IL STEPHEN, MONICA, AIDEN & NICHOLAS LUTZ: Missing from Newton, IL - 10 Feb 2023 - Age 44, 34, 11, & 9 *Found Safe*

Newton Police seek information regarding missing family

NEWTON, Ill. (WAND) — A Jasper County family has been missing since at least February of this year and the Newton Police Department has asked for assistance in locating them.

www.wandtv.com

Newton Police seek information regarding missing family​

A Jasper County family has been missing since at least February of this year and the Newton Police Department has asked for assistance in locating them.

Stephen, Monica, Nicholas, and Aiden Lutz were reported missing by a family member on February 10. Since that time, the family has not been seen.

There have been previous reports of domestic violence in the home.


On February 10th, 2023, a family member reported Stephen Lutz (44), Monica Lutz (34), Nicholas Lutz (9), and Aiden Lutz (11) missing.

We began an investigation which led us to believe they have left the state. A missing persons report has been filed with us and the information was shared to other agencies for assistance.

In addition to this, we also released an Attempt to Locate for the parties involved on February 14, 2023. Though at the time we had no evidence to suggest immediate danger for any of the parties we are taking the necessary precautions due to the length of time the parties have been missing.

On January 19th, 2023 Stephen appeared in court via zoom facing domestic battery charges. He was released on bond with the condition of no contact and no entry upon residence of the victim or the location of the family home on Fairground Street. There have been previous reports of domestic violence in the home and the above charges are still pending.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest. This case is still pending in court, and Stephen is innocent until proven guilty. The house is currently uninhabited and none of the family members have been seen for several weeks. Their cellphones have been disconnected and since the children were homeschooled there has been no request for records transfer.

Their last known vehicle was a 2005 Ford F-150 King Ranch - Lariat Kit - Blue 4 Door IL Plate #3078512B.


MEDIA - STEPHEN, MONICA, AIDEN & NICHOLAS LUTZ: Missing from Newton, IL - 10 Feb 2023 - Age 44, 34, 11, & 9

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Stephen (44), Monica (34), Aiden (11) & Nicholas Lutz (9), February 10, 2023, Newton, Jasper Cty, IL

The parents, Stephen & Monica are both missing, along with their young children Aiden & Nicholas. There has been no eyes on any of them, or any contact since they were last seen February 10, 2023, at their residence in Newton, Illinois. That afternoon, a U-Haul was seen at the residence...

www.missinginillinois.org

The parents, Stephen & Monica are both missing, along with their young children Aiden & Nicholas. There has been no eyes on any of them, or any contact since they were last seen February 10, 2023, at their residence in Newton, Illinois. That afternoon, a U-Haul was seen at the residence, attached to the pick-up truck Stephen drives. None of the family, neighbors or friends were told by any of them that they were leaving, where they were going, or when they would return. The electricity at the residence was shut off soon after.

The father, Stephen Lutz was required to stay away from his wife during a bond release requirement, caused by domestic violence issues within the family January 2023. During this incident, the children were in the residence. The Newton Police Department failed to contact the Department of Children & Family Services.


No one has heard or seen the children since February 10, 2023. Steven & Monica have both not answered their phones. The phone was pinged February 11, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and again February 14, 2023 in Richmond, Indiana. The phones were disconnected on the 14th.

Regardless of the press release Newton Police released in April, there was no official missing persons report until Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, over 7 weeks after their disappearance. They had not been listed into the LEADS database until at least that date. Stephen's adult daughter was told they were not missing. She was told they were on vacation.

On 4/3/2023 The Missing Persons Awareness Network went to the sight where the family lived in Newton, Illinois. The windows were all covered with sheets, making it impossible to see inside the residence. The Newton Police Department entered the residence in our presences, and found there was no one inside. We wanted to be clear, that the family was not seen getting into that pick-up truck when the pick-up truck left with the U-Haul attached to the back of the pick-up truck.

Inside the residence, everything was left behind. The furniture remains at the residence. While their residence has always been cleaned / 'immaculate' according to DCFS and the family, it was now as though a tornado struck through every inch of the house. The kids clothes were still in their drawers and closets, a suitcase was open on the parents bed as though someone was packing both adult clothes, and left it behind, a cake half eaten in the kitchen, etc. It seems as though nothing had been taken.

