In the late hours of March 3, 2002, a 39-year-old female named Janice Matney was seen for the last time at her home in Ottawa, Illinois. She was at her residence in the 200 block of State Street at approximately 11:00 p.m. when her live-in boyfriend saw her. At the time of her disappearance, Janice was wearing a distinctive outfit consisting of a white t-shirt, a white sweatshirt, a green and white jacket, and yellow sweatpants with blue pants layered over them. She was also wearing brown hiking boots. Originally from Sacramento, California, Janice had a tendency to move around the country before settling in Ottawa. She had a scar on her lip and typically carried identification from California.
Janice was a mother to a son and a daughter who described her as a generous and energetic person. However, she also faced personal challenges, including a history of depression and illegal drug use, and she was classified as disabled. Concerns grew when she did not claim her last Social Security benefit check, and there was no record of her applying for benefits elsewhere. Her daughter last saw her about a year before she vanished. The days following her last sighting on March 3rd turned into a prolonged and sorrowful mystery for her family.
It was several days after Janice was last seen that her live-in boyfriend reported her missing to the authorities. The investigation that followed explored various avenues, though few concrete leads emerged. Her boyfriend at the time was a registered sex offender, but he was never officially named a suspect in her disappearance; he passed away from natural causes in 2004. Over the years, law enforcement has investigated various tips, including checking on unidentified bodies found in other states that roughly matched Janice's description, but these leads did not lead to a breakthrough. Investigators have conducted polygraph tests on several individuals connected to the case. In order to assist with potential identification, a DNA sample from Janice's daughter is on file with the Ottawa Police Department. Despite the passage of time, Janice Matney's case remains the only unsolved missing person case in Ottawa, a lingering question for both her family and the community.
Last Seen: Mar 3, 2002
