Belenske 2009. (photo from ISP)
The Illinois State Police and the FBI say they have a new lead in the 34 year old unsolved murder of an Iowa college student
Twenty-one-year -old Tammy Zywicki was returning to Grinnell college from Lasalle, Illinois on August 23rd 1992. She was last seen on I-80 in LaSalle County, Illinois and her car was found abandoned later that day.
Her body was found September 1st along Interstate 44 between Joplin and Springfield, Missouri. She had been stabbed to death.
Investigators say they are now looking for information about Theresa “Teri” Belenske from the late 1980’s through the mid 1990’s. Blenske was known to hitch hike and may have been traveling with an unknown truck driver who was spotted near Tammy’s car before her death.
AI generated photo of what Belenske looked like in 1992. (ISP photo)
Belenske, who died in 2014, had ties to California, including the cities of Oceanside, Vista, Pomona, San Bernadino, and Fontana. They have released a photo of Belenske and an AI photo of what she may’ve looked like back in 1992.
Anyone with information about Belenske can leave a crime tip on the Illinois State Patrol Investigative Tips page or through 1-800-CALL-FBI. Callers can remain anonymous.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification of the individual or individuals responsible for this crime.