NY NY - Sylvia Lwowski, 22, Staten Island, 6 Sept 1975 - #3

[Jmoose]

bbm - I can't recall if I mentioned this before (pretty sure I did, if so my apologies for repeating) but in spite of the lack of investigation/publicity, one good thing is that an annual search is done on Staten Island for the Rand victims... I think it is mostly in the Willowbrook area but that wasn't too far from where she went missing. I think that increases the chances of her being found.

I think that's right-I had contacted Donna Cutugno (sp?), head of the Friends of Jennifer Schweiger to let her know that Sylvia is also among the missing, and may be somewhere on Staten Island, but haven't received a reply-I was thinking about Sylvia recently when the 20 year old pregnant Staten Island woman was missing, too.

 

[Dushi]

BBM-I don't think we've lost our objectivity, and as a matter of fact, have been able to remain civil (well, the rest of you have!), in spite of our differences of opinion. Most other threads really degenerate in the face of dissent. We are going to need some more information to maintain a regular presence here-I wish there was some way to find her-that, in my opinion, would go a long way to finding out who harmed her, if, in fact, she was harmed by someone else. If the reporter from the Staten Island Advance writes her article, there may be more soon.

I agree, even if there have been moments where two opinions differ, it hasn't been a huge problem on this thread.
Goes to show we all believe finding Sylvia is far more important to us than being wrong or right.

But, you are correct Jmoose, we do need something new to generate discussion.
I check in every day but I have nothing to say that I haven't said several times...

 

[Dushi]

Some see EL as a strong woman, I really don't know.
I am somewhat conflicted about her.

I am not sure what she believed.
I think, in the beginning, she believes Sylvia was alive and ran away.
I can see no other reason for having MMQC followed.

When she visited MMQC's family , she expressed that they were lucky to have a daughter still with them.
Did she mean a daughter who was alive or one that kept in contact with her family?



According to MMQC. it was years after that a family member still thought Sylvia was alive and MMQC knew where she was

( if MMQC hasn't spoken about the above, I will remove it for obvious reasons. I know longer remember all of the details. I do not have a link to this other than a suggestion to ask MMQC about it)

If EL thought that BF/F was responsible, why didn't she pursue this? Or did she? and received no help?

Did LE check out Bf/F's storty and if so, why were they satisfied?

 

[alliemay]

Some see EL as a strong woman, I really don't know.
I am somewhat conflicted about her.

I am not sure what she believed.
I think, in the beginning, she believes Sylvia was alive and ran away.
I can see no other reason for having MMQC followed.

When she visited MMQC's family , she expressed that they were lucky to have a daughter still with them.
Did she mean a daughter who was alive or one that kept in contact with her family?



According to MMQC. it was years after that a family member still thought Sylvia was alive and MMQC knew where she was

( if MMQC hasn't spoken about the above, I will remove it for obvious reasons. I know longer remember all of the details. I do not have a link to this other than a suggestion to ask MMQC about it)

If EL thought that BF/F was responsible, why didn't she pursue this? Or did she? and received no help?

Did LE check out Bf/F's storty and if so, why were they satisfied?

I am on the fence with this one also. Unless we know why Eva felt this way I don't know if we will ever find out. The only thing I can think of right now is that maybe Sylvia finally told her mother about things that she and MMQC only shared?

 

[Dushi]

Three threads and thousands of posts..
We have been fortunate to have our VIs
Without them, we would have had nothing to work with
With them, so many of you have worked so very hard to dig up information
A very dedicated group of ladies ( I think its all ladies LOL)

 

[GoingByMyGut]

Dushi's post TBM to address a single point:

According to MMQC. it was years after that a family member still thought Sylvia was alive and MMQC knew where she was

(if MMQC hasn't spoken about the above, I will remove it for obvious reasons. I know longer remember all of the details. I do not have a link to this other than a suggestion to ask MMQC about it)

BBM: Here you go:

Thread 1, post 1005, by MMQC (bbm): "At the time I was dating my soon to be husband. We were going places and looking for an apartment and found one and had been shopping for furniture etc. MOO-when was I followed by PI? Could have mistaken my actions as SL's apartment? I had to do everything on the sly as my parents did not want me to get married so young. Then as time went on, I did tell SL's mother I was getting married and my parents did not know. She showed up at Borough Hall that morning. I expect she expected to see SL. Natural assumption if she thought we were still best friends and in contact with each other. She would have been my Maid OF Honor. That morning before I left to get married I told my parents when and where. My mother then said "i never had a daughter if you go out that door" I went. SL's mother asked why my parents did not show. I told her why and she said she would speak to my mother. At least she knows weather you are alive and where your are living. Always in the back of her mind SL was still in contact with me. So, so sad."