Both children were taken out of school and 'homeschooled' since 2019. There were requests for the children to be homeschool in 2019 & 2020, but no additional requests were made by the parents to continue homeschooling, and they were not in schools.


Days before the disappearance, 11-year-old Aiden notified his grandmother, and his adult sister, on two separate occasions, that he walked in on Stephen facing the wall in Stephen's bedroom, talking to a clown tapestry that was on the wall next to the bed. He heard his dad talking to the clown, saying the following (verbatim). 'I know what I have to do. I have to kill three people. I have to kill my wife first, then Aiden, then Nicholas.' It is unimaginable how Aiden was feeling, or what he was going thru. This statement however, was not reported to DCFS before the family disappeared.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

MISSING PERSONS!! I’ve really dreaded making this post because I hoped they would’ve just showed back up by now. My brothers (11 and 9), my father, Stephen Lutz, and my stepmom, Monica Lutz disappeared over 7 weeks ago. Last heard from a few days later on February 14 and absolutely nothing since then. Monica and Stephens last known location was on this day driving on a highway near the Indiana/Ohio border. Their home has been empty, mailbox untouched, electric shut off. Prior to this Stephen was arrested for beating his wife, Monica, and is not allowed around any of them. He also has been been on meth and is delusional talking to a mask on the wall about killing his whole family. In december 2022, he stabbed himself in the neck in front of all of them. These boys could be in very serious danger and I’m terrified for their lives. Please please please if you know anything or see/have seen them recently send me a message or notify the Newton Police Department or your local police department if in illinois! Stephen has a warrant out for his arrest. I just want my brothers returned home safely, they don’t deserve any of this. Also in these pictures is my grandma, she is safe and home but the rest of them are unknown. I have contacted everyone I could think to contact over this and have made zero progress so this is the last thing I could think to do. Thank you in advance to anyone who can help or anyone who shares this post to spread awareness!

Edit to add: last known vehicle is a blue F150 which I’ve added a picture of

Another edit since I’ve seen this brought up a few times:
Some of the local authorities have been as helpful as they’ve been allowed to be while others have not. I had been trying like hell from day one to find them. The authorities in my town wouldn’t put out a warrant until a few days ago. They haven’t kept any of us updated and they won’t consider it kidnapping. Everyone I’ve talked to has given me a different reason for that so not sure what the actual reason is. But making a post before only would’ve made him spiral more with the police or anyone else refusing to do anything about it even if he was found. DCFS at that time was the only ones willing to do anything but without law enforcement helping there isn’t much they could do. My family was told in the first week that unless a dead body was found nothing was going to be done by local law enforcement.

Another edit: phones were shut off or disconnected on February 14th. The phones were pinged that day on the Indiana/ohio border. Uhaul was returned in effingham Illinois on February 10th which is 30 minutes from where they live so they didn’t take that with them.

Also thank you to everyone who has shared and commented! Sorry I haven’t been able to reply to everyone. I’m at work all day today so I’m replying as I’m able to. Again thank you all so much!

 

[GrandmaBear]

Takeaways:

Last heard from a few days later on Valentine's Day but who was heard from and how? A text, a phone call or what? By whose phone? Did they hear their voice, etc.?

Why would they/he need a U-Haul if apparently nothing was taken from the home? Not furniture, not clothing, nothing... So why....?

if he is a chronic meth user so messed up he talked to a picture of a clown and did the other things referred to then he is getting meth somewhere and wouldn't be able to take it going without.

This truck is somewhere. They are somewhere. Whether alive or not hard to say.

It doesn't seem known if all of them or just he or any of them left or left in the truck and U-Haul. Are we to believe this vehicle wasn't caught on camera anywhere, stopping for gas, etc. Were the children or he or her seen? Since apparently they wouldn't do anything for weeks on end, most footage might be long gone...

She could have went willingly and reneged or not wanted the no contact order, etc. but just as likely he broke it.

The U-Haul could have very well contained the family... I hope they have taken the U-Haul in. Again it clearly wasn't to take furniture and belongings but then maybe that wasn't completed but was meant to be as there was a suitcase etc. as if they were going to pack so maybe something spooked them or him and they took off without their things...

