GALESBURG, Ill. (NEWS3) —It has been one year since 23-year-old Tyler Smith was found dead in Galesburg, and his parents are still searching for answers.
Months after Smith graduated from Western Illinois University, he was back in the West-Central Illinois area for National Guard training in September of 2018. Smith went out with friends and was expected to meet a friend in Macomb on the night of Sept. 14.
Smith’s parents said he was last seen walking by a Casey’s in Galesburg along West Street. They said a police car was then seen going the same direction as Smith, but the department said the officer was just doing a business check.
Nearly 12 hours after he was last scene, Smith’s friend reported him missing. The next evening on Sept. 15, police received a call about a body found in Cedar Fork in Galesburg. Police identified the body as Smith.
According to Smith’s parents, they were not allowed to identify their son. The officer that identified the body was apparently not on the scene.
Tyler’s mom, Sandra Halsne has gathered her son’s phone records, debit card transactions and spoke with Tyler’s friends. Halsne has created a timeline of the last 24 hours before her son’s body was found.
On Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, at 6 p.m., Tyler texted to his parents that he arrived in Galesburg.
At 6:03 p.m., Tyler called his mom and 50 minutes later, at 6:55 p.m., he called his dad.
At 7 p.m., Tyler and his friend Evan went to Buffalo Wild Wings.
At 8 p.m., Tyler and Evan meet up with friend Robbie at Duffy’s bar and then continue to bar-hop. By 9:30 p.m. they were at Bar65.
At 9:41 p.m., Tyler made a phone call to a friend in Rochelle, Ill.
Then Evan and Tyler went to Cherry Street Bar and Grill, which is where Tyler used his debit card at 10:12 p.m. Afterwards, they went to Monkey Biz till about 10:30 p.m.
At 10:42 p.m., all three guys went to a Wells Fargo ATM and Tyler withdrew $100. Halsne notes that ATM video shows Tyler had cash in his money clip so she is unsure why he took money out.
At 10:52 p.m., the boys go to Corner Connection and Tyler uses his debit card. Halsne said Evan doesn’t remember what happened around this time because he was too drunk, but according to Robbie, they left and walked back to their cars. Robbie left at 11:35 p.m. and Tyler and Evan walk to Evan’s car. Although, Evan doesn’t remember what happened to Tyler; Evan walked home.
At 11:02 p.m., Tyler messaged a friend on Facebook from back home with no problem.
At 11:05 p.m., Tyler called Evan but canceled the call.
At 11:36 p.m., Tyler called his friend Oni who lives in Macomb and asks for his address. Oni thought Tyler was in Macomb because he said Tyler said he’s in Macomb by the police station. Oni then asks how Tyler is going to get to his place and Tyler said “don’t worry about it.”
At 11:38 p.m., Oni texted Tyler his address.
At 11:40 p.m., Tyler texted Oni “coming.”
At 11:41 p.m., Tyler texted Oni “WitbsIA_39minwalk.”
At 11:42 p.m., Oni texted Tyler “let me pick you up bro.” Then Tyler called Oni for 24 seconds but Tyler didn’t say anything. Oni thinks Tyler pocket dialed him, because he thinks he remembers Tyler laughing or running and messing around.
At 11:43 p.m., Tyler called Oni and canceled the call.
At 11:46 p.m., Tyler sent a snap chat message to his friend Carrisa in Aurora, Ill. that said he doesn’t know where he was.
At 11:48 p.m., Tyler was seen walking alone down West Street on Casey’s surveillance video.
At 11:49 p.m., Oni called Tyler but he didn’t answer.
At 11:50 p.m., Tyler sent three random snap chat pictures from his camera gallery. Also, a cop car is seen on Casey’s video driving down the direction where Tyler was walking north on West Street.
At 11:52 p.m., Tyler’s health app showed he stopped moving. Oni tried to called Tyler again but he didn’t answer.
At 11:54 p.m., Carrisa responded to Tyler’s snap chat message but Tyler didn’t respond back.
At 11:57 and 11:58 p.m., Evan called Tyler but he didn’t answer.
On the next day, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, at 12 and 12:03 a.m., Oni called Tyler but he didn’t answer.
At 5:30 a.m., Evan woke up and went back downtown to continue looking for Tyler with his mom because he had his car keys.
At 5:38 and 5:45 a.m., Evan called Tyler but didn’t answer.
At 6:21 a.m., Evan texted Tyler but Tyler did not read the text.
At around 11:31 a.m., Evan reported Tyler missing and police took the information. Afterward, several more attempts to contact Tyler failed.
At 6:57 p.m., Galesburg Police got a call for a body lying in Cedar Fork.
