Szczepanik Family of 3, Omaha- Missing Since 12/17/09(boy found dead)

[MuffyBee]

http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=12047685
Omaha family also disappears without a trace
February 25, 2010
(CBS - A Nebraska family went missing without a trace in December, not unlike the McStays disappearance in Fallbrook over two weeks ago.

Two different families in separate states have both vanished in surprisingly similar circumstances, both leaving behind few clues and loved ones praying for a miracle.

Since mid-December, 36-year-old Vanderlei Szczepanik, his 43-year-old wife Jaqueline and their seven-year-old son Christopher have been missing. As in the McStay case, all of their belongings in the Szczepanik home were left behind with no sign of foul play. Soon after, the family's empty pick-up truck was found a few blocks away from the home and later their Dodge Caravan was recovered, offering investigators few clues.

The Szczepaniks - natives of Brazil - had moved to Omaha as part of their church to help renovate an old school building into a missionary center, where they'd also been living. Like in the McStay case, loved ones say they refuse to give up hope.

"Even though I don't know where they are, I do believe they are alive, somewhere," a family member said.

Meanwhile, the search for the McStays is going high-tech. A specialized search and rescue team out of Texas will deploy unmanned drones programmed to fly over the search area equipped with cameras capturing thousands of high-resolution digital images from 400 feet above the ground.

"You are able to zoom into the image and notice anything that is out of place," a team member said.

The infrared images can capture anything, from tire tracks to clothing to freshly moved earth, helping to guide the team's ground search on foot, ATV and horseback.

 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.ktiv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12019796
Brazilian daughter comes to find missing Neb. kin
February 21. 2010
MAHA, Neb. (AP) - A Brazilian woman has come to Omaha to find her family, which vanished in December.

Tatiane Klein led a prayer vigil Saturday for Vanderlei and Jacqueline Szczepanik and their 7-year-old son, Chris. Klein is Jacqueline Szczepanik's daughter.

Klein says she's thought of many reasons for their disappearance, but believes they are OK.

Omaha police say the family hasn't been heard from since Dec. 17. Their disappearance is considered suspicious.

The family's belongings were not packed, and they remain at the Christian Community Center where the family was staying in south Omaha. Vanderlei Szczepanik is a carpenter who was renovating the former school.

Police have found the family's two vehicles abandoned in the city.

Information from: KMTV-TV, http://www.action3news.com

[Nut44x4]

Christopher


Jacqueline


Vanderlei
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=1141175&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

[Nut44x4]

http://www.nsp.state.ne.us/missingpersons/Subject.cfm?vCONTROL=9701588

[MuffyBee]

Thank you for locating and posting photos of the family, Nut.   

[Lovinlife]

http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/88267352.html

Updated: 7:31 PM Mar 17, 2010

Three Months Later, No Sign Of Missing Family
Daughter makes plea to help find them
Three months to the day since the Szczepanik family went missing, Omaha police say they have no new leads in the case. But Wednesday, the couple’s older daughter said she has not given up hope they will be found alive.
Posted: 5:35 PM Mar 17, 2010
Reporter: Jodi Baker
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com


Three months to the day since the Szczepanik family went missing, Omaha police say they have no new leads in the case. But Wednesday, the couple’s older daughter said she has not given up hope they will be found alive.

Tatiane Klein, 27, traveled to Omaha from Brazil last month to try and find her mother, 44 year-old Jacqueline, her stepfather, 38 year-old Vanderlei, and her brother, 7 year-old Christopher. A friend reported them missing December 17.

Police found the Szczepanik’s minivan in Omaha more than a month ago. It was unharmed, but there was no sign of the family.

"She said, ‘I'm very sad at this point,’" said Pastor James Hart, translating for Klein. She met with reporters at Eagles Nest Worship Center, 57th & Sorenson, Wednesday. It’s the church her family attended at one time.

Klein last talked to her mother by phone December 15th and said there was no indication the family was planning to leave or was in trouble.

"I don't understand how anybody could have the intention of doing bad to them because they were just good people," she said.

