ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police hosted a missing persons day event Saturday to honor many unsolved cases in the metropolitan area. This event was the first of its kind and it was an effort to help bring closure to families who have relatives missing.
Ronda Sanner is one of many families who participated in the missing persons event. Sanner said her brother Ronald Nation went missing almost four years ago in Madison.
"He was walking away from the currency exchange and that was the last time anybody had seen him," Sanner said.
The incident happened in July 2014 and his disappearance left her family empty. Now Sanner hopes some high tech, scientific help can lead police to her brother.
"I’m hoping to give my DNA to help in case something was found that they would have my DNA in the system to refer to," Sanner said.
Lieutenant Abby Keller with the Illinois State Police said that was part of the motive when creating this event.
"We know that these are big cases these are serious cases and we want to show our support to these families. There has just been a disconnect I think over the past decade a lot of these cases seem to be getting lost in the system," Keller said.
That’s why families in Illinois and Missouri could talk with investigators, give pictures and provide DNA, all in hopes of locating those who are missing and bring closure to those families who are still suffering.
"It gives me a little closure hoping that maybe in the system it can connect. But it doesn't give me the piece of burying my brother and we would like to have that," Sanner said.
There were multiple law enforcement agencies who participated in Saturday’s event including Illinois State Police, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Fairview Heights Police Department and St. Louis County and city officers.
This was their way of letting families know they are still interested in these cases which is why they're collecting information to help provide closure to these families.
