow it does. Does anyone from CitiGroup know if Jon was using SPSS on the job? Email me at deskside2@yahoo.com

11-10-06 Jon is still missing.

Happy Marine Corps Birthday Jon......Semper Fi.

10-13-06 Jon is still missing.

If the following description jogs anyone's memory, please email Jon's wife, Maureen, at deskside2@yahoo.com

1. Male 23 years old
2. He has brown eyes and brown hair
3. Height is 5'7"
4. Weight approximately 150 pounds
5. His name is Eddy (perhaps a short for Edward)
6. His Surname is something like Bidwell

09-07-06 Jon is still missing.

If you are in contact with Jon you need to let him know that my mother, his mother-in-law, passed away on September 2, 2006.

If anyone knows of a "Eddy/Edward" with a possible last name of "Bidwell" connected with Jon, please email his wife at deskside2@yahoo.com

08-06-06

Today is Johnna's 25th birthday (Jon's daughter). Again we face another family occasion without Jon in our lives.

-We do not know if Jon is alive or dead. We have been told that he was being controlled at the time of his disappearance. Those individuals will be brought to justice..............I will spend the rest of my life to make that happen.

-If anyone knows of someone named Denise in connection with Jon they need to come forward. Harboring information is against the law. When Jon is found trust me I will pursue all those who did not turn over information and you will be prosecuted...no matter who you are. What you are doing to this family by not turning over information is CRIMINAL. Email me now at deskside2@yahoo.com

-If you are in possession of his military retirement you definitely will be prosecuted!

-Budget Rental I suggest highly that someone come forward immediately with what was found in the glove compartment box of the car Jon had been renting from you. The car was not clean! There was evidence in that glove compartment box that could solve this whole mystery. We just want to find Jon, just let us know what it was. deskside2@yahoo.com This is a man who served 2 tours in Vietnam and served 20 years protecting this country you owe it to him to help us find him or his body. How heartless can a company be??? I've already experienced the worst of your company, prove to me that that is not the way your whole company is run...............turn over the information we need.

-If you have a way of getting information to Jon then you need to let him know that his daughter, Kelly, is having surgery this week. He would also want to know that my mother, his mother-in-law, has been in the hospital for many weeks including many days in ICU...her prognosis is unknown.

6-18-06 Jon is still missing.

This is the 2nd Father's Day that Jon will be missing.....someone out there knows what happened to Jon, please let us know. Email Jon's wife, Maureen, at deskside2@yahoo.com if you have any information. Thanks!

5-15-06 Jon is still missing.

May 19 marks one year that Jon has been missing. I am blessed that Jon and my loving circle of family and friends will be gathered around me on that day, that weekend. For those of you who cannot be with us on that day we ask that you please join us on May 19 by praying for Jon.
Jon has not been heard from since that one phone call shortly after he disappeared.
There was a report that he was talked to on his cell phone in December --- not true. His cell phone was my cell phone on my account that I reported as stolen in July of 2005. That phone has been shut off since July, 2005. I've called it every month and it is still shut off. I also monitor the account activity and there has been NO activity since that one disturbing phone call that he made shortly after his disappearance. There were also other wild statements made and I've discredited it all ......... NONE OF IT WAS TRUE.....it was erroneous BS made by a subcontracted individual.
There has also been no activity banking, credit reports, etc., ....... nothing.

I thank those people that have not only kept in touch with me over the past year but who are actively searching for Jon by helping to still place flyers around the country........you all are the best!

Many of you have been concerned how we are holding up. We are fine, we are strong, life goes on but that doesn't diminish our loss....Jon never leaves our thoughts and prayers, not for a second.

Our family is growing ...... Jon's youngest daughter, his baby, is getting married next summer (2007). We welcome James to our family and thank him for the happiness he has brought to Mary and baby John.

If anyone out there has any information on Jon please email me (Maureen), his wife, at deskside2@yahoo.com

03-29-06 Jon is still missing.

Please join our family in prayer on March 31, 2006 -- Jon's 60th birthday. Happy Birthday Jon!

Special thanks goes out to Debbie Lewis for all of her efforts in helping us in the search for Jon.

03-03-06 Jon is still missing.

Thank you so much to the Marines that served with Jon in Vietnam that have contacted me this past week. Your prayers and any efforts you put into helping in the search for Jon are much appreciated!!! Semper Fi

Thanks also goes out to the Welling family for contacting me and offering help and prayers!

1-29-06 Jon is still missing.

We, Jon's family had to face our first Christmas without Jon there with us to share the memories. This week will also mark our (Jon and Maureen's) 25th Wedding anniversary. Again, thank you to everyone who continues to look for Jon, pray for Jon and our family and special thanks goes out to those who stay in touch and truly are concerned about Jon and about the family he so loves.



Christmas 2005

_____________

11-09-05 Jon is still missing. Recent anonymous information suggests that Jon has had a major mental breakdown but it is unclear as to where he is. It is believed that he does not even know where he is. If this pans out true then it's too bad that no one listened to his wife of 24 years from the beginning, we may have been able to get him help a lot sooner.

Johnna, Jon's daughter, will be in Las Vegas November 14-18 staying at Harrah's. Hank Glaeser and Johnna will be helping in the search for Jon. Thanks Johnna and Hank!



