Friday marks two years since Melissa Trumpy was declared missing.
GREEN COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) — Exactly two years after a Green County woman was reported missing, her three children are pleading for answers.
Melissa Trumpy was last seen by family and friends October 26, 2021, in Green County, Wisconsin.
When she didn’t show up for work the next day, a missing persons report was filed.
Investigators believe Trumpy was going to her boyfriend, Derek Hammer’s, house in Shannon, Illinois.
Shannon is located in Carroll County — which is about an hour away from Trumpy’s Monticello home.
Her car was found on Bolton Road in rural Freeport with her phone and other belongings inside.
More than a year later, Carroll County Sheriff Ryan Kloeping announced the case was being investigated as a homicide.
Despite fingers being pointed at her boyfriend Derek Hammer, officials have not named Hammer a suspect or person of interest.
Just more than a month before Trumpy was last seen, Hammer was charged with domestic abuse. His arrest came after Trumpy’s son told his teacher he saw Hammer hit Trumpy and pull a gun on her.
Trumpy’s children told 27 News, their mom was planning on leaving Hammer.
Her oldest, Dalana Trumpy, said it’s unfair that she had to be taken from them.
“I just wish I could hear her voice,” she said.
Dalana said it’s hard not having her mom at big milestone moments in her life.
“When I last saw her, I didn’t have my license then and now I do,” Dalana said. “It’s just so weird.”
Things like the first day of school, homecoming and even a first heartbreak, are all things Trumpy’s kids say their mom wouldn’t miss.
“She would have loved it,” Dalana said.
She explained the small things hurt the most.
“Like Wednesdays I wouldn’t want to go to school because she had the day off and I would just act sick,” Dalana added.
Trumpy’s two younger kids, Jocie Affrunti and Matto Affrunti, said holidays with mom were the best.
“We would cook and we would all have music on and the dance,” Jocie said. “We would eat chippies.”
Jocie and Matto’s dad, Ben Affrunti, said it’s awful watching them grow up without their mom.
“It’s hard when the kids are upset and they want their mommy, and they injured themselves or they’re sick, or they’re just having a rough day,” he said. “Melissa should be here.”
Ben said he feels law enforcement has let them down.
“I don’t feel that this case was handled in the way that it should have been,” he told 27 News.
Ben feels Trumpy’s case isn’t being taken seriously by law enforcement.
“If police were really doing what they’re supposed to do in Melissa’s case, I feel like they could have solved her case in a few weeks,” he added.
The Carroll County Sheriff didn’t respond to WKOW’s request for an interview.
“I feel that two years is way too long to wait,” Ben explained. “They deserve to be able to say goodbye to their mom and they were robbed of that.”
With each passing day comes another milestone missed and a family no closer to closure.
“[I miss] her laugh and her putting me to bed,” Jocie said.
Matto said he misses his moms way of making Christmas special and Dalana said she misses their drives together in the car.
Anyone with information on Trumpy’s disappearance is asked to contact the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office at 815-244-2635 or can remain anonymous by calling Carroll County Crime Stoppers at 815-244-STOP (7867).
The sheriff’s office released the following statement on Facebook:
Our agency continues to investigate her disappearance with assistance from several law enforcement agencies including local, state and federal agencies. Our investigative team continues to meet, search and follow up on all leads that come in. Please continue to share her information so that we can provide her family with the justice and closure that they deserve.
The Green County Sheriff’s Office also released a statement:
Law Enforcement is still actively investigating Melissa’s disappearance. Green County Crime Stoppers has offered a $5000 reward for information that brings closure to this incident. You can remain anonymous and submit information to Green County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-I-C-CRIME (1-800-422-7463), submit a tip by clicking the link through the website (https://greencountycrimestoppers.com), or by contacting us directly.