NY NY - Sylvia Lwowski, 22, Staten Island, 6 Sept 1975 - #4

[Jmoose]

I keep thinking about the boyfriend/fiance saying that Sylvia exited the car in the middle of the road because they were fighting-how many men have said this, in the wake of a woman's disappearance? One case that I recall is that of Debbie Melo, who allegedly disappeared from the car her husband was driving in a suburb of Boston. I know that it isn't unheard of for a woman to do this and resurface safely-but wondering how many cases there are like this on Websleuths, where the woman never turns up again?

 

[rosemadderlake]

It's so oddly strange to feel such sadness for someone I do not know - but Sylvia has captured my heart, our hearts, and it's overwhelming to think that her mystery, her status as a missing person for 40 years might not change, might not find an answer. How could such a promising person, such a beautiful woman, someone who was so obviously loved, just vanish like she did?

Even though I have exited a car, in the heat of an argument, in traffic, (a couple of times in my youth!) and I am here to talk about it--it is a good Q that you ask, Jmoose. I also wonder what was happening on Staten Island that weekend, September 6, 1975? Any carnival, circus, film forum, ethnic event, block party, college homecoming event? It's pretty random, I know, but anything that sparks the memory of someone back then is in my thoughts lately...

I wish the SI Advance archives was available online but I am thinking it might be worth taking a second look into random "other events" that may have been happening that weekend. And, maybe a call to the newspaper is the next step... I find I want to read through everything surrounding her 1975 disappearance date.

It is really stunning when a development happens in a 40 year old cold case, like the Lyon sisters recently, same year as Sylvia. It gives me hope that there are still some cold case resources and energy devoted to these very old mysteries...

Police Charge Sex Offender With Murder in 1975 Lyon Sisters Disappearance
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...Police-to-Announce-New-Details-315369131.html

I can also see why her loved ones are exhausted in their hope - 40 years of missing someone is such an unbearably long time...

 

[Jmoose]

Yes-this is where I was going with my recent comment. Something happened to her, because she never came home, and while I am inclined to think it wasn't some crazy, convoluted set of events, the fact is that it could have been. I, too, would like to know what else was going on in Staten Island and other parts of NYC the weekend she disappeared. Is there an archive of some sort that includes that paper, from that time?

Last week, my husband and I were watching a show about the 1977 blackout, and it occurred to me after watching it that I could now understand why the police in 1975 had little interest in checking out the disappearance of a grown woman after a fight with her boyfriend (city was broke, crime was very high). I still believe that it was Lennon's influence that caused Eva Lwowski to characterize Sylvia as "depressed", though.

I re-read the article from Staten Island Advance from 2 years ago, and while we here haven't felt any urgency from Sylvia's brother, I think it came through the interview with him. Plus, it's been 40 years, and he does think she's dead. I sent him an email asking him to consider making a Facebook account for her, so that people from Sylvia's past might know she's missing, and maybe have something to add. Also was interested to see who might friend her account. So far, I haven't seen anything, but it hasn't been that long (a few weeks).

 

[Jmoose]

I just went on Facebook, and there is, in fact, a facebook account with Sylvia's name. No pictures or post re: her disappearance, though. It looks like the account was created in 2013.

 

[rosemadderlake]

The Staten Island Missing Facebook page brought Sylvia forward on July 13. But only a picture - no name (???). It links up with NY State missing.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Staten-Islands-Missing/228544980607074

Jmoose - is this other FB page private? I'm not a FB member so I don't see it...

 

[Jmoose]

Yes, there is a facebook account with her name that was apparently created in 2013; I'm a little ashamed that I missed it. I suppose that if you don't have a Facebook account, you wouldn't be able to see it. The account features no pictures, comments or friends. I sent a friend request using the name I used when I did some skip tracing in a former job, because I didn't want to use my actual account. There is no way of telling who created the account; I assume it was her brother, but if it was him, I wonder why he didn't at least give her a profile picture? Or maybe there is another person named Sylvia Lwowski in the world, who created an account, but never added any information or pictures?