This week, the city began the process of foreclosing on one of two properties the Szczepaniks owned and were renovating. They had a loan deferment for the Park Avenue six-plex. It was covered by grant money since the Szczepaniks were in the first stage of rehabilitation for the place, removing lead-based paint.

James Theo with the city’s planning department said the grant has certain requirements of property owners, like keeping utilities on and maintaining insurance. In their absence, he says, they have lapsed on those requirements, so the city has no other option but to foreclose.

"Vanderlei is a hard worker. He's a go-getter," said Klein. "He had a lot of faith in God." She added, her mother never fully adapted to life in America, still having a hard time with the English language.

"The plan had been that in June she was going to return to her family in Brazil." It was a long overdue visit, she said, which had been delayed by the visa process.

Also in the works for the Szczepaniks was the renovation of an old school building at 16th and Center. It’s where they lived, while fixing it up. The building was supposed to eventually house a mission training facility for a church out of Florida.

Police say their residence in the building looked undisturbed. It did not appear as if the Szczepaniks packed before their December disappearance.

"The police are very discreet in what they're saying,” Klein said. “They're very guarded in what they're saying because they don't want anything to interfere with the investigation."

The organization, A Hand to Hold, is helping keep the Szczepaniks' story alive, hoping to turn up new leads.

“It’s a real family and there’s real fears and real sadness going on,” said the group’s Rebecca Barrientos-Patlan.

"If anybody has any information,” Klein pleaded, “whether gang members or anybody on the street, anybody with any information, please call."

She’s desperate for information, so far receiving very little. Klein left her husband and sons, ages ten and six, back home while she helps search for her parents and brother.

She plans to stay here until she finds some form of closure. But if it takes much longer, her family in Brazil may try and join her in Omaha.

"Through all this,” she said, “I have faith that they're still alive."

A fund has been established to help Klein stay here during the search for her family. Donations should go to: A Hand to Hold, P.O. Box 7821, Omaha, NE 68107.

[Nut44x4]

Published Thursday May 20, 2010

Arrest in case of missing family
By Jason Kuiper
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

A 28-year-old man has been charged in connection with the Brazilian family that disappeared in December.

Ricardo Gonzalez-Mendez, of 524 Park Ave., on Wednesday was charged with felony criminal impersonation for giving false information to police.

Gonzalez-Mendez gave a false name when police contacted him during their investigation into the missing family, Omaha Police Sgt. Teresa Negron said.

He was brought to the Douglas County Jail on Tuesday and appeared in court for the first time Wednesday morning. He was originally booked under an alias, Angel Dios-Villareal.

Police said little about the man's involvement in the case other than that he was an employee of Vanderlei Szczepanik.

Szczepanik, along with his wife, Jaqueline, and 7-year-old son, Christopher, disappeared from their Omaha home in December. The family is originally from Brazil.

Negron said Gonzalez-Mendez worked construction for Vanderlei Szczepanik and was an illegal immigrant from Mexico.

He is being held on a $100,000 bail. Another agency has placed a hold on him, meaning he can't be released even if he posts bail.

Negron said police continue to investigate the family's disappearance.

The family disappeared from an apartment in the former Paul VI High School near 16th and Center Streets. They have not been heard from since Dec. 17. Vanderlei helped renovate the property into a missionary school.

That project is what brought the family to Omaha from Brazil four years ago. Vanderlei, described as a skilled carpenter, was hired to lead the renovation and moved his family to Omaha. They are members of the Florida-based Assembly of God Bethlehem Ministry, which bought the property.

The project stalled as the economy worsened, and the Florida church officials cut Szczepanik's funding. He remained at the property but turned to other projects.

Omaha police eventually found Szczepanik's truck abandoned a few blocks from their apartment. Another of their vehicles had been left at a repair shop before they went missing.

A family member who came to Brazil to be closer to the search had previously been told by police to expect the worst.

