Four years later, search still on for Spira

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Stephanie McNeil spent Wednesday afternoon on the streets of Chicago, passing out fliers, on the slim chance that one would end up with just the right person.

McNeil, who lives in Phoenix, knew her efforts were a long shot. But it was something. And what else can she do?

As of Wednesday evening, it has been four years since her brother, John Spira of St. Charles, disappeared. Four years of waiting, wondering. Four years of anger and suspicions. Four years of being alerted every time a body is found in the Chicago area.

“Unfortunately, I hope that it’s John,” McNeil said. “When it’s not John, I’m very disappointed.”

Spira was 45 years old when he was last seen at around 7 p.m., leaving the business he co-owned, Universal Cable Construction in West Chicago. After attending an employee function that afternoon, the St. Charles resident was scheduled to meet a friend in Oakbrook at 8:30 p.m. He never showed up.

The DuPage County sheriff’s office said Spira’s missing-person investigation is still an open case. Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 630-407-2333.

On Tuesday, police said they know one person made a call from Spira’s business after he left at 7 p.m., but they do not know who made that call. Then, in September 2007, Spira’s business burned down.

McNeil does not believe her brother is alive.

“I wish,” she said. “I wish I had that hope because it would be easier to deal with.”

DuPage County sheriff’s spokesman Dawn Domrose said the office is investigating the case as a missing-person case and continue to pursue all possibilities. McNeil bristled at the idea that her brother is simply missing.

“I knew when John went missing that he was murdered,” she said. “He wouldn’t go missing.”

Spira was a pilot and was known as “Chicago Johnny,” the lead guitarist for The Rabble Rousers blues band that played throughout the Chicago area. “He loved life,” McNeil said. “He had so many passions. He had so many irons in the fire and he had so much going on.”

And so McNeil returns to Chicago every year to share his story, to make sure people remember. And to keep hoping that someone will speak up.