Wendy Gessing's Boyfriend Waits For Answers From Police

CREST HILL, IL — More than three months have passed since 50-year-old Crest Hill resident Wendy Gessing vanished during her Saturday evening work shift at the Pizzas By Marchelloni restaurant owned by her long-time boyfriend, Scott Harris.

Gessing has not been seen or heard from since the early evening hours of June 12. Harris, who has owned the Pizzas By Marchelloni on Raynor Avenue for about 20 years, said he's waiting for updates from the Crest Hill police, like everybody else.

On Tuesday afternoon, Joliet Patch spoke with Harris for a follow-up phone interview. Patch also talked with him a few weeks ago.

He said that mid-August marked 14 years that he and Gessing had been together.

Patch asked whether Crest Hill police have provided him with any noteworthy updates on their progress toward locating Gessing.

"Not that I've heard," Harris remarked. "I think they are at a standstill. But, I know they are still talking to people.

"I understand that they need to keep things quiet, I guess. I don't know what they all know. I just wish the DNA (test results) would get here."

Harris told Joliet Patch it's his understanding the police are still awaiting the laboratory results from DNA tests conducted on one of their vehicles. In mid-June, the couple's gray Honda CRV was found in Joliet in the 400 block of Buell Avenue, a dead-end street near Western Avenue.

Harris said he doesn't know why the Honda CRV ended up along Buell. He and Gessing do not have any friends, family or acquaintances who live in that neighborhood. Harris said Gessing's purse was found inside the car.

Patch asked Harris Tuesday whether her credit cards were also recovered from the purse.

"I think so," he said. "There has been no activity I've seen" on any of her bank accounts or credit cards since she went missing on June 12, Harris said.

"She didn't really have too many credit cards," he added.

Earlier this month, Harris told Patch he believes "she's either been taken or she's no longer with us ... I know she did not leave on her own."

One scenario is that Gessing was taken by force, abducted, and those responsible left her car on Buell Avenue because "they ran out of gas," Harris said.

On Tuesday, Harris recalled he drove the Honda CRV to work that Saturday morning, June 12, and it had less than a quarter tank of gas.

Harris said he worked that Saturday morning and afternoon. He was not at the restaurant at the time of her disappearance or at any point later that night.

According to Harris, Gessing came into work around 4 p.m. and was set to work until at least 10 p.m., if not later, depending on the number of pizza orders near closing time.

"She usually locks up," Harris said.

Patch asked Harris if it's likely that Gessing decided to leave Illinois on her own and relocate somewhere far away to start a new life for herself.

"That's not like her at all," Harris replied.

Harris said Gessing always remained in regular contact with her mother, who still lives in the Joliet area. She has a brother who lives in Las Vegas and a sister who lives near Coal City.

Gessing, who is divorced, also has a son in his mid-20s who lives in the area.

Joliet Patch interviewed Crest Hill Police Chief Ed Clark in mid-August about the status of the missing person case. Crest Hill police have yet to publicly announce whether anybody has been cleared in connection with her disappearance.

During Tuesday's interview, Patch asked Harris if he is hoping or would like the Crest Hill police to publicly announce he has been cleared in the case.

"I don't believe they think that it's me," Harris told Patch. "I know it's not me."

On July 16, Crest Hill police said Gessing's boyfriend had provided police with his phone, and the download of the Ring doorbell from the couple's house on Hosmer Lane did not show Gessing returning home after leaving for work that Saturday afternoon.

Crest Hill police also said at the time they had gone to the couple's house and received permission from Gessing's boyfriend to search the property.

On the night of his girlfriend's disappearance, Harris said he went to the Lockport Moose Club. He said he goes to the Lockport Moose on many weekends, when he has a chance to get away from work to socialize.

"I'm a member there," he said.

Harris said he believes his girlfriend left Pizzas by Marchelloni sometime around 6:30 p.m. and that she never returned to work.

He said his niece was at the restaurant picking up an order and "she saw her."

In August, Harris said he learned from his niece that Gessing said she was leaving the pizza place around 6:30 p.m. to give someone a ride.

"Someone needed a lift, an acquaintance," Harris said.

During Tuesday's interview, Harris said he remembered sending his girlfriend a text message late that Saturday night, but he did not receive a reply. Eventually, he went asleep. On Sunday morning, Harris realized she had not returned home. At that point, he said he sent her another text message, and again, he got no response.

Over the next few days, Gessing's phone turned up in Romeoville along Taylor Road. Harris said it may have been found in a parking lot, but he is not certain. There were reported sightings of Gessing's Honda CRV at the Joliet Motel 6 on McDonough Street, and then her car was spotted by one of the Joliet homeowners in the 400 block of Buell Street.

Homeowner Rudy Guajardo told Joliet Patch in July that he noticed the gray Honda CRV parked across the street on Buell Avenue for at least three or four days, and didn't think anything was suspicious at the time.

"People dump their cars here all the time," he said.

When Crest Hill police announced on social media that Gessing and her car were missing, the Buell Avenue homeowner notified authorities that the license plates were a match.

Harris told Patch it's his belief that police are strongly pursuing the DNA testing to determine "whoever was in that car."

For the car to wind up on Buell Avenue, Harris believes "it's obvious that car was taken from her."

As it stands, Gessing has been missing around 100 days.

Again, Harris discounted the theory that she left Crest Hill on her own for a change of scenery, pointing out that she did not pack any of her clothes, belongings or possessions.

None of the police missing persons fliers from the summer listed a description of what she wore at the time of her disappearance.

Harris told Patch on Tuesday that Gessing often wore flip-flops in the summer, shorts and a tank top.

A few weeks ago, Chief Clark told Patch that investigators had obtained a number of search warrants in regard to Gessing's disappearance. Clark said he did not want to disclose the nature of the search warrants or what type of evidence was being sought.

On Aug. 14, Gessing's sister posted a Joliet Patch article on her Facebook page, advising her followers, "Update, nothing new on Wendy."

At one point during Tuesday's interview, Harris brought up "the young girl from Wyoming," in reference to Gabrielle Petito, another missing person — now homicide — case that has garnered national attention.

On Tuesday, the FBI confirmed that remains found in Grand Teton National Park are that of Petito, 22. She was reported missing after her fiancé returned alone from a cross-country van trip.

Unlike Petito's case, Harris' girlfriend has yet to be located, meaning there's a chance she's still alive somewhere.

"Nobody has made a positive identification since she left the pizza place," Harris said.

The fact that she has not been found dead, "We all think that's good," Harris said. "That's something to give us hope."

As Gessing remains missing, Harris has remained committed to keeping his pizza restaurant going. At times, it can be difficult as some people target him with ridicule.

In one instance, Harris said a man called the Pizzas By Marchelloni carryout phone number — which has caller ID —and declared, "We know that Scott did it."

Harris said there were teenagers working at his restaurant at the time of the incident.

At one point during Tuesday's phone interview, Harris stepped away from the phone as he became emotional.

"It's very hard," he said. "Every day, it's a different emotion for me, her mom and her family."