Suvechha Sarkar
Melissa Deanne Lamesch was a beloved daughter, loving sister, and soon-to-be mother. However, her beautiful life came to an abrupt halt in November 2020 when she was found dead in her home in Mount Morris, Illinois. Although the death of the 27-year-old initially seemed like an accident, the investigation and forensic analysis revealed that it was a homicide. The shocking case comes under the spotlight in CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Firefighter’s Secret.’ It dives deeper into the circumstances surrounding her death and the investigation that followed. It also features emotional interviews with her loved ones, focusing on the impact it had on them.
Melissa Lamesch’s Life Was Defined by Service, Education, and Faith
Melissa Deanne Lamesch was born on May 10, 1993, to Gustave Lamesch III and Deanna Lamesch. She grew up in Rockford, Illinois, surrounded by an abundance of love and support from her parents. Melissa had always been close to her siblings, Cassie, Bryan, and Julialyn. Sadly, Gustave and Deanna failed to work out their marriage, leading to their divorce. Melissa was known for being unapologetically herself and for always helping others in times of need. In her childhood, she was a proud part of Circle M 4-H and Girl Scout Troop 480. Melissa pursued her initial education at Oregon High School, where she was actively involved in the student council. During her time there, she was also on the bowling team and the color guard.
After graduating in 2011, Melissa pursued higher education at multiple colleges and universities, including Rock Valley College, Roosevelt University, Elgin Community College, and Northern Illinois University. Her dedication to serving the community eventually paved the path for her to attend the Swedish-American EMS Paramedic class. Melissa ultimately graduated in 2020 before joining the Trace Ambulance Service in Tinley Park. While working there, she also played a crucial role in hosting trivia nights at Pub Trivia USA. Before Melissa officially became a paramedic, she worked for a long time at Sullivan’s Foods. Above all, she was a woman of faith who proudly attended St. Mary Catholic Church and Faith Lutheran Church. In her free time, Melissa loved showering her cat, Anthonio, with affection.
Melissa Lamesch’s Remains Were Found Inside Her Burnt Kitchen
In her personal life, Melissa met Matthew T. Plote in college around 2013, and they soon became friends. Eventually, they got into a casual relationship, which led to her becoming pregnant with a baby boy in 2020. Melissa took a break from work and moved in with her father at his home in Mount Morris, Illinois. On November 25, 2020, her loved ones were preparing for Thanksgiving when a tragedy struck the household. By then, Melissa was 9 months pregnant and was excited to welcome her son, Barrett, into the world just two days later. However, around 4:30 pm, her neighbor called 911 to report a fire at Melissa’s home.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found Melissa lying unresponsive on the kitchen floor in front of the oven. Unfortunately, Melissa was pronounced dead, but the detectives reportedly noted that there was very little fire damage to her remains. They reportedly found fire debris everywhere around the kitchen, filled with smoke, while the rest of the house remained accessible. Reports state that the fire department found the oven and stove burners were off, with no electrical problems, indicating that the fire was likely set intentionally. However, they narrowed the fire’s origin to the area of the cabinets above the stove.
One of the detectives stated that forensic experts collected DNA evidence from the scene and from under Melissa’s fingernails. The two autopsies performed reportedly found no soot or elevated carbon monoxide levels in her system, suggesting that she was killed before the fire was set. Melissa’s unborn child also tragically passed away from asphyxiation. The autopsies reportedly further revealed her cause of death to be strangulation. She had numerous facial and neck hemorrhages and pressure-related trauma to the neck. Investigative reports state that Melissa also had bruises on her legs and abrasions on her face and scalp, which were consistent with a struggle.
An Unfinished Phone Call and DNA Match Nudged the Investigators Close to the Killer
Once detectives began the investigation, they reportedly learned from Melissa’s family that the father of her baby was Matthew, a firefighter at the Carol Stream Fire District in Illinois. According to reports, Matthew didn’t tell anyone in his department or his parents that he was going to be a father. Melissa’s sister, Cassie, claimed he didn’t want to be involved in his son’s birth and that he allegedly ghosted Melissa. Reports state that Cassie informed the officials about a phone call she had with Melissa on the day of the murder. In her statements, Cassie reportedly said that while speaking to her sister, Melissa told her that Matthew had arrived at her home. According to official records, Melissa disconnected the call, promising to call Cassie back after speaking with Matthew, but she never did.
Police records state that during his initial questioning, Matthew claimed that he went to Melissa’s home to speak about being present during the birth of their son. According to investigative reports, officials contacted Matthew’s superior and learned that on November 25, 2020, he had called in sick. On August 28, 2021, Matthew was again interrogated, during which he claimed that he had gone to Melissa’s home to give her money and allegedly work everything out later, as per reports. Court records specify that he claimed during the interview that he had no intention of hurting Melissa. He reportedly continued that before leaving her house, Melissa was allegedly speaking about making lunch. In that very same month, authorities reportedly collected his DNA.
According to investigative reports, detectives asked Matthew’s superior to wear a recording device to obtain any information from Matthew. Reports suggest that Matthew reportedly didn’t speak much about the details of November 25, 2020, during that wiretap session. In the meantime, forensic experts discovered that the DNA obtained from under Melissa’s fingernails was a match to Matthew. Ultimately, on March 9, 2022, he was arrested and indicted on the charges of murder, arson, and the intentional homicide of an unborn child. Matthew’s trial commenced on March 18, 2024, and he was convicted of all three charges just a week later. On June 27, 2024, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole without the possibility of parole for murder. Matthew also received an additional 60-year term for intentional homicide and a 15-year term for arson, to be served concurrently.