 

[Dushi]

I keep thinking about the boyfriend/fiance saying that Sylvia exited the car in the middle of the road because they were fighting-how many men have said this, in the wake of a woman's disappearance? One case that I recall is that of Debbie Melo, who allegedly disappeared from the car her husband was driving in a suburb of Boston. I know that it isn't unheard of for a woman to do this and resurface safely-but wondering how many cases there are like this on Websleuths, where the woman never turns up again?

Its quite perfect isn't it
It covers a lot of things
If anyone had seen them that evening, it would be no big deal as he stated she was with him
He says she left his car and he never saw her again...
There is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

Its a damn shame that there was no real investigation

 

[Dushi]

The personal FB page is odd.
Why no post by the creator, why no photo?

 

[Jmoose]

I know, right? I suppose it's possible that it might be a different Sylvia-but if it isn't, there should be some other information, or at least a picture. Why is everything in this woman's disappearance so incredibly difficult? If only one thing could work the way it's supposed to! I was really hoping that this one thing would turn up something interesting-but if nobody's managing the account, then none of the potential "friends" will connect with Sylvia's Facebook account.

 

[Dushi]

I know, right? I suppose it's possible that it might be a different Sylvia-but if it isn't, there should be some other information, or at least a picture. Why is e erything in this woman's disappearance so incredibly difficult? If only one thing could work the way it's supposed to! I was really hoping that this one thing would turn up something interesting-but if nobody's managing the account, then none of the potential "friends" will connect with Sylvia's Facebook account.

Yeah

Whoever set it up should have posted pics and also send friend requests to people like MMQC who could have forwarded it to others , noting that it was an info page started by someone other than LS for LS. Conversations may have started. I can't imagine another LS starting a FB page with nothing on it. Why bother?

 

[Jmoose]

Some people do start to set up their page and then never circle back to it again. I don't know why a person does that, but I've seen a few. Having said that, I believe that this is our Sylvia; but in two years' time, if there ever were friend requests, nobody has done anything. I was kind of hoping to see that some college or high school friends might send a friend request to this account. It still doesn't seem possible that we here at Websleuths are the only people wondering what happened to her. Like Rosemadderlake, I'd like to know what else was going on in NYC the weekend Sylvia disappeared.

 

[rosemadderlake]

So, I found the Sylvia on FB link.
https://www.facebook.com/sylvia.lwowski

You can’t tell that this is Sylvia from SI - there’s nothing that identifies her other than the name – no location, HS, College. –No status as missing. Wouldn’t something like this be created transparently by someone on her behalf? -Request for information? -Memorial Page for memories? (as I have seen with other missing persons). It would be strange to send/receive a friend request from the missing person. – imo-


--Wagner College class of '75, 40th reunion has come and gone. -Really wish we had one contact, one friend, someone who cared about her, about what happened to her, who would chime in on her behalf. --Because some kind of story about Sylvia is known (imo)

--And, aren't reunions all about reminiscing, and remembering those who have died, or.... went missing?

 

[epiphany]

Was wondering why Sylvia has not yet been ruled out as this UIP female (skull only) found in Hunter, NY.

99 rule-outs listed, incl a few who would not be that likely, imo, yet Sylvia is still not listed.

It's been about a year since I posted this UIP as a poss match. Any word about this UIP, Rose:


http://troopers.ny.gov/Wanted_and_M...w.cfm?ID=12a0ad41-5ec6-4fdb-8fb6-ef27c962c44b

http://doenetwork.org/cases/540ufny.html

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/9803

 

[rosemadderlake]

Was wondering why Sylvia has not yet been ruled out as this UIP female (skull only) found in Hunter, NY.

99 rule-outs listed, incl a few who would not be that likely, imo, yet Sylvia is still not listed.

It's been about a year since I posted this UIP as a poss match. Any word about this UIP, Rose:


http://troopers.ny.gov/Wanted_and_M...w.cfm?ID=12a0ad41-5ec6-4fdb-8fb6-ef27c962c44b

http://doenetwork.org/cases/540ufny.html

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/9803

Bbm: ^^^ I sent a follow up to Sylvia's new case manager at NamUs. ^^^

ETA: just got an "out of the office until August 3rd" auto reply.
-Will check in with him then.

