Clergy Requesting Prayer!
Requests may be submitted to: Tomfaggart@aol.com. They will be posted within 24 hours. Please include conference name/or state so we will have an idea the location of the need! Thanks!
Heather Tomich was the daughter of Pastor Joe Tomich and Pastor Stacy Tomich in the Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Please be in prayer for them. The visitation will be Monday with funeral on Tuesday.
By M.K. GUETERSLOH
Pontiac bureau chief
PONTIAC -- A former coworker Friday described Heather Tomich, whose body was found Thursday at a rest area, as an energetic student and a hard worker.
Meanwhile, Illinois State Police continue to search for clues in the former Canton woman's death.
Tomich, 26, of Yorkville, was found shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday at the southbound Limestone Rest Area south of Pontiac on Interstate 55.
State police, who are in charge of the investigation, officially classified Tomich's death as a homicide after receiving autopsy results Friday, but they released few other details.
County coroner Michael Burke said an inquest will be scheduled.
A Canton native, Tomich worked in the secretarial pool at Canton High School as late as March 2000, according to Jon Stachowiak, a guidance counselor at the high school.
"She was a very energetic student and enjoyable to be around," Stachowiak said. "It is very difficult to put into words what we are all feeling, but it is a very, very trying time for all of us who remember her."
Although Tomich was a part-time employee at the high school, Stachowiak said she was a hard worker who gladly filled a variety of jobs for absent secretaries.
Sgt. Rory Steidl, of the state police, would not comment Friday on how Tomich died.
"Unfortunately, Miss Tomich was the victim of a homicide," Steidl said, adding that investigators have leads which they are currently following.
State police spent a considerable part of Thursday interviewing witnesses and bystanders who had been at the rest area, which was cordoned off. State troopers were posted at the entrance and exit of the rest area throughout the day.
"We are hopeful that the information we have on the crime will lead us to the person or persons responsible for this crime," Steidl said.
The investigation began Thursday at 1:11 a.m. when a passing motorist who stopped at the rest area called 911. Tomich was pronounced dead at 1:41 a.m. Thursday by deputy coroner Richard Ores from the Livingston County Coroner's office.
State police said Tomich moved to Yorkville within the last year, where she worked as a flight attendant, but refused to specify which airline or airport she worked from.
Steidl said Tomich's vehicle was recovered at the scene and investigators believe she was killed inside the rest area building. An official close to the investigation said she was found in the women's restroom.
Authorities said they believe Tomich was traveling alone but are still investigating the possibility that she was traveling with someone.
State police continued Friday to refuse comment on a possible connection between the homicide and a pair of armed robberies earlier this week at rest areas on Interstate 74 in Knox and Woodford counties.
After having the rest area closed for more than 17 hours, state police opened the it Thursday evening to traffic but the building was still closed.
Steidl said state police were back at the crime scene Friday morning but had turned the building over to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
IDOT employees and local construction workers were at the building most of Friday afternoon, but state officials would not comment on the nature of the work being done inside.