NY NY - Dila Palushaj, 32, Bronx, 28 July 1983

[Gardener1850]

Bronx County, New York
32 to 33 year old white female

Height (inches)	64.0 to 66.0
Weight (pounds)	130.0 to 135.0

Hair: Brown; Straight hair
Eyes: Hazel

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/33365/

Please help find more info on Dila's case.

 

[TieDyeJedi]

A quick Google search shows someone with this (I assume very uncommon in the US) name with the appropriate age currently living in Michigan, and this information on FindAGrave for her husband? https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142264811/zef-gjoka-palushaj

Is it possible she may have started a life somewhere else and been assumed missing by family who weren't aware?

 

[Gardener1850]

A quick Google search shows someone with this (I assume very uncommon in the US) name with the appropriate age currently living in Michigan, and this information on FindAGrave for her husband? https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142264811/zef-gjoka-palushaj

Is it possible she may have started a life somewhere else and been assumed missing by family who weren't aware?

That person died in 2015 and was married to Dila for 42 years-- that would mean they married in 1973-- before Dila went missing. If the missing Dila was married it's possible she was never declared deceased and her husband never remarried hoping she would come back to him. However, I did a search and found that the Dila living in Michigan is currently 63 years old on public records. Unless they got her age wrong in the missing report (always possible) it's not the same woman. The missing Dila would be around 67 or 68 today. Good searching though. Her name is really unusual for the US and close to the age of the other living woman. Seems like there should be more info in a newspaper article out there somewhere. :thinking:

 

[TieDyeJedi]

I found a different record of the same Dila in MI that says she's currently 67. I'll see if I can find it again.

 

[Gardener1850]

I found a different record of the same Dila in MI that says she's currently 67. I'll see if I can find it again.

In that case my thought would be it could be her family but that doesn't necessarily mean she is alive or living with her family in Michigan-- check to see if there are any email addresses or social media associated with her name and that may be a clue. I have seen sometimes in the cases of missing people that the family maintains the person's mailing address (forwarding mail whenever the family moves) and also doing things like keeping bank accounts open with their name on it in case they come back. This leads to the public records showing someone "living" at addresses where they never actually lived.

If you think it could be a lead, however, I encourage you to send it into her NAMUS case worker. They will look into it. There HAVE been instances where someone was put into NAMUS and found alive decades later.

 

[Murkywaters]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Updated NamUs link

 

[Murkywaters]

Dila Palushaj – The Charley Project

• Missing Since 07/28/1983
• Missing From the Bronx, New York
• Classification Missing
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Age 32 years old
• Height and Weight 5'4 - 5'6, 130 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, hazel eyes.

Details of Disappearance
Palushaj was last seen in the New York City borough of the Bronx on July 28, 1983. She has never been heard from again. Few details are available in her case.

 

[Murkywaters]

It appears Dila's family published several ads in the NY daily news in 1987 advertising a $25,000 reward, you can find them on newspapers.com does anyone here have a subscription?

 

[Gardener1850]

It appears Dila's family published several ads in the NY daily news in 1987 advertising a $25,000 reward, you can find them on newspapers.com does anyone here have a subscription?

Thanks for pointing that out. I don't have access to newspapers.com but the ads can be seen in the previews and we can read what it says from the OCR text:

"DILA (DIANA) PALUSHAJ $25,000 REWARD (MISSING SISTER) For information leading to the exact whereabouts of this woman. Missing since July 28, 1983 from 2155 Paulding Ave., Bronx, N.Y. Age 33, 5 ft. 5 in., 130 lbs., medium brown hair, hazel eyes, small birth mark on right side or face. Last seen leaving residence at 3 p.m."
Daily News from New York, New York on February 11, 1987 · 12

"REWARD $25,000 for information leading to the exact whereabouts of this woman DILA (DIANA) PALUSHAJ MISSING since July 28, 1983 from Paulding Ave., Bronx, N.Y. Age 33, 5 ft. 5 in., 130 lbs., medium brown hair, hazel eyes, small birth mark on left side of face. Last seen leaving residence at 3 p.m."
Daily News from New York, New York on February 6, 1987 · 404

Preview of one of the reward ads:

(Same text as the above)
Daily News from New York, New York on February 6, 1987 · 80

 

[Murkywaters]

Thanks for pointing that out. I don't have access to newspapers.com but the ads can be seen in the previews and we can read what it says from the OCR text:
View attachment 220531
"DILA (DIANA) PALUSHAJ $25,000 REWARD (MISSING SISTER) For information leading to the exact whereabouts of this woman. Missing since July 28, 1983 from 2155 Paulding Ave., Bronx, N.Y. Age 33, 5 ft. 5 in., 130 lbs., medium brown hair, hazel eyes, small birth mark on right side or face. Last seen leaving residence at 3 p.m."
Daily News from New York, New York on February 11, 1987 · 12

"REWARD $25,000 for information leading to the exact whereabouts of this woman DILA (DIANA) PALUSHAJ MISSING since July 28, 1983 from Paulding Ave., Bronx, N.Y. Age 33, 5 ft. 5 in., 130 lbs., medium brown hair, hazel eyes, small birth mark on left side of face. Last seen leaving residence at 3 p.m."
Daily News from New York, New York on February 6, 1987 · 404

Preview of one of the reward ads:
View attachment 220530
(Same text as the above)
Daily News from New York, New York on February 6, 1987 · 80

Awesome! I didn't know you could do that. Thanks.

 

[Murkywaters]

Dila Palushaj - Newspapers.com

Google Maps Dila's last know whereabouts.

 

[Find Brenda]

I always wondered if she is Ellery Doe in Chautauqua County, NY

 

[daisey30]

I always wondered if she is Ellery Doe in Chautauqua County, NY

I think the investigators are looking into this

 

[Aurora90]

Bumping

 

[madamx]

Dila Palushaj - Newspapers.com

Google Maps Dila's last know whereabouts.

Wow this is great thank you for finding this. She looks so different!

 

[CastlesBurning]

Dila Palushaj – The Charley Project
(Picture added, distinguishing characteristics and details of disappearance updated.)

• Missing Since 07/28/1983
• Missing From the Bronx, New York
• Classification Missing
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Age 32 years old
• Height and Weight 5'4 - 5'6, 130 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Palushaj may use the first name Diana. She has a small birthmark on the right side of her face.

Details of Disappearance​

Palushaj was last seen in the 2100 block of Paulding Avenue in the New York City borough of the Bronx on July 28, 1983. She left her residence at 3:00 a.m., never returned and has never been heard from again. Few details are available in her case.

Investigating Agency​

• New York Police Department 212-694-7781

Source Information​

• NamUs
• The New York Daily News

 

[CastlesBurning]

She left her residence at 3:00 a.m.

Was it customary for Dila to head out at that hour? Was this some sort of one-time thing, or did she perhaps work nights? I checked and was able to determine that July 28, 1983 was a Thursday.