Jamie Santos was 27 and lived alone with two cats at 1765 Stonehedge Court in Wheeling. She worked as an exotic dancer, was described as independent and tough, and was close to family — cooking weekly dinners for her parents and sharing a particularly close bond with her sister Laurie. The week before her death included routine social activity; friends noticed she seemed a little quiet on October 22, 1991, but family said she appeared fine at their dinner that evening.

On Monday, October 28, 1991, a nervous man placed a 911 call reporting a young woman not breathing at Jamie’s address, carefully correcting the operator on the street name before hanging up. Fire and paramedics arrived within five minutes; Jamie was found in her bedroom in a nightshirt and underwear and later died of suffocation. The apartment showed no signs of struggle or sexual assault, no drugs were found in her system, and some fingerprints recovered have not matched anyone.

Investigators obtained surveillance footage of the pay phone used for the 911 call and ruled out one man seen nearby; police do not believe Jamie’s work was a motive and think she may have known her killer. If anyone has information about Jamie’s murder or the identity of the 911 caller, contact the Wheeling Police Department at (847) 459-2632.