The community of Ottawa, Illinois, was left with lingering questions and concern following the disappearance of 45-year-old Tina Donovan on January 13, 2020. A family member reported her missing the next day when she failed to show up for work. On the day she was last seen, Tina, a white female with brown hair and blue eyes, was observed on video surveillance at her bank in Ottawa at approximately 1:45 p.m. making a withdrawal. She was wearing a black coat and was noticeably using crutches and a black walking boot on her right foot due to a recent surgery. This was the last confirmed sighting of her.
Later that same day, at around 5:23 p.m., her cell phone signal was traced to the vicinity of Starved Rock State Park, a sprawling and scenic area known for its canyons and trails along the Illinois River. This information led investigators to the park, where they discovered her vehicle, unoccupied, in the parking lot of the Starved Rock Lodge. A review of video footage from the area revealed a woman matching Tina's description, also on crutches, walking from the parking lot toward one of the park's trail entrances. Adding to the distress of her disappearance were cryptic letters she had sent and a note she left behind which made references to "eating from the tree of life."
The discovery of Tina's vehicle and the video footage prompted an extensive search of the park and the surrounding area. The search efforts, a collaboration between the Ottawa Police Department, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police, and several local fire and rescue teams, focused on both ground and water. Several days into the search, some of Tina's personal belongings, including her crutches, were found at the base of a cliff near the Illinois River. The terrain in the area where her belongings were located is notably steep, leading investigators to believe that she may have entered the river. The search of the river was challenging at times due to ice, but crews utilized sonar equipment in their efforts. Despite the large-scale and prolonged searches, Tina Donovan has not been found, and her case remains an active missing person investigation.
Last Seen: Jan 13, 2020