 

[epiphany]

It's so oddly strange to feel such sadness for someone I do not know - but Sylvia has captured my heart, our hearts, and it's overwhelming to think that her mystery, her status as a missing person for 40 years might not change, might not find an answer. How could such a promising person, such a beautiful woman, someone who was so obviously loved, just vanish like she did?

Even though I have exited a car, in the heat of an argument, in traffic, (a couple of times in my youth!) and I am here to talk about it--it is a good Q that you ask, Jmoose. I also wonder what was happening on Staten Island that weekend, September 6, 1975? Any carnival, circus, film forum, ethnic event, block party, college homecoming event? It's pretty random, I know, but anything that sparks the memory of someone back then is in my thoughts lately...

I wish the SI Advance archives was available online but I am thinking it might be worth taking a second look into random "other events" that may have been happening that weekend. And, maybe a call to the newspaper is the next step... I find I want to read through everything surrounding her 1975 disappearance date.

It is really stunning when a development happens in a 40 year old cold case, like the Lyon sisters recently, same year as Sylvia. It gives me hope that there are still some cold case resources and energy devoted to these very old mysteries...

Police Charge Sex Offender With Murder in 1975 Lyon Sisters Disappearance
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...Police-to-Announce-New-Details-315369131.html

I can also see why her loved ones are exhausted in their hope - 40 years of missing someone is such an unbearably long time...

RBBM

According to MMQC, as late as July 1975, Sylvia was still visibly emotional re the earlier termination and poss "Red (Navy)." For that reason and several others, I believe Sylvia was "depressed," and this was not a description of her emotional state fabricated, exaggerated or pushed by LE in the original police report.

I'm thinking Tall Ships (Were they in city in September 1975?) and/or Navy ships for July 4th celebration.

Were Navy ships visiting/docked in NYC around the time of Sylvia's disappearance?

ETA: Bicentennial 1976 (Tall Ships, NY Harbor & Hudson)

 

[rosemadderlake]

-I think the "depressed" ties into "no publicity", too. -imo-

In reading about SI history, all the memories on the old SI pages, it was a pretty vibrant place.
Richmond County Fair is held in early September.
Parties / events when kids arrive back to college.

The spectacular Op-Sail Bicentennial was in 1976 but these are the types of happenings I'm thinking about too-all the marine events.


New York City celebrates the Declaration of Independence bicentennial anniversary, on July 4, 1976. The display ended a day of festivities in the New York Harbor, with boats and tall ships from across the world gathered for Operation Sail. AP, file

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-york-city-1976-tall-ships-fireworks-8-tons-colombian-n66361

Ok - had to post this story - gotta love the tall ships, fireworks, and 8 tons of weed story in the '70s.

 

[rosemadderlake]

08.04.15: NYSP on UID Potential Match:

Thank you for your email. I had our Forensic Odonatologist attempt to make a comparison, unfortunately Sylvia has no dental records on file, except a notation stating she had "perfect teeth" when she disappeared 25 years ago. The unidentified skull which was located in 2002 has multiple restorations noted.

Inv. Bouyea
NYSP

08.04.15 My response:
Thank you very much for the information. I'd say it's a pretty fair assumption that this is a rule out.

The reconstruction of the victim looks like a young woman. -If the estimated death on the UID is 1980-1990 it is doubtful that Sylvia would have had multiple restorations considering she disappeared 40 years ago, in 1975, at the age of 22.

That her teeth are described as "perfect with no cavities" at the time of her disappearance comes directly from her brother (on Websleuths thread) and her photos do back up a perfect smile. Yes, it is a shame there were no formal dental records obtained on Sylvia back when she went missing.

Again, thank you for looking into this potential match for us.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Tracking the UIDs is really a patchwork effort.

-I see the Hunter NY UID was entered into NY database in 2006. But Hunter NY UID was not entered into NamUs until 2012.

Perhaps this UID and others from NY State were looked into by CC Squad in 2010. It really highlights the fact that there may be older UIDs from surrounding states that may not be connected to the big NamUs database, yet... And no way of knowing if individual State databases are up-to-date either.

