Rene Williams , Missing Since 3/13/07, AVA, Mo

[Faith]

Major developments in Rene Williams Case

http://media.ky3.com/images/rene%20williams%202.jpg

Update Monday Morning: 36-year-old Christopher Revak of Ava was arrested on Saturday in the disappearance of Rene Williams. He was found hung in the jail Sunday afternoon. KY3's Marie Saavedra will have a live report at noon.

AVA, Mo -- Rene Williams was last seen closing up the Eagles Lodge in Ava back in March 2007.


The Douglas County Sheriff's Department has planned a press conference for Monday morning. The sheriff wouldn't say what the new details are surrounding this two-and-a-half-year-old case.


The family of Williams tells KY3 an arrest has been made, but officials wouldn't say who.

http://www.ky3.com/news/local/51749742.html

[Faith]

http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=313.0

[sarahhod]

Unusual twist in woman's disappearance


The Douglas County sheriff says the only suspect in the murder of Rene Williams of Mansfield is dead. Sheriff Chris DeGase says authorities got a tip Friday that led to the arrest of Christopher Revak of Ava. He was arrested and charged Saturday with 2nd degree murder in the death of Rene Williams, but hung himself in the jail. The sheriff says Revak was a patron at the Eagles Lodge in Ava where Williams worked, but only came there once or twice a year. Williams was last seen at the Eagles Lodge back in March 2007. Douglas County authorities haven't found Williams body yet, but have found enough for them to keep searching an undisclosed location for her grave. Crews are using cadaver dogs and a backhoe in the search.
updated 12:08pm 7/27/09

http://www.ktts.com/tabid/4882/xmid/34672/Default.aspx

[sarahhod]

Ava man charged with murder commits suicide


By Cliff Sain • csain@news-leader.com • July 27, 2009

Ava — A man charged with killing a Mansfield woman in 2007 committed suicide in jail a day after his arrest, authorities said today.

Christopher E. Revak, 36, of Ava, was arrested about 8:30 a.m. Saturday and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Rene M. Williams, Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase said at a news conference today. Revak hanged himself Sunday in his jail cell, Degase said.

There had been no indication that Revak was suicidal, the sheriff said.

Williams, 36, disappeared in March 2007. She was last seen at the Ava Eagles Lodge, where she worked.

Authorities have been searching an area for Williams’ body since Saturday, Degase said. He would not disclose the location.

Degase said Revak had been a person of interest in the case for sometime.

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090727/BREAKING01/90727011/1007/news01/Ava+man+charged+with+murder+commits+suicide+

[sarahhod]

Bombshell Developments in Ava Murder Case

Reported by: Kate Stacy (http://www.helpfindthemissing.org/content/about/bios/katestacy)

Monday, Jul 27, 2009 @10:27am CST


(Ava, MO) -- A surprising development today in the two year long investigation into the disappearance of a woman in Douglas County.

Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase called reporters to Ava this morning to announce the arrest and filing of charges of second degree murder against Christopher E. Revak, 36, of Ava, for the March 1997 disappearance of Jennifer Williams. Then he announced Revak apparently killed himself in his cell in the Douglas County Jail Sunday.

Williams, 36, of Mansfield, vanished from the Eagles Lodge in Ava. Her abandoned car was found there.

Degase, who took office in January, says investigators from his office and the Missouri Highway Patrol began to go back over evidence in this cold case and take a different approach to the investigation. "We re-interviewed a lot of people and reviewed all the evidence," Degase said.

On July 24, Degase said his office received new information and evidence, which led to the search of a piece of property. Degase would not reveal the location of the search site.
Deputies, Patrol investigators, divers and search dog teams searched through the night Friday night into Saturday and did find some clothing, but did not find Williams body. An arrest for Revak's arrest was issued by a judge Sunday morning.

Degase says searchers rented a backhoe to continue searching the area on Sunday. At one time, more than 30 law officers were at the site, helping with the search.

At 3:30 Sunday afternoon, Degase said he was notified by his office that Revak had committed suicide in his cell, by hanging himself. An autopsy is planned on Revak's body.

Degase said his office and the Highway Patrol are committed to continue the search for Williams' body. "I am convinced she is dead," he said.

The families of both Williams (right) and Revak are being kept up to date.

There was criticism over the past few years about how this case was handled. Today, local residents tell reporters they are glad to have answers, although several said they've never heard of Revak before. They're waiting for more facts to come out to learn how this crime happened.

http://ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/?cid=169972

I believe they have the name wrong in this article, it should read Rene not Jennifer.

