Missouri
Missing Missouri college student Melissa Oelke found dead after abandoned vehicle discovered in rural Illinois
A missing Missouri college student who disappeared during an extended spring break trip home was found dead on Saturday in Illinois, near where her abandoned car had been discovered.
Melissa Oelke, 21, was reported missing on Thursday after she left her St. Peters, Mo. home without her phone at around 7:30 a.m. that same day, the St. Peters Police Department said.
Oelke, a student at the private art College of Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, had been home for spring break at the time of her disappearance, her father, Gerald Oelke, told the Belleville News-Democrat.
Gerald Oelke revealed to the outlet that his daughter had been stressed out over her recent midterms and extended her spring break to focus on her mental health.
After leaving her residence Thursday morning, Oelke drove around and made several stops, including at a Target in her hometown, a grocery store and a Walgreens, the outlet reported.
Oelke’s car was later found abandoned on the side of a rural road outside of St. Jacob, Illinois, approximately 60 miles east of her home.
Police swarmed the rural roadway where Oelke’s empty car was discovered stuck in an embankment near a creek, according to photos obtained by the outlet.
A dashcam inside the car had been removed before the vehicle was found, Gerald Oelke said.
Oelke had “several medical conditions that require attention,” creating a more urgent search for officials concerned for the missing student’s well-being.
Illinois emergency officials launched a search of the area looking for Oelke, using drones and K-9 units.
Officials revealed Oelke was found dead on Saturday in Madison County, Illinois, the same county her car had been discovered the day before.
A cause of death has not been released, but officials have ruled out foul play and believe there is no threat to the public, KMOV reported.
“We ask that you keep her family in your thoughts during this difficult time. Thank you to everyone who shared this post and offered your prayers,” the St. Peters Police Department said.
The Kansas City Chiefs selected linebacker Nick Bolton in the second round, 58th overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft. The University of Missouri Tigers star is a two-time Super Bowl champion and can now add Hall of Famer to his resume after a special reveal from head coach Andy Reid after a recent team practice.
“You guys know I’m a Missouri Tiger at heart; I had a chance to coach there, for you that didn’t know, before I got in the NFL. We got a couple of Missouri Tigers here, but we got one that’s real, real famous right now. Not only for his play here with the Chiefs, but also what he did at the University of Missouri,” said Reid. “He did great things there. We know him as kind of a team guy. He’s Nick Bolton, right? We know him as a team guy, the ultimate team guy, but today you’re going to get an individual award, bud. Today you’re going into the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.”
During his college football career at Missouri, Bolton was named First-Team All-SEC in 2019 and 2020 and Second-Team All-American in 2020.
Bolton had another impressive season in 2025, leading the Chiefs with 154 total tackles, along with a sack and an interception. He was selected as an alternate for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Despite conflict between the U.S. and Iran, gas prices in Missouri have been falling since last month, and even last week.
According to GasBuddy.com, average gas prices in Missouri have gone down 53.9 cents a gallon since last month and 9.9 cents per gallon since last week. This correlates with national average gas prices, which have been down 55.6 cents per gallon since last month and 6.9 cents per gallon last week.
Head of Petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, Patrick De Haan, says, “Fresh attacks were traded between the U.S. and Iran before both sides agreed to halt hostilities just in time Sunday, preventing what could have been a significant spike in oil prices.”
Patrick says that even though the market is unpredictable at the moment, “GasBuddy anticipates the national average will continue drifting lower this week.”
A fundraiser on Friday helped raise money for a mid-Missouri family’s effort to get their daughter medical treatment.
Hurts Donut from Springfield, Mo., traveled to Ashland to help the Kroeckel family raise money for their daughter, Harper’s, life-changing medical treatment in Italy.
“After exhausting available treatment options in the United States, the family is now pursuing specialized care that offers new hope for her future,” wrote the Hurts Donut shop in a press release. “Because the treatment, travel expenses and extended medical stays are not covered by insurance, the family is facing more than $85,000 in out-of-pocket costs.”
Harper had been born prematurely at 35 weeks and admitted to the NICU, where a nurse discovered a spot that they assumed to be diaper rash on her bottom. However, further inspection led to her diagnosis of Capillary Malformation-Arteriovenous Malformation, or CM-AVM.
CM-AVM is a genetic mutation at the cellular level that causes blood vessels in certain areas to be tangled, causing swelling, pressure, chronic pain and, in some instances, bleeding. In Harper’s case, it could potentially spread to her spine or brain.
The donut shop set up shop at the Ashland Optimists Club and donated 100% of its Special Tribute donut sales to the Kroeckel family, as well as 10% of the proceeds from its dozen donut sales.
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