The Joliet police are searching for a missing mother of three whose boyfriend said she stole a load of his cash and one of his handguns, investigators said.
Linda Fellenbaum, 33, had moved in with the boyfriend about two months ago and was last seen departing his 3608 Crockett Court home on foot, said Joliet police Cmdr. Brian Benton.
Not only was she on foot, said the missing woman's mother, Deborah Barr, but she was barefoot, having left her shoes behind in the boyfriend's house.
"Her car, her phone, her shoes," Barr said of the various items her daughter left at the home of her boyfriend, 40-year-old Donald Wolak.
The sudden departure from Wolak's home was on Oct. 21. Five days earlier, Benton said, the boyfriend—whom he declined to identity—filed a police report saying he has a "large sum of cash missing," that he thinks Fellenbaum took it, and that he also suspects she stole one of his handguns.
When Fellenbaum returned on Oct. 21, Benton said, she and the boyfriend argued over the money and she fled the house, leaving all the things one would think she would have taken. A neighbor backed up the boyfriend's account and said he saw Fellenbaum leaving, Benton said.
Property transfer records show Wolak purchased the house at 3608 Crockett Court in 2004. Will County Sheriff's Department records have Wolak getting booked into the county jail in March 2011 on charges of aggravated battery and battery. Wolak's address when he was arrested was 3608 Crockett Court in Joliet, according to jail records.
No one answered the door at 3608 Crockett Court Thursday night. The window shades were drawn on the first floor and paper covered the windows around the door.
Four days after a barefoot Fellenbaum supposedly disappeared into the night, her sister went to the Joliet police to file a missing person's report, Benton said. The sister had earlier reported Fellenbaum missing to the Hinsdale Police Department, but officers there decided they do not have jurisdiction for the case, he said.
Fellenbaum was living in Hinsdale before she moved in with Wolak, her mother said. Benton said Fellenbaum and her boyfriend met on the Internet. Fellenbaum's dating profile was listed on the dating site meetme.com.
Fellenbaum's boyfriend cooperated with police and allowed officers to search his house, Benton said. The father of one of her three children, a 7-year-old boy, was also interviewed and was cooperative, he said.
Barr said Fellenbaum dropped the boy off at the Country Club Hills home of his father, Jason Dedera, on Saturday, Oct. 20. She planned to pick her son up Monday morning and take him to school in Hinsdale, Barr said.
Fellenbaum confirmed this with a text message to Dedera the night she supposedly ran out of Wolak's house barefoot, Barr said.
Dedera could not be reached for comment Thursday night.
Fellenbaum moved from Rockford to Chicago about nine years ago, according to a Facebook page set up by her family. Fellenbaum's Linkedin page says she studied pre-med, chemistry and sociology for two years at Marquette University. It also says she worked as an office Administrator at Sparkle Painting and Construction Company in Chicago.
A woman answering the phone Thursday at Sparkle Painting and Construction confirmed that Fellenbaum works there. The woman said she called a detective about Fellenbaum's case but declined to comment further.
Family and friends of Fellenbaum have organized a search for her Sunday at Mistwood Golf Course in Romeoville. The search starts at 10 a.m.
Barr said her daughter would not willingly take off for weeks on end without telling her family where she was going.
"This is 100 percent out of character for her," she said.
what they also failed to mention is that fallenbaum has in the last six months posted 25+ Craigslist adds looking for men among other things. Using fake names meeting strange men. Her family has not heard from her in months and so they are trying to portray that this is out of character for her..really ...were the Craigslist ads in character? Were the picking up of men in character too???. She also actually did not live at the address, she was merely staying there out of the kindness of Mr.wolak because of her supposed apt had a mold issue. Mind you she lost her apt never leading on that she did. I also would like to add regarding her character is it in her character to give up her children for adoption and give up custody ...so really Mr newspaper reporter get ur story straight before portraying people as victims. Mr wolak missing his hard earned money is a victim ....wake up people you ever think she may be in hiding being she has warrants and is prime suspect in a major theft case!!!!!
....I personally know both parties involved. I have direct knowledge of situation.When someone is confronted and is caught red handed and told the police will and are being called they tend to scramble to get the hell away before the police arrive. Facing numerous warrants and a possibly another felony theft might make someone run quickly without grabbing anything.the scam that was being run was out of the bag and knowing ur wanted might make someone hide. There are details that Mr reporter failed to mention that would have shed more light on situation. The amount of nonsense that surrounds fellnbaum is incredible. Mr reporter needs to get all the facts before writing a story Like the fact police were called on the night she took off running and they took sweet time to arrive. So again get all facts