Chicago Reporter Quits Job After a Videotape Scandal with Murder Suspect

Amy Jacobson officially left her job as a reporter at WMAQ-TV in Chicago, Illinois. The female reporter was caught on video in a bathing suit at the home of Plainfield man Craig Stebic, whose wife, Lisa Stebic, disappeared from their home just two months ago.

They were having a rocky marriage but were still living together when the wife was reported missing. Although no one has been charged in the case and fingers have been pointed at Mr. Stebic, Jacobson was assigned to cover the whole Plainfield story, but found herself in the middle of a video tape scandal.

The video somehow leaked on a rival Chicago TV station's website and had many people questioning Jacobson's work ethnic and conduct in the scandal.

When the videotape broke to the station and to the general public on Monday, she had not been on air for WMAQ. She apparently had been removed from the air immediately by the station without warning. Her picture and biography had been removed from the NBC 5 website on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007.

However, not only did Amy Jacobson herself appear in the video wearing a revealing biking top and towel at the pool in the backyard of Stebic's Plainfield home (the same home he shared with his now missing wife with their kids), her children were also at the pool party. She apparently brought along her 3-year-old and 2-year-old sons. Husband of the missing woman also appeared in video without a shirt and lounging by the pool with Jacobson and her kids.

The WMAQ staff released a memo regarding the Amy Jacobson issue on their website:

The memo reads, "We are sorry to tell you that Amy Jacobson is leaving NBC 5 News, effective immediately...Amy's contribution as a reporter over the last 10 years are numerous. Her hustle and passion for news have given us an edge on many top stories. She's worked long hours on many days, and we appreciate all she's done."

Bernadette Shuler, a watcher of NBC 5 and Chicag resident, said, "I remember watching Amy Jacobson on NBC 5. She was a great reporter and brought a lot energy to the newscast. It's shocking she got caught up in something like this, but it was her own fault. She should have had her job in mind."