Detectives Trying To Solve Ashley Tucker Disappearance: Gavin

JOLIET, IL - It's been a full week since 25-year-old Ashley Tucker was last seen alive in Joliet. Friends and family fear she was attacked and injured in Joliet's Parkwood Neighborhood area near the old Silver Cross Hospital. On Friday, Joliet Police Department Sgt. Darrell Gavin told Patch that his agency's detectives have been working on Ashley Tucker's missing person case nonstop since she vanished last weekend.

Tucker is considered missing and endangered at this stage of the case, Gavin said.

Joliet Patch asked Gavin if Joliet Police have developed a suspect or person of interest.

"We don't want to speculate on anything at this time. Everybody that she lived with and was with throughout that day, we've talked to," Gavin said.

"She was by herself prior to the report of her missing," Gavin told Patch. "Her vehicle was found, and we have that vehicle now."

Gavin said Tucker's car has been undergoing rigorous examination for forensics clues and evidence.

Tucker was last seen around 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 in the 2100 block of Tamarack on the city's east side. "The investigators have been working this case nonstop round the clock following up leads," Gavin said.

Gavin urged people to continue to reach out to the detectives unit with information that may be of help, even with tips and leads that someone might think are insignificant may turn out to be extremely important as far as the police are concerned.

On the plus side, Gavin said, several people have called the investigations unit during this past week in hopes of helping the police find Tucker and figure out what happened to her.

Concerned family reached out to Joliet Patch at the start of this week indicating that Tucker had attended a house warming party on Saturday evening and that she has not been seen ever since.

"They found the jacket in the backyard with blood on it and specks all over the area where the jacket was found. It was the jacket she was wearing during the party," the relatives said.

Other sources told Patch that a 2 by 4 was later found in a backyard near the home that Tucker shared with a roommate.

Gavin said investigators are not discussing any specifics such as physical evidence at the moment.

Anyone with helpful information is asked to call Joliet Police's investigation unit at 815-724-3020.

"Stay vigilant and if (somebody) knows something or heard something, just please call the investigations division," Gavin said.

Image via John Ferak/Joliet Patch Editor