Melissa Page, 23: Last Seen At A Bar Outside Of Chicago In 1990
Media coverage of cases involving missing Black women has arguably been irresponsible, but it is irrefutable that Melissa Page deserved better. The last time anyone saw Melissa was reportedly at the Oasis Tavern in Lockport, Illinois, about 30 miles southwest of Chicago, on September 17, 1990. Specific circumstances regarding that last sighting are unknown, but a news report by The Southtown Star in 2009 seemingly speaks volumes to how Melissa’s case was being viewed and handled locally.
Like many of the hundreds of cases here on OBG, finding news reports about Melissa Page dating back to the year of her disappearance has been impossible. The American Crime Journal also researched this case back in 2020 and found a mention of the 23-year-old in a report made by The Southtown Star. The report was brief, but from the first sentence, it was clear that Melissa’s case had turned into rumors and local folklore.
The Southtown Star’s Newspaper Report
“Lockport’s Melissa Ann Page hung around violent people,” the news report from 2009 read. “It’s probably why she hasn’t been seen in nearly 20 years. It’s probably why no one who knows of her whereabouts will speak up.”
“Page was last seen at a Lockport bar Sept. 17, 1990,” it continued. “Her case remains on the front page of the Illinois State Police’s online clearinghouse of missing persons. Her family could not be reached for comment. Will County sheriff’s spokesman Patrick Barry said many of her relatives are dead or incarcerated.”
“According to old police reports, Page might have been involved with drug dealers. At the time of her disappearance, several of Page’s acquaintances told police of a rumor she was killed and shredded in a piece of machinery used to grind trees. Barry noted that in the last 25 years, every single child reported missing in his county of roughly 500,000 residents has been found. But dozens, if not hundreds, of adults have disappeared without a trace.”
“It is not that strange at all,” Barry said. “As time goes by, it becomes almost impossible to find them.”
Melissa’s Family Tells Another Tale
Over 30 years later, his comments have sadly rung true. However, American Crime Journal contests the information shared in this report. They claim they spoke with Melissa’s cousin Alicia, who refuted the sheriff’s spokesman, stating that Melissa has several family members who are alive, well, and continue to search for her.
“She is loved, her mother is looking for her, she has a LARGE FAMILY in Illinois,” Alicia reportedly said.
“A little over a year later, this past October or November, I was contacted by Alicia, cousin of Melissa Ann Page, who informed me that not only is her mother alive, but her father and brother and not only that, but a large family in Illinois. Her mother contacted me quickly, using several different messages and was obviously upset. Mrs. Farmer, Melissa’s mother to this day was looking for her child. They hadn’t heard from the Will County Sheriff’s Office in years. I learned that Melissa Ann Page went missing three weeks after tragedy struck.”
-American Crime Journal
Melissa Page: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Melissa Page stood 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 105 pounds. She had black/dark brown hair and brown eyes. Melissa has a scar over her right eye. She was last seen wearing a white blouse, black coveralls, a black leather jacket, and black shoes. Her middle name is “Ann,” and her fingerprints are on file.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Will County Sheriff’s Office at (815) 727-8575 or their local authorities. The agency case number is 90-264-108.
Please share this story about Melissa Page to help reignite the investigation into her case. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Sources
NamUs
The Doe Network
American Crime Journal
