Denita Hedden was 37 when she disappeared on her birthday, January 25, 2018, from Royal Lakes, Illinois. She was seen late that evening in the 700 block of Catalpa after spending time earlier that day at Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Missouri. When last seen she wore a maroon and orange Nike Virginia Tech hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and high brown women’s boots. She is described as a Caucasian female, 5 feet 0 inches and about 110 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a tattoo on her stomach of a woman’s upper torso with crossed arms and spikey hair.

Investigators quickly suspected foul play. Her roommate reported her missing and the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis assisted the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office. Searches covered over 22,400 acres and 70 miles of roadway in southern Macoupin County, with numerous police, fire, and specialized teams searching by land and air, but she has not been located. Authorities identified a person of interest early in the investigation whose identity has not been released; the Sheriff’s Department has said they believe she was murdered. The case is active and back with the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office; residents and property owners in the area were asked to report anything unusual.

If anyone knew Denita, her routines, or saw anything in Royal Lakes around January 25, 2018, can you share what you remember?