Police are investigating after a Wisconsin father disappeared after leaving a restaurant in Crystal Lake Wednesday evening before his phone later went dead.
Laura Leatherberry said her husband, Benjamin Stephen Oberto, was last seen at 8:55 p.m. Wednesday.
Oberto, 45, was last seen at 1776 Restaurant in Crystal Lake.
He was assumed to be headed home to New Berlin, Wisconsin, from the restaurant.
Leatherberry said that her husband’s last phone call was at 9:26 p.m. that evening and at 10:11 p.m. his phone went directly to voicemail.
Oberto drives a silver 2019 Subaru Impreza, which does not have the manufacturer’s STARLINK service.
A missing person report has been filed. Police across Wisconsin and Illinois are involved in the search for Oberto, who is the father of a 3-year-old and a 21-year-old.
Police requested location data from the man’s cellular provider and his phone was pinged in the area of Chicago, Rosemont and O’Hare Airport around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday.
The phone went dead after that, Leatherberry said.
Oberto has been missing for over 36 hours. Leatherberry said it was confirmed that her husband has not taken a flight out of O’Hare Airport and it is likely he is in the greater Chicago area.
Oberto is described as being 190 pounds, 6-foot tall and was last seen wearing jeans and a navy blue zip-up with a gold logo on it.
Leatherberry said police are using license plate readers in the investigation.
She also said her husband’s I-PASS toll record registered him at the Elgin plaza but there was no exit toll.
Anyone with information is asked to contact their local police agency.