[sarahhod]

Endangered Missing Adult



If you believe you have any information regarding this case that will be helpful in this investigation please contact:

Douglas County Sheriff's Office at (417) 683-1020
http://www.theyaremissed.org/gallery/photos/A200705230S_5536.jpg
Name:Rene Marie Williams

Classification:Endangered Missing Adult Alias / Nickname:Rae Date of Birth:1970-02-01 Date Missing:2007-03-13 From City/State:Ava, MO Missing From (Country):USA Age at Time of Disappearance:37 Gender:Female Race:White Height:62 to 65 inches Weight:130 pounds Hair Color:Blonde Eye Color:Blue Complexion:Light Identifying Characteristics:Pierced ears, pierced tongue, tattoo of two "feathers" on right arm, tattoo of a "unicorn head" on right ankle, tattoo of the letters "K S A" on left fingers, missing lower front tooth, previously broken wrist, born with reversed club feet and had corrective surgery. Clothing:Blue hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, athletic shoes, brown leather purse, cell phone. Jewelry:Three gold rings worn on left hand. Circumstances of Disappearance:Unknown. Rene was last seen at approximately 1:30am at her place of employment at the Eagles Lodge on Hwy 14 in Ava, MO. Her vehicle was found in the parking lot the following morning. Investigative Agency:Douglas County Sheriff's Office Phone:(417) 683-1020 Investigative Case #:0770389

Additional Photo_____________

http://www.theyaremissed.org/gallery/photos/A200705230S_5537.jpg

http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/ncmaprofile_all.php?A200705230S

[Faith]

Authorities still searching for missing woman’s body

News-Leader staff • July 28, 2009

Authorities still have not located the remains of Rene Marie Williams, who was last seen March 13, 2007, closing up the Eagles Lodge, where she worked, just west of Ava.

Lt. Dale Hicks, of the Missouri Highway Patrol, Troop G, said the patrol is assisting the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in that search at an undisclosed location. He said Troop G, headquartered in Willow Springs, and Troop D, headquartered in Springfield, are assisting.

“We are still looking,” Hicks said. “At this point, we don’t have any more leads.”

At a Monday morning press conference in Ava, Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase said that officers began searching the site on Saturday when they also arrested Christopher E. Revak, 36, of Ava, who was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Mansfield woman’s disappearance.

Degase also announced at the press conference that Revak committed suicide in his cell about 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Hicks said the Highway Patrol has not been asked to assist in any investigation of Revak’s death.

Degase said the site is rugged and difficult to search and that a backhoe is being used at the site.

Williams would have been 38 now.

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090728/BREAKING01/90728064/Authorities+still+searching+for+missing+woman%E2%8 0%99s+body

[Faith]

Suspect in missing woman's case could be linked to other murders
By Marie Saavedra, KY3 News



Story Published: Aug 10, 2009 at 2:42 PM CDT

Story Updated: Aug 10, 2009 at 7:29 PM CDT

AVA, Mo.-- Rene Williams disappeared from Ava's Eagles Lodge in March of 2007, and detectives believe Christopher Revak was the last person to see her alive. Investigators now say it's possible others met the same fate in his hands.

"We started looking into some missing women and unsolved homicides in at least two other states that had similar characteristics to this one," said Chris Degase, Douglas County Sheriff.

Detectives are now investigating three murdered women in two states the sheriff will only say are north of Missouri. One agency recently spent three days working their case with the sheriff.

"They weren't quite as small as [Ava], but they were small towns. There is a distinct pattern in regard to time frame that match up with at least two of these other victims," said Sheriff Degase.
"It was very obvious that he lead a double life."

Before Ava, deputies say Revak lived his lie in Straffod. Fire Chief Jerry Schiman says Revak volunteered for a year.

"He completed his fire fighting training with the state fire board with us, he completed his EMT training with us," said Chief Schiman. "He was very quiet, a pleasant person, he always had a joke. None of us would suspect Chris of anything like that."

Those who knew Revak and the alleged victim's families may never have the answers they want. Revak took his own life one day after his arrest in July, but the sheriff says that ending is now just the beginning.

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af35/missingpersonscases/Various%20Photos/CR.jpghttp://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af35/missingpersonscases/Various%20Photos/CR1.jpghttp://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af35/missingpersonscases/Various%20Photos/CR2.jpg
http://www.ky3.com/news/local/52895667.html

[Grande]

Sheriff: Missouri man linked to four women's deaths
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 | 6:24 p.m. CDT
BY The Associated Press

AVA — An emergency responder who hanged himself in jail after being charged with a 2-year-old murder is believed to have been involved in three similar slayings in two other states, authorities said.

