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Home » United Airlines » Sad: Body Of Missing United Airlines Executive Found
United Airlines

Sad: Body Of Missing United Airlines Executive Found

Matthew Klint Posted onOctober 25, 2021November 14, 2023 14 Comments

a man in a suit smiling

More than a year after he disappeared, the remains of missing United Airlines executive Jake Cefolia have been found in a forest preserve outside of Chicago.

Body Of Jake Cefolia, Missing United Airlines Executive, Found In Dense Forest

Jake Cefolia was United Airlines’ Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales. In August 2020 Cefolia disappeared. Surveillance footage from a gas station in the area revealed he was was wearing hiking boots and khaki pants.

He never came home and his ex-wife filed a missing person report the following day. Police located is car at the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien, Illinois, though numerous searches did not reveal Cefolia or his body. Two weeks later, it was revealed that Cefolia was under criminal investigation, though the nature of the investigation was never disclosed and he was never charged.

But after 14 months, his body was located on Friday in a densely wooded area in the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. Contractors performing clean-up and tree trimming found human remains hanging by belt from an uprooted tree.

Law enforcement authorities were dispatched and Cefolia’s wallet, driver’s license and a backpack with personal belongings were found at the scene. The body also had the same clothes on Cefolia was wearing when he disappeared. Dental records provided definitive proof the rotting corpse was Cefolia’s. The death has been ruled a suicide, with no foul play suspected.

The cause of death still remains a mystery. Beyond the criminal investigation, Cefolia had reportedly been under tremendous stress at United and had also recently broken up with his girlfriend.

CONCLUSION

Whatever the cause of death or the events that prompted it, two young children are without a father today. As a father of two myself, this hits close to home and makes me very sad.

For those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts, I gently implore you to seek professional help today. Do not put it off. No problem, no setback, and no disappointment is worth taking your life over. Reach out to a friend or loved one and talk the issue out. If you’re not near someone you trust, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You don’t have to fight your battle alone. Life is meant to be shared with others, both the good times and the bad times.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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14 Comments

  1. Acura Reply
    October 25, 2021 at 11:01 am

    Wow took over a year to get a story on this here. Insane. The presses were too busy with COVID and vaccines apparently.

  2. Lukas Reply
    October 25, 2021 at 11:37 am

    Matt, I’m SURE you can do better than to include the macabre details of his death (hanging by the belt, rotting corpse). There truly was no need for that.

    • Lerd Gunstgardt Reply
      October 25, 2021 at 11:41 am

      I think he’s struggling now and needs clicks. “Sunday” (ahem) numbers are tanking (rightfully) and Monday has to come in with a bang, regardless of appropriateness.

    • stogieguy7 Reply
      October 25, 2021 at 11:42 am

      It does tell the story, however. So, I personally disagree with you.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      October 25, 2021 at 11:56 am

      @Lukas, really not done for clicks – to me, it is an essential part of the narrative. Not try to be macabre, just descriptive.

      • Airfarer Reply
        October 25, 2021 at 1:00 pm

        Perhaps preface with, May include words that will distress the extremely sensitive. They can then at least have the smelling salts ready.

      • anonymous Reply
        October 25, 2021 at 1:49 pm

        I hope his family aren’t reading here.

      • WB Reply
        October 27, 2021 at 1:18 pm

        Imagine “two young children without a father,” some day reading a blogger’s account of their deceased father’s disappearance and “rotting corpse.” “Human remains” in previous sentences was sufficiently descriptive.

  3. Dave Edwards Reply
    October 25, 2021 at 3:23 pm

    Sad for his family but sometimes criminals do society a favor by checking out instead of us paying for them to rot in prison. That said, no clue what crimes he was facing but we do know he was rotting away.

  4. Wendy L Pedersen Reply
    October 25, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    Thank you for posting this. I think the details help all to consider the deep impact that suicide has on everyone around you no matter the circumstances. Suicide is not done in a vacuum and it affects others. Especially children.

    Thank you for giving the reference to the suicide hotline too!

  5. RIP Jake Reply
    October 25, 2021 at 5:53 pm

    Jake was a good guy. Had many interactions with him and his team. Sad ending to a difficult sorry/situation he was facing.

    @Matthew – thanks for the update. I don’t follow local Chicago news.

  6. Alex Reply
    October 25, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    Very sad story. And I agree that there was no need to describe the state of the remains. Knowing that it has been a year since the death, there is no need for such details.

  7. Aaron Reply
    October 26, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    Kudos on describing the state of his remains. For many, “closure” means knowing exactly the manner of death, including the state of his remains.

  8. Kelly Hacker Reply
    October 27, 2021 at 8:12 pm

    I am sure records will show that United Airlines has one of, if not the highest rate of employees who commit suicide, unfortunately, I might add. They ceremoniously invite you to join their Airline family, and then when you’ve given it all up, to join in on the fun, you find out after you drink the Company Kool-Aid you are the sacrificial lamb!

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