Seven-year-old Dalton Mesarchik of Streator, Illinois, was murdered after disappearing the evening of March 26, 2003. He was last seen waiting in his front yard for a church van that never arrived; his mother reported him missing that night. A fisherman found Dalton’s body the following morning in the Vermillion River, about two miles south of Streator. He had been bludgeoned to death with a hammer identified as a Benchtop Pro model sold at Kmart.

The crime shook the small town and prompted a massive search that included more than 500 volunteers and investigations by local, state, and federal law enforcement. Investigators developed numerous leads and potential suspects over the years, but none produced an arrest. The case remains unsolved and authorities continue to seek information that could bring Dalton’s killer to justice.

If anyone knew Dalton, saw him that evening, or has information about the Benchtop Pro hammer or suspicious activity near the Vermillion River in late March 2003, please come forward.