This Intelligence Report looks at a case with one suspect and no charges.
Rachel Marie Mellon hasn't been seen since January 31, 1996. The happy, popular 13-year-old wasn't feeling well that day and stayed home from school. Her stepfather was the only other person in the house.
Jeff Skemp is Rachel's biological father.
"I still dream of Rachel coming home," said Skemp. "I'll probably never get that thought out of my mind, but realistically I don't think there is a lot of chance that Rachel is still alive but that doesn't mean we can't find her and get some justice for her."
The Bolingbrook seventh grader stayed home from school on a bitterly cold January 31st. Her stepfather, Vincent Mellon, told police that he went out for a half hour to walk the family dog and that hours later when he went to check on Rachel in her bedroom, she was gone, without a trace of hard evidence as to what happened.
A website commemorating Rachel Mellon states: "Someone knows something."
From the beginning, police considered Vince Mellon to be that someone.
Vince Mellon failed parts of a lie detector exam, was subjected to countless police inquiries, and several grand jury investigations. After an initial breakup with Rachel's mother, Amy, the couple reunited and moved out of state.
"It's really kind of hard to understand where Vince is coming from, why he would be uncooperative, because I think he has something to hide," Skemp said. "He was the last person there and there are some other circumstances that kind of point in his direction. Unfortunately, it's all circumstantial. But I really can't understand why Amy acts the way she does. It's her daughter and she is trying to sweep it under the rug and forget about it."
The phone numbers are disconnected for Vince and Amy Mellon at their last listed address in Tennessee. They did not answer a message left on Facebook.
Bolingbrook Police say "the case is still active and open." But, even on this 15th anniversary of such a confounding mystery, the police website doesn't even show Rachel Mellon on its homepage...but does have a picture of Drew Peterson's missing wife, also a Bolingbrook case.
Find more information about the search for Rachel Mellon at www.Rachelfind.com, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Find-Rachel-Marie-Mellon-Skemp/196082360408033
If you have any information about the disappearance of Rachel Mellon contact:
Bolingbrook Police Department
375 West Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, Illinois 60440
(630) 226-8600
