In the summer of 1985, the life of 29-year-old Gary Michael Kessen took a mysterious and troubling turn. On July 26, he was last seen by his sister-in-law in Orland Park, Illinois, after an unusual visit where he dropped off a copy of his will and a farewell note addressed to his nephew. This unsettling act was a precursor to his sudden disappearance. It wasn't until August 10 that his mother officially reported him missing to the Orland Park Police Department.
A few weeks later, on August 30, another piece of the puzzle emerged when Kessen's car was found abandoned at O'Hare International Airport. Friends had mentioned to investigators that Kessen had plans to travel to Las Vegas, a trip he seemingly never made.
The investigation into Gary Kessen's disappearance uncovered a complex and dark backstory. Years later, during a 1992 murder-for-hire trial, testimony revealed that Kessen had paid a significant amount of money to a Blue Island police officer named Ronald Tellez. This payment was connected to the murder of Kessen's stepfather, Harold Rowley Jr. Court documents indicated that Kessen's mother and stepfather had been embroiled in a contentious divorce prior to Rowley's death. This revelation cast a sinister light on Kessen's vanishing act, leading police to suspect he had met with foul play. The connection to Tellez was further solidified when it was discovered that Tellez was named as an heir in the will Kessen had drawn up shortly before he went missing.
Authorities now believe that Gary Kessen did not just disappear, but was likely the victim of a homicide. It is thought that his remains may be buried in one of several forest preserves, specifically Calumet Grove, Kickapoo Meadows, or Whistler Woods. This theory is supported by information that Tellez was known to frequent these areas. Furthermore, Kessen himself had reportedly bragged about having money buried in the forest preserves. The case of Gary Kessen is a chilling narrative that began with a strange farewell and unfolded into a story intertwined with a murder-for-hire plot. Despite the passage of time and the emergence of these disturbing details, his disappearance remains an unsolved case, leaving his family without answers and his final whereabouts unknown.Last Seen: Jul 26, 1985