 

[Dushi]

Dushi's post TBM to address a single point:


BBM: Here you go:

Thread 1, post 1005, by MMQC (bbm): "At the time I was dating my soon to be husband. We were going places and looking for an apartment and found one and had been shopping for furniture etc. MOO-when was I followed by PI? Could have mistaken my actions as SL's apartment? I had to do everything on the sly as my parents did not want me to get married so young. Then as time went on, I did tell SL's mother I was getting married and my parents did not know. She showed up at Borough Hall that morning. I expect she expected to see SL. Natural assumption if she thought we were still best friends and in contact with each other. She would have been my Maid OF Honor. That morning before I left to get married I told my parents when and where. My mother then said "i never had a daughter if you go out that door" I went. SL's mother asked why my parents did not show. I told her why and she said she would speak to my mother. At least she knows weather you are alive and where your are living. Always in the back of her mind SL was still in contact with me. So, so sad."

Thank you
I do not have the energy to go back through all of the posts so I am going from memory

whether you are alive and where you are living...
Do you think , at this time she had resigned herself to the fact that SL had died? Or did she still have hope

It seems MMQC believes that EL always maintained hope that Sylvia was alive

 

[rosemadderlake]

I agree, even if there have been moments where two opinions differ, it hasn't been a huge problem on this thread.
Goes to show we all believe finding Sylvia is far more important to us than being wrong or right.

But, you are correct Jmoose, we do need something new to generate discussion.
I check in every day but I have nothing to say that I haven't said several times...

bbm: So true Dushi. I have no idea what happened to Sylvia but this group of ours has fleshed out and breathed life into Sylvia's story, her era, the place she grew up, and all this possibilities that we can see in the mystery of her disappearance. Our VI's have entrusted us and they have been most courageous in coming forward, taking steps that are no doubt fraught with trepidation.

Who knows Sylvia's story better than we do? When that person chimes in, or when that break in the case happens, I have a feeling we'll all be here, too.

 

[GoingByMyGut]

Thank you
I do not have the energy to go back through all of the posts so I am going from memory

whether you are alive and where you are living...
Do you think , at this time she had resigned herself to the fact that SL had died? Or did she still have hope

It seems MMQC believes that EL always maintained hope that Sylvia was alive

BBM: I'm not sure. The exact timing of this is a little blurry in my mind, as I think MMQC eloped only weeks after SL disappeared. (I believe this aligns with the hiring of a PI a few weeks after she went missing.) Since it was early days, EL may still have been running on adrenaline and panic? To me, that's how that phrase sounds: Not yet a POV in her mind, but two equal possibilities. Perhaps she never gave up this position on the fence? How could she? I know it sounds, from MMQC's posts, like she leaned more heavily toward disappearance, but perhaps that was just more naturally on her mind when she saw MMQC?

 

[Dushi]

BBM: I'm not sure. The exact timing of this is a little blurry in my mind, as I think MMQC eloped only weeks after SL disappeared. (I believe this aligns with the hiring of a PI a few weeks after she went missing.) Since it was early days, EL may still have been running on adrenaline and panic? To me, that's how that phrase sounds: Not yet a POV in her mind, but two equal possibilities. Perhaps she never gave up this position on the fence? How could she? I know it sounds, from MMQC's posts, like she leaned more heavily toward disappearance, but perhaps that was just more naturally on her mind when she saw MMQC?

Maybe hope was what kept her going all of those years

Sometimes the head knows things the heart won't accept

 

[rosemadderlake]

Maybe hope was what kept her going all of those years

Sometimes the head knows things the heart won't accept

bbm: I feel this is absolutely true. How does a family carry on? Maybe hope is what kept the whole family going. What is the alternative? Either way, there is no closure without Sylvia, and there are the darker possibilities, but the heart never gives up. And to waiver could send anyone into an abyss as the days, turn into years, and then turn into decades.

 

[Jmoose]

Thank you
I do not have the energy to go back through all of the posts so I am going from memory

whether you are alive and where you are living...
Do you think , at this time she had resigned herself to the fact that SL had died? Or did she still have hope

It seems MMQC believes that EL always maintained hope that Sylvia was alive

I think she was hopeful that Sylvia was still alive, but thought she might not be.

 

[Jmoose]

Hmm-there was supposed to be an article in the Staten Island Advance about Sylvia's disappearance 38 years ago. So far, nothing in the online version yet.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Eva Lwowski- was in her 40’s when Sylvia disappeared. She lived into her 80’s, and waited for her daughter, for as long as she could... There is so much more to this woman than we know. For her loved ones, I believe there is strength in the collective spirit when all seems lost. …Maybe not today in the strength department, but in time as you continue to carry on and move forward with hope for an answer.

IMO -It doesn’t matter so much that the newspapers publish on her anniversary date but instead turn out something different than the sameness of everything that could reach those outside the spheres of forums, and blogs, and crime radio, and YouTube videos. -Rather that touches on Sylvia herself, her spirit, her hometown, walking down the street, collecting sea creatures, being a college kid in the 70’s, and playing in the marching band. -The absence of Sylvia touches the deepest level of grief and longing in me, and I didn’t know her. But I do know how the circumstances left many unanswered questions, how desperately she is missed, and how the search continues on. -To tap into that and those who may have known her, her life, her home Staten Island, and who may even remember 38 years ago is something a good reporter can do. -It is my hope that a different angle and wider public will get covered.