The City of Omaha has started foreclosure proceedings on the apartment building that Vanderlei and his crew were renovating.
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100520/NEWS97/100529972

[Sister]

Published Thursday May 20, 2010

Arrest in case of missing family
By Jason Kuiper
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

A 28-year-old man has been charged in connection with the Brazilian family that disappeared in December.

Ricardo Gonzalez-Mendez, of 524 Park Ave., on Wednesday was charged with felony criminal impersonation for giving false information to police.

Gonzalez-Mendez gave a false name when police contacted him during their investigation into the missing family, Omaha Police Sgt. Teresa Negron said.

He was brought to the Douglas County Jail on Tuesday and appeared in court for the first time Wednesday morning. He was originally booked under an alias, Angel Dios-Villareal.

Police said little about the man's involvement in the case other than that he was an employee of Vanderlei Szczepanik.

Szczepanik, along with his wife, Jaqueline, and 7-year-old son, Christopher, disappeared from their Omaha home in December. The family is originally from Brazil.

Negron said Gonzalez-Mendez worked construction for Vanderlei Szczepanik and was an illegal immigrant from Mexico.

He is being held on a $100,000 bail. Another agency has placed a hold on him, meaning he can't be released even if he posts bail.

Negron said police continue to investigate the family's disappearance.

The family disappeared from an apartment in the former Paul VI High School near 16th and Center Streets. They have not been heard from since Dec. 17. Vanderlei helped renovate the property into a missionary school.

That project is what brought the family to Omaha from Brazil four years ago. Vanderlei, described as a skilled carpenter, was hired to lead the renovation and moved his family to Omaha. They are members of the Florida-based Assembly of God Bethlehem Ministry, which bought the property.

The project stalled as the economy worsened, and the Florida church officials cut Szczepanik's funding. He remained at the property but turned to other projects.

Omaha police eventually found Szczepanik's truck abandoned a few blocks from their apartment. Another of their vehicles had been left at a repair shop before they went missing.

A family member who came to Brazil to be closer to the search had previously been told by police to expect the worst.

The City of Omaha has started foreclosure proceedings on the apartment building that Vanderlei and his crew were renovating.
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100520/NEWS97/100529972

Although I hope there is a connection which will lead to finding this family, I believe he gave a false name because of the stated reason, he is an illegal.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.action3news.com/Global/story.asp?S=13706010
One Year Later: Szczepanik Family Still Missing
December 17, 2010
Omaha, NE- Family and friends of the Szczepanik family hold onto hope they will be found alive.

"You Ota have hope," says Diane Luna with A Hand To Hold.  "You have to have hope."

Luna speaks for Jaqueline Szczepanik's daughter, Tatiane.

"She is very frustrated," says Luna.  "She still has hope that the family is alive, but each day, as it goes further, her hopes get a little slimmer."

Today marks one year since the Szczepaniks vanished.  Vanderlei, Jaqueline, and the couple's son, Christopher, disappeared from their home in the old Paul VI school.  The Brazilian family moved to Omaha to renovate the school into a Bible missionary.

Three men await trial in January.  They are accused of using the Szczepanik's bank cards.  The men charged more than $4300 on the cards.  The charges started the day the family vanished, but so far the men have not been accused in the Szczepanik's disappearance.

Omaha Police have few new leads in the case, but continue to investigate.

"This is still an active case," says Lt. Darci Tierney.  "We are following up on leads still and we do ask for the public's help in this case."

Meanwhile, a prayer vigil is planned for tonight to keep the Szczepanik's memory alive while family and friends wait for answers.

"If you don't have the answers, then you don't know and so you keep on wondering, 'are they still out there?' says Luna.  "You have to have answers for closure."

[MuffyBee]

http://www.action3news.com/Global/story.asp?S=13706758
Vigil Held for Missing Brazilian Family
December 17, 2010
Omaha, NE - A message of hope at a vigil for the Szczepanik family.

Tatiane Klein is surrounded by friends and loved ones, all praying for the safe return of her mother, brother, and stepfather.

Last December, Vanderlei, Jaqueline, and Christopher Szczepanik disappeared. The Brazilian family moved to Omaha to open a bible missionary at 16th and center, but never achieved their goal.

