December 12, 2024
Local News | Bureau County Republican
Local News

Autopsy: Blunt force trauma was cause of death

Spring Valley woman’s boyfriend questioned

By Goldie Rapp
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Flowers and stuffed animals sat piled up on the doorstep of the Spring Valley apartment where Marissa S. Roberts, 28, lived and where her body was found Friday. Authorities are investigating the death of Roberts, the mother of three children, as a homicide. An autopsy report indicates she died of blunt force trauma. (BCR photo)

SPRING VALLEY — Blunt force trauma has been determined as the preliminary cause of death of a 28-year-old homicide victim whose body was found inside her Spring Valley apartment last Friday.

According to a Spring Valley Police press release issued Monday afternoon, the autopsy of Marissa S. Roberts was conducted on Monday. Police are still waiting on further laboratory reports for collected evidence as the investigation continues.

Also in the press release, police revealed Roberts was a resident of 2 Ponsetti Drive, Apartment 2B, where her body was found by police and first responders around 7 p.m. Friday after being dispatched for an unresponsive female.

Bureau County State’s Attorney Geno Caffarini confirmed Roberts was a mother of three children. She had a 5-year-old daughter, who is now staying with her father. Her 3-year-old son and 7-month-old baby are staying with a maternal aunt.

Police say no charges have yet been filed in the case. However, the boyfriend of Roberts, Eddie L. Mentgen, 37, who also lived in Apartment 2B, was taken into custody in Wisconsin on Saturday and questioned by police.

According to a press release, Mentgen was picked up around 1 a.m. Saturday by Wisconsin State Police after an Illinois Department of Corrections arrest warrant was issued for parole violation.

While Mentgen was being held in the Dane County Jail in Madison pending extradition, Spring Valley officers traveled to Wisconsin Saturday to interview him. Police have not released any further details on Mentgen at this time.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, Mentgen’s offender status is listed as “absconder.” He was put on parole in October 2018. Mentgen has served multiple prison sentences between 1999 and 2008. Many of the sentences were for burglary offenses in LaSalle County and one in Grundy County. His most recent prison stint was due to a cocaine drug offense. In 1999, Mentgen’s record shows he served time for escaping the department of corrections in Cook County.

The homicide incident in still under investigation by Spring Valley Police Department, Bureau County State’s Attorney’s Office, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services and the Bureau County Coroner’s Office.