Case Of Former Will County Sheriff Deputy Remains Mystery 23 Years Later

(CBS) -- She's been missing longer than Stacy Peterson and Lisa Stebic combined, but you've probably never heard of Robin Abrams, who disappeared from Beecher Illinois back in October of 1990.

Now, after 23 years, this cold case is getting another look as Roseanne Tellez explains in this original report.

From her makeshift command center Jody Walsh searches for clues into the disappearance of her sister. Roseanne Tellez asks, "Did you ever think that 23 years later you would not have the answers you wanted?" Jody Walsh answers, "never, never."

28-year-old Robin Abrams, a former Will County Sheriff deputy, was last seen driving down Goodenow Road in Beecher. Her car was later found in Harvey.

Abrams had an order of protection against a Will County Sheriff auxiliary officer with whom she claimed to have had an affair.

But the officer, Tony Marquez, claimed Robin was after him, and filed dozens of complaints, alleging phone harassment, reckless driving, disorderly conduct, and more.

"I have 103 reports of harassment from him," says Jody Walsh. "He was after my sister like a fatal attraction."

Of the 103 incidents, Abrams was acquitted of harassment and reckless driving - the only charges she faced in court and assault charges were dropped.

But she was fired by the sheriff's office. She sued for wrongful firing and sexual harassment, but weeks before her deposition, she disappeared.

Roseanne Tellez visited Tony Marquez's home in south suburban Elwood, his wife came to the door and Roseanne asked, "You don't think he had anything to do with her disappearance? Her answer, "I don't know. Of course not."

The answer was no when we asked if Marquez himself could come to the door and speak with us.

"Tony Marquez was what we now call a person of interest," says Ken Kaupas who is currently with the Will County Sheriff's Office, but was assigned to the Abram's investigation when he worked for the Illinois State Police. "There's never been a cover up. And there's not been incompetence. Sometimes you do not find a body."

After more than two decades of dead ends, Congressman Daniel Lipinski requested the Illinois' Inspector General launch an investigation because: "There is no reason...a murder case should lie dormant for 23 years."

But the response from the Inspector General offered little hope. Jody Walsh was openly disappointed as she read to us from the letter she received from the IG's office.

"We may open this investigation or refer this matter to another agency or law enforcement authority."

When asked if she was confident they could get to the bottom of it, she answered, "Absolutely not."

Walsh says she will keep fighting for her sister.

"Her life was important to us. I'll never give up. Never."

Hiram Grau, Director of the Illinois State Police, says the case is making progress.

"Numerous interviews and re-interviews of subjects have been ongoing as well as forensic science analysis."

One development the Abrams family hopes to have soon is a death certificate. That could clear the way for charges -- if police find someone to charge.