A man was charged with his wife’s murder nearly 40 years after her disappearance – in what authorities have called one of Will County’s “most haunting cold cases.”
Gilbert Bernal, 82, of Flint, Michigan, appeared before a Will County judge on first-degree murder charges on Monday, more than a month after a grand jury returned an indictment. Gilbert Bernal was arrested at his Michigan home on Dec. 11 in connection with the disappearance and killing of his wife, Joan Bernal.
Authorities allege the murder took place on or after Dec. 9, 1988, when a domestic violence incident occurred ahead of a family trip to Texas.
According to the sheriff’s office, Joan and Gilbert shared one child and had other children from previous marriages. Authorities said Joan’s ex-husband wouldn’t allow their shared children on the family vacation, causing tensions to rise.
On the night Joan was last seen, an eyewitness recalled seeing Gilbert battering Joan inside their residence before dragging her to the rear of the home, officials stated.
A few weeks later, Gilbert reported Joan missing, saying he left her at a bus stop in McAlister, Oklahoma. Joan’s body has never been recovered.
A grand jury bill of indictment was unsealed during Monday’s court hearing, which the sheriff said allowed Joan’s family “to have some closure in her disappearance.”
“This long-awaited legal step honors Joan’s memory and underscores law enforcement’s commitment to never giving up on cold case investigations,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. “Our thoughts remain with Joan’s family and all those who’ve sought answers and justice for decades.”
Gilbert Bernal’s next court appearance was scheduled for Jan. 12.
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