"It's very difficult for me, very difficult, but God has given me strength and we still have hope that we're gonna have a happy end," Tatiane Klein said.

During the vigil, Tatiane prayed for the three men accused of charging thousands of dollars on the Szczepanik's bank cards shortly after their disappearance.

"And they'll be able to forgive themselves for what they did and they can tell what happened with my family," Klein said.

Police have not charged the men in the family's disappearance. Tatiane is holding on to hope that investigators will find those responsible.

"We don't know what happened and we don't know if they hurt my family, but my heart right now wants to forgive them for whatever they did to my family, maybe I can find peace in my heart," Klein said.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/112082724.html
Video
Vigil For Family Missing One Year
Investigation has made some progress, but not enough
It's been one year since a family from Brazil, living in Omaha, was last heard from. The search for Vanderlei Szczepanik, his wife Jacqueline, and their son continues.
Posted: 12:23 PM Dec 17, 2010
Reporter: Jodi Baker, Gary Smollen
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

It's been one year since a family from Brazil, living in Omaha, was last heard from. The search for Vanderlei Szczepanik, his wife Jacqueline, and their son continues.

A vigil was held Friday night at the Kroc Center. The organization, A Hand To Hold, was behind the effort to mark the anniversary of their disappearance.
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"They just vanished basically," said A Hand To Hold Co-Founder Diane Luna. "And then it being the whole family and a little boy. That's why it's so sad." Christopher Szczepanik would have been eight years old by now.

Luna's organization is lending support to Jacqueline's daughter, Tatiane Klein and her family who have moved to Omaha from Brazil during the investigation. "She still has hopes that her family is alive. But each day as it goes farther, her hopes kind of get a little slimmer."

The Szczepaniks moved to Omaha from Florida to renovate am old school at 16th and Center and turn it into apartments for their church.

Three men will go on trial next month in connection to the family’s disappearance. "Maybe we’ll hear more then. That’s my hope," said Luna.

Oliveria Coutinho, 35, Elias Lourenco-Batista, 29 and Valdeir Gonclaves-Santos, 30, are accused of using the Szczepaniks credit cards from the day they went missing.

Omaha Police said the family's van was found in February, but did not disclose where it was located.

"We are still investigating and following up on leads," Lt. Darci Tierney. "If anyone has information we would like to talk to them." Those with potential leads should call 444-5656.

The Assembly of God-Bethlehem still owns the school property where the Szczepaniks had been living. Another home, owned by Vanderlei Szczepanik on Park Ave. near Dewey, is up for sale. He had been renovating that one, as well.

The home, with a year's worth of unpaid property taxes, was slated for trustee sale at the end of October. However, the city has given Klein more time to try and sell it on her parents' behalf.

For the past year the friends and relatives of the Szczepanik family have searched for Vanderlei, Jacqueline and their son Christopher.

The vigil was as much for her as the missing members of her family and she did something that may surprise many; Tatiane asked the people assembled at the Kroc Center tonight to pray for the men believed by many to be involved with the disappearance of the Szczepaniks.

Deriving their strength from prayer and not numbers, 30 friends, family and perfect strangers attended the vigil for the Szczepanik family.

The focus was on Tatiane. She has not seen her family for more than a year, but she still holds out hope they will return.

Tatiane Klein says, "Boa historia... And we still have hope that we are going to have a happy end. I am very faithful to God and I have hope that something good is going to happen."

Tatiane spoke through a translator and asked everyone gathered at the vigil to pray for the men believed by many to have played a role in the disappearance.

Ricardo Gonzalez-Mendez was arrested for false information; Oliveria Coutinho, Elias Lourenco-Batista and Valdier Gonclaves-Santos were arrested for using the Szczepaniks' bank cards.

Tatiane Klein says, "Tudo a noite eu.. Every night I pray and God in someway touched my heart and I have to have forgiveness."

Scott and Judy Stewart were two of the people who felt they had to be at the vigil for Tatiane.

