Missing Woman Had Filed For Divorce
RANSOM, Ill. (CBS) -- A LaSalle County woman who has been missing since a car crash that killed her husband earlier this month had filed for divorce, but officials said that won't change the course of their investigation.
Tanya Shannon, 41, has been missing since Dec. 5, when her husband was killed in a crash near Ransom, Ill. Her footprints led away from the wrecked car, but there has been no other sign of her since then.
LaSalle County Sheriff Tom Templeton confirmed Friday morning that Shannon had filed for divorce from her husband, Dale Shannon, earlier this year. But he said that would not change the course of the investigation into her disappearance.
According to published reports, Tanya and Dale Shannon had reconciled their differences after Tanya filed for divorce.
Meantime, on Thursday, LaSalle County Coroner Jody Bernard said toxicology test results from Dale Shannon's autopsy showed that he was drunk when he crashed into a utility pole.
"With the finding of a blood alcohol level of .266," which is more than three times the legal limit of .08, Bernard said.
Dale and Tanya Shannon had been at a party in Streator.
According to Templeton, Dale Shannon was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Tanya Shannon disappeared after the crash and authorities have said searches of the field surrounding the accident site haven't turned up anything.
"Things have not progressed quite honestly, hardly at all," Templeton said earlier this week.
Tanya and her husband, Dale Shannon, were driving home from a Christmas party when their car spun off County Highway 6. Dale was killed. It appears his Tanya Shannon left the car and walked away.
Scores of searchers combed the snowy fields and ditches for miles around and found no trace of her.
The Shannons have four daughters - ages 4, 7, 10 and 15.
