MARKHAM | The family and close friends of a Calumet City woman who police suspect was killed by her live-in boyfriend are left with many questions.
Gena Chiodo, 42, who lived in Calumet City and was a hair stylist at a salon in Munster, was last seen Oct. 13. Police in Calumet City took her boyfriend, Donol E. Clark, into custody last week, and the Cook County state’s attorney’s office approved charges of murder and concealment of a homicide Saturday.
When Clark, 42, appeared Tuesday at the 6th District Cook County Circuit Courthouse in Markham, two of Chiodo’s cousins were present, along with about a dozen of her friends, several of whom wore white T-shirts bearing Chiodo’s photograph and the caption, “We Love You Gena.”
All of those people said their top concern right now was finding Chiodo’s remains.
“We want to put her to rest,” said a man who only identified himself as Chiodo’s second cousin, adding he wishes authorities could put pressure on Clark to get him to say where her body is.
According to the state’s attorney’s office, Clark told law enforcement officials he and Chiodo got into a fight the night of Oct. 14, and that when he woke up about noon Oct. 15, she was gone.
Police have said Clark is not being cooperative, and state’s attorney’s office officials have said they found inconsistencies in Clark’s account.
Also concerned about Chiodo was Patti Nasella, who said she had been Chiodo’s friend for about 10 years and says she last spoke to her by telephone on the afternoon of Oct. 13.
“We want to know where Gena is,” Nasella said. “It is time for her family to be able to have closure, rather than have this linger on and on.”
Clark’s attorney, Michael O’Meara, declined to discuss specifics of the criminal case, including any knowledge Clark might have about the whereabouts of Chiodo’s body.
Some other friends of Chiodo said they plan to do their own searches of wooded areas near where Chiodo lived with Clark on Price Street, even though police in Calumet City said they do not have a specific location in mind for them to search.
Clark had two court appearances Tuesday.
One was before Judge Darron Bowden, who continued a preliminary hearing for Clark’s case to Nov. 9. O’Meara said he expects prosecutors will announce on that date a grand jury has indicted Clark on multiple charges, although as of Tuesday there is no such indictment.
He also had to appear before Judge Kathleen Panozzo, as he had been on conditional discharge for a domestic battery conviction involving a previous girlfriend. Prosecutors on Tuesday sought a court order saying that he violated the terms of his discharge, which are in effect through April 30.
Panozzo also will consider that issue Nov. 9.
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