I am not going to judge the grandma for not reporting what the child said but what the child said that dad said to the clown is downright disturbing about knowing what he had to do and killing them all. If these kids are okay there is no way they are okay considering what they were apparently living with.

Finally, loads of good parents home school for very good reasons and do it well but we see or have seen (I know I have) in more than a few cases, for abusers or molestors, etc. it is a great excuse for more control and so the school district or state has no reason to check on them as to why not in school, etc. And that type generally isn't educating them either...

There was more I think that struck me on reading all this but off the top of my head, that is what I recall right now as to observations.

Of course I pray they are all right. There is a very good possibility (not much is said about her) that she is trying to keep them all safe and him from losing it on all of them BUT the U Haul with apparently nothing removed from the home worries me... Great cover right...?

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Newton family of 4 missing since February; FBI joins investigation

NEWTON, Ill. (WCIA) – A Jasper County family of four has been missing for two months. A mother, father and their two young sons were last seen at home on February 10. While several law enforc…

www.wcia.com

Newton family of 4 missing since February; FBI joins investigation​

A Jasper County family of four has been missing for two months. A mother, father and their two young sons were last seen at home on February 10. While several law enforcement agencies conduct a nationwide search, loved ones back in Newton reflect on the red flags they noticed leading up to their disappearance.

One of the last messages 11-year-old Aiden Lutz sent his half-sister, Brittany Lutz, says: “There’s nothing to do when we’re not going somewhere.”

He said his family was taking a vacation but he didn’t know where, and that it was “boring” because he’s “usually playing video games.” Brittany says she hasn’t heard from Aiden since the day he left with his brother and parents.

“On February 14 I did text my father Stephen and said if they needed to get away, I could take the boys and just get them back to a normal life. He said they have a normal life, they aren’t together and he’s not allowed to be around them,” she recalled.

At the end of 44-year-old Stephen Lutz’s lengthy text response to his daughter, he said: “There is nothing wrong with our house or the way we raise our children. So thank you for the offer but all we need is love, support, togetherness and healing.” That was the last time Brittany heard from Stephen.

Newton Police say the family’s cell phones have been disconnected.

MORE AT LINK!

 

[Kimster]

On the surface, this doesn’t look good at all. But didn’t we have another family that had been dealing with some domestic violence that went camping and then when they were found they said to just leave them alone? I think that was last year sometime. I’m hoping this is the same situation and all of them are still alive and doing fairly well. But I do believe that this woman and her kids need to get away from this guy as long as he’s using meth.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Not really anything new.

Illinois family missing for 9 weeks, some believe children are in danger

Family members said the dad has a history with drug use and mental illness

abc7chicago.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Newton family missing since February located and found safe

The Newton family that was missing since February was found safe and located in Arizona, according to the Newton Police Chief.

newschannel20.com

Newton family missing since February located and found safe
The Newton family that was missing since February was found safe and located in Arizona, according to the Newton Police Chief.

The Newton Police Department says the family was found with the assistance of license plate readers and the state police.

The Police in Arizona first made contact with Monica Lutz, with their young children Aiden and Nicholas. Monica informed the police where her husband, Stephen was.

Stephen was also found safe.

Officials say the police chief was able to speak with Stephen over the phone and said they relocated and have no plans of returning to Newton.

 

[Whatsnext]

Newton family missing since February located and found safe

The Newton family that was missing since February was found safe and located in Arizona, according to the Newton Police Chief.

newschannel20.com

Newton family missing since February located and found safe
The Newton family that was missing since February was found safe and located in Arizona, according to the Newton Police Chief.

The Newton Police Department says the family was found with the assistance of license plate readers and the state police.

The Police in Arizona first made contact with Monica Lutz, with their young children Aiden and Nicholas. Monica informed the police where her husband, Stephen was.

Stephen was also found safe.

Officials say the police chief was able to speak with Stephen over the phone and said they relocated and have no plans of returning to Newton.

So glad it wasn't another family annihilation, it sure sounded like it could be. I hope they will look for professional help, thinking of the kids.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I'm very happy they are all right but how is it he can say they have relocated and aren't returning when this was said by his daughter. If true, why isn't he under arrest?

Prior to this Stephen was arrested for beating his wife, Monica, and is not allowed around ANY of them.