Judy Stewart says, "We just really wanted to support her and the family it is awful to be in a place where you don't understand the language and you don't understand the customs and stuff and to be looking for family members. We just really wanted to show our support."

And give Tatiane some strength while she looks for her family.

Tatiane says she will stay in Omaha until she finds her family or at least has the answers she needs.

None of the men in jail have been charged with the Szczepanik's disappearance but their trials early next year may provide Tatiane with the answers she wants.

[Nut44x4]

Boy Missing Nearly 2 Years Found Dead
POSTED: 11:18 am CDT October 18, 2011


OMAHA, Neb. -- Authorities said the body of a boy missing nearly two years has been recovered from the Missouri River.

Police said the boy was identified as Christopher Szczepanik. The development comes more than 22 months after the boy and his parents were last seen alive.

Omaha Police Chief Alex Hayes and Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine released the information in a news conference on Tuesday morning.

Investigators following up on some evidence located what they believed to be human remains. The remains were recovered with help from a dive team.

Through DNA tests, the remains were determined to belong to the 7-year-old boy, authorities said.

Because the investigation in ongoing, authorities were unable to release information on the exact location of where the body was found. The bodies of Vanderlei and Jacqueline Szcepanik still have not been recovered.

snipped
http://www.kcci.com/r/29518406/detail.html

[klaasend]

WOW, thanks NUT.  So looks like the illegals murdered the family for their credit cards and ID's?

[KittyMom]

This is just so wrong.  They murdered God's workers.  Wow.  They've sealed their fate.

[Nut44x4]

YW Klaas, I just happened upon the article while searching for news of something else. It's just sickening. I hope the mom and dad can be found and all laid to rest together.

[Nut44x4]

Published Wednesday October 19, 2011

Finding boy's body a 'miracle'

• Photo Showcase: The Szczepanik family


• Video: Omaha Police Chief and Douglas County Attorney talk about finding remains


The images reel in Joao de Brito's mind.

The Omaha man, a native of Brazil, knew 7-year-old Christopher Szczepanik. He helped teach and take care of him in an after-school program for much of the year before Christopher, his mom, Jaqueline, and his father, Vanderlei, disappeared from their South Omaha home in December 2009.

He had watched the shy, well-behaved boy clutch his violin and keep his distance from the rowdy kids at the school. Took pictures as Christopher shed his bashfulness and danced in a 2009 Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Saw, and still can see, the sweet boy rushing to him on the last day of school in 2009, throwing his arms up and squeezing de Brito in a tight hug.

Now, de Brito must reconcile those images with disturbing ones of the boy's death, images that are the very reason why prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against the purported ringleader of the murders.


snipped

De Brito, who talked to Klein on Tuesday, said the discovery of Christopher has her reeling and resolved to bring all the killers to justice. Authorities say they will continue to search for Vanderlei and Jaqueline Szczepanik.

“I can see such a change in Tatiane,” de Brito said. “For the first time, she mentioned these guys as animals, as people with no feelings, no emotions. And you can understand why she feels that way when you consider the inhumane way they killed her mom and her little brother and her stepfather.”

As prosecutors continue to press their death-penalty case against purported ringleader Jose “Carlos” Oliveira-Coutinho, they also are focused on ways to secure the return of co-defendant Elias Lourenco-Batista from Brazil.

Prosecutors dropped theft charges against Lourenco earlier this year — and federal immigration officials deported him to Brazil in April.

After authorities notified her that DNA tests confirmed the identification of Christopher's remains, Tatiane Klein talked with prosecutors about efforts to return Lourenco.

Prosecutors have been in contact with the U.S. Department of Justice, and any extradition likely will have to involve negotiations between the two countries' State Departments. Brazil traditionally does not extradite its residents to face trial in other countries.

Authorities are hopeful that the discovery of the body will bolster their case that Lourenco should be extradited. Unlike before, no one in Brazil can argue that U.S. authorities are just speculating that Christopher died.

 ::snipping2::
http://www.omaha.com/article/20111018/NEWS01/111019731/1013