What happened to Dalton Mesarchik? And who is working on the case?

In the 21 years since the abduction and death of Dalton Mesarchik, his family has advocated for justice, holding out hope that one day his killer will be brought to justice.

The family will make its second appearance on the Steve Wilkos Show during an episode scheduled to be aired Friday, Oct. 4.

Mesarchik’s case has become one of the state’s more than 31, 000 cold cases – awaiting a new piece of evidence to breathe new life to it.

Mesarchik was 34 days shy of his 8th birthday when he vanished from his family’s enclosed porch about 7:15 p.m. on March 26, 2003, in Streator, waiting for a ride to bible study.

Law enforcement ascended on the scene with bloodhounds 45 minutes after he was reported missing, according to news reports at the time. The church driver had a family emergency out of state. The family said they were not notified.

Mesarchik was found less than 24 hours after he was reported missing in the Vermilion River, south of Streator in Livingston County by a fisherman around 11:30 a.m. on March 27.

The murder weapon, a three-pound Benchtop Pro sledgehammer – only sold at Kmart, was found a few miles from the river in a steel trash receptacle, behind the Polish National Alliance Hall. News reports at the time said the hammer did have Mesarchik’s blood on it and the hammer was undergoing further forensic tests.

Law enforcement remained vigilant and as the years passed rumors continued to swirl around Streator and the family moved.

No further leads have been made public in the past 10 years. There have been no arrests.

The Illinois State Police and the FBI have not answered basic questions from Shaw Local.

On Feb. 27, 2023, Illinois State Police Trooper Jayme Bufford said in an email, the task force is made of ISP and the FBI, but the FBI would have to speak on specific names.

FBI media coordinator Special Agent Siobhan Johnson said March 13 that ISP and the FBI are the primary investigative agencies seeking information related to the Dalton Mesarchik case, but also didn’t give specific names.

“I can also confirm that investigative efforts remain active and we continue to pursue new leads and analyze new data as they become available,” she said.

Shaw Local sent Freedom of Information Act requests in May 2023, requesting documents in the case including interviews, letters sent to businesses – and all have been denied because they were considered “unduly burdensome” by ISP. Shaw Local narrowed the requests and they still were denied, citing an active investigation and “unduly burdensome.”

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is reviewing Shaw Local’s appeal.

Johnson said in May tips from the public remain an important resource in these cases and the FBI and ISP encourage members of the public to reach out with information via tips.fbi.gov or 312-421-6700 (even anonymously).

Dalton’s disappearance and death has attracted nationwide attention over the years: His family appeared on the Steve Wilkos Show in June 2016 and the family will appear on another episode Friday entitled “My Baby was Murdered, Leave me Alone.”

A Justice for Dalton Mesarchik Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/daltonmesarchik also has been established.