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

[rosemadderlake]

Charley Project is up front about definitions of classification of MP’s. Not “official” and strictly her own interpretation.

I guess I got thrown off by NAMPN’s official sounding name and the fact that the classification was a recent change – which led me to believe something had actually changed in Sylvia’s case.

But still - it adds more confusion rather than factual consistency. -imo.

Charley Project Terms

“These are my own definitions. Other missing person’s organizations/websites may have different ideas of what these mean.”

http://www.charleyproject.org/terms.html

 

[rosemadderlake]

Logically, I know that the odds are, this disappearance isn't going to be solved, but I feel like I just have to know what happened to Sylvia. Like our need to know what happened to her could completely overwhelm what could realistically be expected. And yet...look at the Lyons sisters case-and so many others that seemed impossible to bring to a conclusion by at least finding a missing person. That tells me that there's at least some hope of knowing. I think there would be less hope if some cages hadn't been rattled since 2010. That's why I still come to Sylvia's thread from time to time, and why I was excited to see that she was categorized as "endangered missing".

Bbm: I agree, 2010 breathed life into Sylvia's case, and I know there are two camps on this but I also wonder if other potential directions were always dismissed or never pursued because of the focus down one path, quite possibly a dead end path.

I think Sylvia should have been classed as endangered missing. If you take the events of that night at face value, parents and friend were notified, everyone looked for her... Plus with the terrain of Staten Island and quick exits off of the island, time was of the essence. -While I do not think EL was coached on "the depressed" she may have been misinformed about the wisdom of "No Publicity". -Talked into the mindset that this was normal for the thousands of troubled youth to just runaway and disappear for a few days, when she knew it wasn't. (Give it time to see if she comes home and spare her the embarrassment of publicity) But, there was no precedent for "runaway" in Sylvia's behavior was there?

 

[rosemadderlake]

Bumping for Sylvia Lwowski :heartbeat:

 

[Jmoose]

A week from tomorrow is 40 years since Sylvia disappeared. Hard to believe she hasn't been found in that time.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

"Vanished: 40 years later, mystery still surrounds woman's disappearance"

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/09/man_still_seeking_closure_40_y.html

The lone surviving relative of a Great Kills woman who mysteriously disappeared 40 years ago fears he may never get the closure he desperately seeks.

"I would like a resolution before I die," said Joseph Lwowski, who now lives in Long Island. "But it doesn't appear I'll find any resolution after all these years."

Lwowski has spent almost his entire life and $60,000 trying to find Sylvia, and even gave his DNA sample to the district attorney's office.

"I did everything humanly possible, but I can't find her anywhere," he said. "I don't know where else to turn. I feel helpless."

In the article from two years ago, he sounded a bit more hopeful that the case would be reopened (or opened?) and he would finally have answers. Sad to see he has been dealing with this for most of his life.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Thank you for posting this article Justice-

I was resigned to the fact that this big, big, marker of 40 years would just slip by, quietly. And like Jmoose said, it is really so hard to believe that not one shred of evidence, Sylvia's body, or any of her possessions have never been found in all this time.

It is so deeply, profoundly sad - but I am so glad Sylvia's brother has gotten another article published. -This one shakes the trees more than the last which was so careful. And, this tells me that in dire circumstances like a beloved sister gone missing for 40 years, that there is always more to it than meets the eye. Sylvia's brother is the keeper of the history and memories of his family, his sister, who he knows much better than the public. And yes, he deserves some answers. Because there are about 4 or 5 scenarios of what may have happened to her that Saturday night back in 1975. And how can it be narrowed down, truthfully? Is that too much to ask?

I am so glad to see this article in the SI advance because I still read my hometown paper, and it is truly the best hope to reach the people who may have remembered something about that night, knew Sylvia growing up, circle of friends, or at Wagner College, or knew someone who knew her, or knew something, anything.

I'm lighting a candle for Sylvia, and for her brother, and her best girlfriend, who gave us (Sylvia's WS peeps) here on her thread the portrait of a really sweet, smart, and beautiful on the inside as well as the outside person who seemed to have it all going for her when she just vanished without a trace, 40 years ago this year...

