Police issue public plea for help in finding missing Machesney Park woman, benefit Nov. 8

Online Staff Report

The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department has issued a plea asking for the public’s assistance in locating missing 31-year-old Machesney Park, Ill., resident Katrina A. Smith.

Katrina Smith has been missing since she was last seen by her husband, Todd Smith, 45, at about 9 p.m., Monday, Oct. 22. She was reportedly leaving the couple’s residence at 8239 Tetterhall Lane in Machesney Park to run an errand. Investigators most recently have searched Rock Cut State Park before the park closes for the season.

Following is the plea issued by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department Nov. 7:

Katrina Smith was reported missing on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012.

Since that time, an exhaustive search has been conducted for Ms Smith, both by law enforcement and citizen volunteers.

The search has not been successful.

In addition to the physical search for Ms. Smith, hundreds of leads have been followed up on by detectives of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Police and the Roscoe Police Department.

The search and investigation continues, and another appeal is being made to the public to assist law enforcement in both areas.

Citizens are asked to search their private property and outbuildings for any sign of Ms. Smith. If anything is located, call law enforcement immediately and report it.

Anyone with information on the disappearance of Ms. Smith is asked to call the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department (815-319-6400) or Crime Stoppers (815-963-7867)

At the time of her disappearance, Ms. Smith was reported to have been wearing black pants with a red top. Ms. Smith is 5 feet, 4 inches, 120 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Katrina Smith’s family has organized a benefit dinner for 5:30 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 8, at Casey’s Pub, 7307 N. Alpine Road, Loves Park, Ill. Funds raised from the benefit will go to fund further search efforts and to raise a reward for information about Katrina Smith’s disappearance. Pizza and pasta from Napoli’s will be served. Cost is $10 per person.

An account has been established at Riverside Community Bank, and donations can be made at any of the bank’s locations to the “Katrina Smith Fund.” A Facebook page, “findkatrinasmith,” has also been established.

Detectives have determined Katrina Smith was shopping at department stores in the area of North Second Street and Illinois Route 173 in Machesney Park between 7 and 8 p.m., Monday night, Oct. 22. She then reportedly returned to her residence on Tetterhall Lane in Machesney Park, and left around 9 p.m. to run additional errands.

Katrina Smith’s vehicle was found abandoned at Obispo and Ventura in Machesney Park at approximately 7:50 p.m., Oct. 23. Neighbors reported seeing the vehicle parked at that location earlier in the day, unoccupied.

Katrina Smith’s purse was recovered Wednesday, Oct. 24, a short distance from where the vehicle was located.

During a search conducted by family and friends Oct. 26, paper towels were recovered with a substance believed to be blood on them. These items were recovered in a field between Obispo and Ralston Road. Tests will need to be conducted to determine whether the blood belongs to Katrina Smith.

Katrina Smith’s cell phone was recovered in the 700 block of Ralston Thursday, Oct. 25.

Also Thursday, Oct. 25, Katrina Smith’s wallet was turned over to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department. The wallet had been recovered by a citizen in the roadway of a Rockford street and turned in to a business as found property. Once it was determined the wallet was Katrina Smith’s, the business called the Rockford Police Department, which contacted the Sheriff’s Department. At this point, it is unknown if anything is missing from the wallet.

Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 27-28, an extensive search of the Rock River was conducted by the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department and multiple assisting fire departments, including Rockford Fire Department and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The river search was conducted from south of the Latham Road Bridge. Nothing was recovered during the search.

Tuesday, Oct. 30, police obtained a search warrant and searched the Smith residence on Tetterhall Lane.

Katrina Smith worked in the Human Resources Department at Camryn Company in Belvidere, Ill. Although the Smiths’ residence is in Machesney Park, Katrina Smith had recently been staying in Roscoe, Ill. The couple has no children.

According to court documents, Todd Smith, who used to go by Todd Raprager, was convicted of arson in 1985 at the age of 17 after attempting to set his family’s home on fire with his parents and brother inside. The home was destroyed, but no one was hurt in the incident. Smith served 30 months of probation and was required to get a drug evaluation.

Also, according to a State of Illinois Secretary of State Securities Department file, Smith was accused in October 2011 of allegedly bilking elderly people out of millions of dollars.

Search parties continue to look for Katrina Smith, and detectives continue to follow up on leads. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at (815) 319-6400 or Crime Stoppers at (815) 963-7867.

Posted Nov. 7, 2012

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