One thought I had last night, I can’t remember if this was asked of MMQC, but I wonder if they were separated for any period of time at the SI Mall that afternoon. Did Sylvia talk to anyone else, someone she knew, or a stranger, someone who may have known or overheard where she would be later? Sometimes there is the innocent small talk where too much information is given away. Perhaps she was being kind to someone who had no good intention. –One of the aspects of the vulnerability of young beauty is something she doesn’t see coming.

I find it is difficult to sense the direction of her disappearance; one path seems very deliberate but is incomplete in the details as we know it, and another is potentially so random and spontaneous.

 

[StJohn]

Been lurking here for a while (since Tricia did the radio show with SL's brother). rosemadderlake, I feel as you do. Mostly because of the VI's fond memories of SL, she has come to life in my mind, almost as though she could be a friend I lost touch with back in the '70's. MMQC without a doubt lost someone she loved, and I have found myself wondering if any of those who loved SL so much ever were able to grieve her loss. A part of me is so angry at how her B/F and LE were able to just throw her aside and seemingly never looked back. We know, even today, when someone goes missing it is sometimes difficult to get LE to focus enough resources and often family & friends must organize and help. But for SL's fiancé to just behave as if she never existed to him is truly baffling, and, in my mind, beyond suspicious.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Tricia’s radio broadcast brought to light an identifiable voice advocating for Sylvia, in her brother. It was powerful and there is great sadness and understandable life-altering anger in the apparent absence of the details and communication afterwards that he touched on. –It is a good thing the radio show stands in sharp contrast to some of the publicity generated which seems as opaque as SL’s disappearance. I can see several reasons on both angles as to why it appears the fiancé behaved as he did after her disappearance, but it doesn’t say much without more factual evidence. I do feel we have been careful in stating and separating the facts from our opinions here on SL’s thread. –But, when our speculations on Websleuths got published as fact, I lost some respect. And, it has been pointed out we are not exempt from contributing to the “take the rumor and run” publicity by stating it in “our speculations” in the first place. -I have some regrets.

Sylvia’s disappearance is like two stories, two chapters, two generations, and two separate cases; a 1975 missing person’s case, and a 2010 cold case. What sets a good reporter in the media apart from everyone else is “how” one shines a light on Sylvia, her disappearance, the incredible mystery, the time that has passed, with all the power of accountability to back it up. -I hope that can happen for Sylvia because it could go a long way in reaching out to those who knew her and lived on Staten Island.

 

[GoingByMyGut]

Am I pulling up the rear on this? Did the rest of you see the SILive article on Sylvia's anniversary? Just reading it now myself ...

 

[Dushi]

Tricia’s radio broadcast brought to light an identifiable voice advocating for Sylvia, in her brother. It was powerful and there is great sadness and understandable life-altering anger in the apparent absence of the details and communication afterwards that he touched on. –It is a good thing the radio show stands in sharp contrast to some of the publicity generated which seems as opaque as SL’s disappearance. I can see several reasons on both angles as to why it appears the fiancé behaved as he did after her disappearance, but it doesn’t say much without more factual evidence. I do feel we have been careful in stating and separating the facts from our opinions here on SL’s thread. peculations” in the first place. -I have some regrets. –But, when our speculations on Websleuths got published as fact, I lost some respect. And, it has been pointed out we are not exempt from contributing to the “take the rumor and run” publicity by stating it in “our s

Sylvia’s disappearance is like two stories, two chapters, two generations, and two separate cases; a 1975 missing person’s case, and a 2010 cold case. What sets a good reporter in the media apart from everyone else is “how” one shines a light on Sylvia, her disappearance, the incredible mystery, the time that has passed, with all the power of accountability to back it up. -I hope that can happen for Sylvia because it could go a long way in reaching out to those who knew her and lived on Staten Island.

I know how you feel Rose.
Its very frustrating when speculation and facts get all mixed together
In a case like this, which is lean on facts , all you can do is be clear that its speculation.
I really hate rumor being repeated as fact also

 

[GoingByMyGut]

Am I pulling up the rear on this? Did the rest of you see the SILive article on Sylvia's anniversary? Just reading it now myself ...

Quoting myself to comment on the article. I thought the writer would be conservative where the BF/F was concerned, but she was even more conservative than I hoped! Note the change to "an acquaintance" (BBM):
"A police report filed on Sept. 7, 1975, says Ms. Lwowski was last seen with an acquaintance near the former Kmart Plaza on Richmond Avenue.

I see this caused some confusion in the comments, as one poster assumes the "acquaintance" is someone other than the fiance. Some of those who are sure the BF/F is to blame probably won't be happy about that, but in my mind what's important is to refresh a memory of SL. If someone who knew her also knew him, I don't think this will stop them from commenting. JMO

What I think is a shame is there is no contact info offered for whomever is "working" the case -- but perhaps the reference to District Attorney Daniel Donovan will make it clear that any tipsters should contact his office.

MOO: I think this went as well as could be expected and am relieved. What do the rest of you think?

 

[Odyssey]

I was a little surprised by the 'acquaintance' thing, and agree that it kind of caused confusion, but I think it will lead people to google her name so I don't think it's a big deal.

I'm really happy though! This is the first bit of publicity she's had in 38 years!