Christopher E. Revak, 36, of Ava, killed himself in the Douglas County Jail on July 26, the day after he was charged with second-degree murder for the March 2007 slaying of Rene Williams after she locked up the Eagles Lodge near Ava, where she was a bartender.

Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase said one of his priorities when he took office in January was to find out what happened to Williams, a mother of three from nearby Mansfield who was 36 when she disappeared. Her body has never been found.

"I took an unconventional approach, and there were lots of obstacles before things came together," said Degase, a 36-year-old who grew up in Ava before moving to New Mexico and working for that state's Water Patrol.

After Revak hanged himself, Degase decided to do some more digging. That's when he found three unsolved killings in two different states that were strikingly similar to the one in Ava.

Degase has been in contact with agencies in both states — which he declined to identify because of ongoing investigations — and has placed Revak in one of the states at the time of one abduction and slaying. Degase said there's a "very high probability" Revak was involved in two additional killings.

Officials said Revak moved to southwest Missouri in 2000 and was a volunteer firefighter in Strafford from 2001 to 2003. After that, he worked as an EMT for the Taney County Ambulance District for six years, said ambulance director Jeff Hawkins.

"He was a good worker for us," Hawkins said. "He never gave us any indication there were any problems. He was reliable and we didn't have any problems with him. This was a big surprise."

But Degase found a different side to Revak.

"I started looking at ways he had covered things up, the extent he went to hide things," Degase said. "It was obvious he was leading a double second life, and I became aware that this might not be his first time at this."

Degase said the Williams murder case should be closed soon. He said he's looking into seeking a coroner's inquiry so that Williams can be officially declared dead.

"It's been a wild case that took a lot of bizarre twists and turns," Degase said. "Every piece of evidence turned up, every rock turned over, found something else. And we're still looking for the remains of our victim."

That search might have to wait until the fall, when thick undergrowth at an 80-acre farm field where officials believe her body is buried thins out.

"For 14 days straight I was there, digging, walking, using dogs," Degase said. "I still feel confident that we'll find her, but we're looking for a grave 2 1/2 years old on a farm that's been overgrown for 25."

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/08/11/sheriff-mo-man-linked-4-womens-deaths/

[Grande]

Suspected Serial Killer Spent Time in Wisconsin Jail
By Doug Magditch
Story Updated: Aug 11, 2009 at 7:14 PM CDT

In a span of five years, from 1990 to 1995, Chris Revak was found guilty of eight crimes. They range from driving while suspended to disorderly conduct.

It's just one more piece in the puzzle, investigating a man that police say is a suspect in four homicides.

"They said all along it was just her, I had a feeling there was more to it," says Donna Broge, a trustee of the Eagles Lodge in Ava, Mo.

Members of the lodge are dealing with Monday's news, that the man charged with killing their co-worker and friend, Rene Williams, is also a suspect in at least three other homicides in two other states.

"There could be more, and it would be an assumption on my part, but there is some consistency with time frames and patterns on this. So, it wouldn't surprise me," says Douglas Co. Sheriff Chris Degase.

The department says Revak could be involved in the other homicides because he was there.

"In both - he would have been passing through," says Degase.

So, where else has Revak lived? He was born in Elk Grove Village, Ill. and he spent much of his time in the Wood Co., Wis. jail between 1990 and 1995.

"We saw him quite often," says Sgt. Michael W Malooly of the Wood Co. Sheriff's Department.

The Douglas Co. Sheriff's Department won't say which states it's working with.

When asked specifically about Wisconsin, Degase said "I cannot confirm that."

Now, members of the Eagle's Lodge will remember Chris Revak, his picture is now on their wall. A newspaper clipping about his arrest is now pinned next to articles about Rene Williams missing.

Those that saw him in person had mixed reactions.

"Some of the girls said he was kind of spooky, other said he was quiet and stayed to himself," says Broge.

Broge says she isn't aware of a time Revak visited the lodge after the night Williams went missing. Since that night, though, members are more concerned with safety.

"You can sit right down beside somebody and they could be a serial killer and you never know it," says Broge.

The lodge members are raising money for a college fund for Rene Williams three kids. If you'd like to make a contribution, contact the Ava Eagles' Lodge - 417-683-5502

http://www.kspr.com/news/local/52994262.html