On the evening of November 25, 2020, around 4:30 p.m., a woman called 911 to report that her neighbor’s house was on fire.
When firefighters arrived at the small ranch-style home in Mt. Morris, Illinois, they found heavy smoke coming from the property. While searching the house, they discovered 27-year-old Melissa Lamesch, who was nine months pregnant, lying facedown on the kitchen floor... Continue reading here ▶
Melissa’s death shocked the small town. She had recently moved in with her father, Gus, while waiting for the birth of her son. The heartbreaking case is featured in an episode of People Magazine Investigates titled Inferno of Lies, airing Monday, December 30, at 9/8c on ID.
Initial Investigation
At first, investigators thought Melissa, an EMT, might have died from natural causes related to her pregnancy or smoke inhalation during a medical emergency. However, the case took a dark turn when the coroner revealed that Melissa had been strangled.
“That just all came as a shock,” said Melissa’s sister Cassie. “Melissa didn’t have any enemies.”
Suspect Identified
Authorities soon focused on Matthew Plote, a firefighter and paramedic at the Carol Stream Fire Department.
Melissa and Plote had met in college around 2013. Their relationship began as a friendship and eventually turned into casual sexual encounters. However, things changed when Melissa became pregnant.
Melissa told her family that Plote wanted nothing to do with the child and that she planned to raise her baby on her own. “I thought Melissa was better off,” Cassie said. “She was a strong woman. She could do it.”
On the day Melissa died, Cassie was on the phone with her when Plote showed up at the house unexpectedly. “She looks out the window and says, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’” Cassie recalled. Melissa told her sister she would call back after dealing with him, but Cassie never heard from her again.
Arrest and Trial
Plote admitted to visiting Melissa’s house that day but denied killing her.
In March 2022, about a year-and-a-half after her death, Plote was arrested and charged with murder, the intentional homicide of an unborn child, and arson.
During his March 2024 trial, prosecutors argued that Plote, who had been involved with multiple women, killed Melissa because he did not want to become a father. On March 22, 2024, Plote was found guilty.
Family’s Heartbreak and Sentence
Following the verdict, Melissa’s family shared emotional statements. Her mother, Deanna Lamesch, highlighted the tragic timing of her daughter’s death, which occurred the day before Thanksgiving and just two days before her baby was due. “How do you come back from that?” she asked.
In June 2024, Plote was sentenced to life in prison.
People Magazine Investigates: Inferno of Lies airs Monday, December 30, at 9/8c on ID.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. The hotline is available 24/7, confidential, and supports over 170 languages.