Sylvia went missing before the breakthrough modern technology became available that identifies and crosschecks the unidentified to the missing, but the old fashioned dental charting is a big missing piece in her case. We see so many cold cases from the 60’s & 70’s. Were the assumptions about the missing such that medical and dental records were not considered particularly relevant?

And maybe because of a lack of connection/communication among the various States, the differences in protocol of processing and handling of the missing and unidentified makes me think there could be many more files, photos, cases just archived. These are funding issues too as cold cases are last in line for funding to administrate, enter into data bases, and bring to light…

Anyway, - even if they have not been made public for whatever reason, wish we knew if any dental/medical records were obtained for Sylvia. --Same with the possibility (or verification) of her being pregnant. If that was true and known – it is a big potential identifier. --And clue. --Reason for "No Publicity"?

Would she have sought out medical treatment in her disappearance?

Or should we be looking for a UID that was pregnant?

 

[Jmoose]

Thanks for your intelligent assessment, Rose. Here's where I'm landing regarding dental/medical records: I don't know when they started doing dental comparisons, but it looks like nobody thought of accessing and retaining her dental or medical records in 1975. She almost certainly had some dental care prior to her disappearance, and certainly she'd had some medical care from time to time-at least from the time when we know she was pregnant. We know that DNA testing wasn't being done in 1975-so DNA from a relative for a comparison wasn't done until around 2010. I think the police investigation was, at best, cursory, and I think her family was not at all on top of her case (lack of sophistication, lack of any kind of assistance from LE, and a feeling that you simply wouldn't hold LE's feet to the fire-they were to be allowed to work at their own pace). I don't know how long dental and medical records are typically kept in a doctor's office, but I do know from reading The Restless Sleep that there exists almost nothing held in evidence from prior to 1980, so it may be safe to say that no records or evidence belonging to Sylvia exists at this time.

She may have fallen or jumped from the place where she and Mary used to go to cool off, or she might have been buried anonymously at Hart Island, or she could have been killed and buried someplace-but how might she be identified now? Would there still be DNA present to compare with her brother's after 40 years?

 

[Jmoose]

Tracking the UIDs is really a patchwork effort.

-I see the Hunter NY UID was entered into NY database in 2006. But Hunter NY UID was not entered into NamUs until 2012.

Perhaps this UID and others from NY State were looked into by CC Squad in 2010. It really highlights the fact that there may be older UIDs from surrounding states that may not be connected to the big NamUs database, yet... And no way of knowing if individual State databases are up-to-date either.

Sylvia went missing before the breakthrough modern technology became available that identifies and crosschecks the unidentified to the missing, but the old fashioned dental charting is a big missing piece in her case. We see so many cold cases from the 60’s & 70’s. Were the assumptions about the missing such that medical and dental records were not considered particularly relevant?

And maybe because of a lack of connection/communication among the various States, the differences in protocol of processing and handling of the missing and unidentified makes me think there could be many more files, photos, cases just archived. These are funding issues too as cold cases are last in line for funding to administrate, enter into data bases, and bring to light…

Anyway, - even if they have not been made public for whatever reason, wish we knew if any dental/medical records were obtained for Sylvia. --Same with the possibility (or verification) of her being pregnant. If that was true and known – it is a big potential identifier. --And clue. --Reason for "No Publicity"?

Would she have sought out medical treatment in her disappearance?

Or should we be looking for a UID that was pregnant?

A UID that was pregnant...sounds good, since we've speculated that this could be the cause of the fight she and her fiance had. I don't recall seeing any pregnant UIDs that might be a match, from NY or any nearby states. I am thinking that if Sylvia is dead (my belief), then her body either hasn't been found, or she was found back in 1975, and for some reason wasn't matched with a missing person, and could have been buried in the cemetery at Hart Island. Crime being what it was in the '70s, it makes sense to me that a young woman who could have died outside of an act of foul play might not have been a high priority for police; they might have just transferred her to burial at Hart Island. There are quite a few stories of people being buried there without notification of the family being attempted.