10-12-05 Jon is still missing.



9-29-05 Jon is still missing.



09-22-05 Jon has been missing over 4 months now.

Today is Jon's grandson's birthday. Baby John turned 2 years old today. On baby John's day of birth, 2 years ago, Jon was such a proud grandpa. He raised baby John for the first six months of his life. The two of them were inseparable. Today Jon won't be there to celebrate his "little buddy's" 2nd birthday. Whatever anyone can do to help find Jon it will be so appreciated by this family.

Thank you to everyone that is praying for Jon and our family!











09-09-05

Jon is still missing.

A big thank you to Jon's friend who provided me with a name I needed .... hopefully you are still looking for the phone number!

08-14-05

Jon is still missing. August 19, 2005 will mark 3 months that Jon has been missing.

Jon is not using his cell phone, checking his emails or paying his bills.

Please continue to send out flyers. Campgrounds, reststops, shelters, bowling centers (Jon's an avid bowler), hospitals, rehabs anywhere you can think of would be good. Any Western states, and KS, MO, NC. Thank you to everyone that is helping out!

08-04-05

Jon is still missing. His family is worried sick about him. Please help to bring Jon home.

Does anyone remember the name of a former co-worker of Jon's who possibly was in the USMC with Jon and worked with him either at Uninet or Citibank in the 80's??.........the man and his wife manage a campground/RV Park in California? Email Jon's wife, Maureen, at deskside2@yahoo.com if this rings a bell with you.......thanks.

Please continue to fax or email the flyers around the country!

07-16-05

Jon is still missing.

Flyers need to go out all over Irvine, CA, Belmont, CA and Coarsegold, CA.

If you are traveling this summer anywhere in the country please print off flyers and leave in rest stops, campgrounds, etc. Thanks!

07-09-05

Jon is still missing.

Does anyone know the name of Teddi Thompson??? Email me at deskside2@yahoo.com if you have any information on this person.

Thanks goes out to the various Yahoo Group Missing person's sites. Thanks to those individuals that are getting the flyers out and to Dick Sutton for looking into Jon's case. And, thanks goes out to Margaret Stephens.....you've been a big help!

Plaster the west coast in flyers please! Don't let this case go cold!

06-20-05

Jon is still missing to his family.

The missing person's case number has been cancelled on Jon as he was positively photo ID'd today on transactions that took place on June 7 and June 9th. However on June 18th a disturbing phone call was received that makes the family once again fear for his safety. With no proof there is nothing law enforcement can do.

Flyers still need to be circulated throughout the country with an emphasis on the west coast. Thanks!

06-17-05

Jon is still missing.

As we approach Father's Day please keep Jon's children and grandchildren in your prayers. Not only will this Sunday be Father's Day it will also mark one month that Jon has been missing.

Thank you to all of you that have emailed me your concern and your prayers are very much appreciated.

Thanks again to Amy Camasso, our realtor, for the information she has been providing me through her law enforcement contacts!

Thanks also goes out to Debbie Lewis, your insight is much appreciated! I pray you're right that good news will be here soon.

How can you help? I really need in the next few days for people to download the flyer, get on the internet and obtain lists of shelters, hospitals, rehabs and VA centers in mid and northern California and email/fax the flyers out to these places. Thanks!

06-10-05

Jon is still missing.

Thanks goes out again to East Madera County Sheriff's Office for their continued help in helping us find Jon!

I'm also calling on everyone to boycott Budget Rental Car ........... do not rent a car from them!!!! Email me at deskside2@yahoo.com if you want the reason why.

06-08-05

Jon is still missing. Thank you to the East Madera County Sheriff's Office for all of your help!

5-30-05

Jon is still missing. We attended the Memorial Day event today. The mayor and our councilman are now aware that Jon is missing and seemed concerned about it. Mary was interviewed by Channel 3 News and her segment has already aired once today. We've been invited to a Flag Raising at the VFW this afternoon. Fox5 News is going to try and catch up with us there. Jon will be listed on North American Missing Persons Network / Doe Network under " Hot Cases " today.

Update: We went to the VFW this afternoon. Thanks goes out to everyone there and their kindness. We had offers from several veterans to help with the case including one man who has law enforcement contacts throughout Nevada. Fox5 News didn't get there but will probably interview us tomorrow as they really want to run the story.

5-29-05

Jon is still missing. No new information to report today. We are just gearing up for tomorrow's Memorial Day event. Pray that we get the media attention we want and pray that we get the info into hands that can get the process moving faster.

Thanks to my sister Kate for getting it into law enforcement hands in Blythe PD and CHP!

5-28-05

No change in Jon's status...he's still missing.

Jon's children and grandchildren are busy this weekend passing out flyers.

Enormous thank you to Amy Camasso, our realtor here in Vegas, she has gone above and beyond what we could even imagine to get the word out and to get certain high level people involved in the case. Amy you are the best!

Sprint people, THANK YOU. Randy and Mickie....................Thanks for getting the word out.

Thank you to Nativity Career Transition Group and TopKCProfessionals for helping get the word out.

Keep passing out flyers we have to find Jon! Thank you for all of your help!