Dad who vanished on work trip found dead in car in Illinois creek, Wisconsin cops say
_fitted.png "A husband and father, Wisconsin man Ben Oberto went missing after leaving a business dinner in Illinois, officials say.")
The search for a Wisconsin husband and father who went missing during a work trip is over, officials say, after Illinois authorities found him dead inside an overturned car, family says and news outlets report.
Ben Oberto, 45, of New Berlin, Wisconsin, was reported missing after he failed to return home from a work trip in Illinois, officials told WGN.
Oberto attended a work-related dinner in Crystal Lake on the night of his disappearance and left the restaurant at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, then wasn’t seen again, WMAQ reported.
A search was launched for Oberto, and nearly two days after he vanished, authorities found him. At 3:40 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, he was located inside of a car overturned in a creek near Interstate 90 and pronounced dead at the scene, the New Berlin Police Department said in a news release.
Oberto’s vehicle, a Subaru Impreza, was “partially submerged in a creek at the bottom of (an) embankment” near Rosemont, Illinois State Police said in a news release, adding it was Rosemont police who found the vehicle. A dive team searched the Subaru and found a body, which was identified as Oberto, the release said.
Oberto’s wife, Laura Leatherberry, broke the news to friends and family in a Facebook post.
“On Wednesday, November 13th, at approximately 9:47 pm, Ben’s car left the freeway as he navigated a challenging turn towards home on a dark, rainy, and foggy night. He did not survive the accident,” Leatherberry wrote.
“I don’t yet have the words to truly express the deep sorrow I’m experiencing, but you deserve to know the truth and not wait in agony anymore,” she added.
The crash is being investigated by Illinois State Police, according to police in New Berlin.
“Ben was not just my husband; he was a loving father, a cherished son, a caring brother, and a true friend to so many,” Leatherberry said. “His vibrant spirit, loving heart, and unmatched generosity left an indelible mark on every life he touched.”
Crystal Lake is a roughly 50-mile drive northwest from downtown Chicago and about 70 miles south from New Berlin, Wisconsin.
This story was originally published November 17, 2024 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Dad who vanished on work trip found dead in car in Illinois creek, Wisconsin cops say."