In the early morning hours of February 11, 1975, a 23-year-old woman named Patricia 'Stacy' Spahn vanished from East Dubuque, Illinois. She was last seen at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Sinsinawa Avenue after leaving a local establishment called Schees Lounge. At the time of her disappearance, she was reportedly on her way to a party. Patricia, a white female with brown hair and blue eyes, wore wire-rimmed eyeglasses.
On the night she went missing, she was dressed in a long green coat, a pink shirt, and dark blue pants, and she was carrying a large green leather purse with straps. She was seen with one or two men shortly before she disappeared. One account describes an unidentified white male, approximately 26 years old and 5'9' tall, with a full mustache and wire-rimmed glasses, in her company.
The initial investigation into Patricia's disappearance uncovered perplexing details. It was reported that one of the men with Patricia gave her girlfriend an address where she could be picked up later, but the address turned out to be nonexistent. The men she was last seen with were identified by authorities, but they reportedly refused to take polygraph tests. For years, rumors circulated that Patricia's remains might be buried under the swimming pool of the Dubuque Inn Hotel, which was constructed in 1975. This lead was pursued decades later in 2005 when the hotel was demolished. Investigators took the opportunity to excavate the pool area, digging down five feet. Despite the thorough search, no evidence of human remains was found, putting that particular rumor to rest but leaving the family and investigators without the answers they had hoped for.
The case of Patricia Spahn has remained an open and active investigation, transitioning into a cold case over the decades. The Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office and the East Dubuque Police Department have been involved in the investigation. In January 2018, a cold case team was assigned to re-examine the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, bringing fresh eyes to the lingering mystery. Despite the passage of time, law enforcement and her loved ones have not given up hope for a resolution. The central facts remain: Patricia Spahn, a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, left a lounge to attend a party and was never heard from again. Her case is a poignant reminder of the enduring pain and uncertainty that families of missing persons face, and the persistent efforts of law enforcement to bring closure to these long-unsolved cases.Last Seen: Feb 11, 1975