 

[epiphany]

STILL UNSOLVED

This is one of a periodic series of reports on major crimes that remain a mystery.
If you have any information to help police solve this, or any crime, call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477); visit the Crime Stoppers website or send text tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/09/man_still_seeking_closure_40_y.html

 

[Jmoose]

I still don't understand why Sylvia isn't listed as missing on either the NYPD or NYSP missing person lists? Couldn't get an answer from the detective with whom I spoke 2 years ago. So they thought, 40 years ago, that she ran away-she never resurfaced anyplace, so in my universe, that makes her "missing". I am not too well-versed in criminal legal matters, but it does look almost like the family was stonewalled.

 

[rosemadderlake]

NamUs seems to be the database for cold cases. I don't see any cold cases on the NY sites. I don’t think they have the resources to list them all.

Wonder what was recorded in the ADA follow-up in 1975? I am sure there is more than one page to her Police Report. We are only privy to page one (1) of the Police Report but do we really know what Sylvia's parents may have wanted at the time, or why? -Did they think she was a run away? I think the next generation searching for answers, perhaps from everyone...

 

[Jmoose]

Stonewalled is the word I used because, from the SI Advance article, it sounds like Joe knows essentially what we know, and that doesn't seem right. Rose, you are absolutely right that LE doesn't, and shouldn't have to tell the public ANYTHING; we have no right to know any of it from the LE end of it. But as Sylvia's next-of-kin, and only surviving relative, Joe should at least have been assured that NYPD wants to find out what happened to Sylvia, and it sure sounds like they haven't relayed that to him.

Why are you so sure that there is more than one page in her file? I was told there was hardly anything in the file, and while the detective I spoke to has no reason to give me any information, I can't imagine that he'd volunteer misinformation that I hadn't specifically asked about. I don't know what hoops Joe jumped through over the years, or what he spent $60,000 on-but it does look to me that, independently of us, he put a lot of work into finding his sister, with little to no help from the people who should have wanted to help him, since it's their job to do so. So-yes, this looks like stonewalling to me. Not necessarily to protect a killer, but to protect themselves from the accusation that they dropped the ball and never picked it back up when it could have mattered.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Stonewalled is the word I used because, from the SI Advance article, it sounds like Joe knows essentially what we know, and that doesn't seem right. Rose, you are absolutely right that LE doesn't, and shouldn't have to tell the public ANYTHING; we have no right to know any of it from the LE end of it. But as Sylvia's next-of-kin, and only surviving relative, Joe should at least have been assured that NYPD wants to find out what happened to Sylvia, and it sure sounds like they haven't relayed that to him.

Why are you so sure that there is more than one page in her file? I was told there was hardly anything in the file, and while the detective I spoke to has no reason to give me any information, I can't imagine that he'd volunteer misinformation that I hadn't specifically asked about. I don't know what hoops Joe jumped through over the years, or what he spent $60,000 on-but it does look to me that, independently of us, he put a lot of work into finding his sister, with little to no help from the people who should have wanted to help him, since it's their job to do so. So-yes, this looks like stonewalling to me. Not necessarily to protect a killer, but to protect themselves from the accusation that they dropped the ball and never picked it back up when it could have mattered.

Bbm: Because wouldn’t EL have gone back to LE with more info, picture, CC contact info, SS#, etc.? Didn’t we read way back up thread that CC said LE was handling it? Did LE talk to him? The ADA file is likely a separate file to their office. QC said they did follow up with the Lwowskis, at her father’s request. I would think a follow up would have included LE acknowledgement of convo with fiancé. The file is thin (maybe 2 pgs. & a pic) because it went dormant for decades. – all imo.

Was the “no publicly” status ever changed? Why not?

To me stonewalling implies a deliberate refusal to cooperate. Was that true of LE in 1975? I just don’t think we have enough facts to say one way or the other whether LE has stonewalled this case, her family, blatantly refused to help them. We all like to think of the one detective who can’t sleep at night over an unsolved case. - I am not romanticizing NYPD – I think they were a terribly understaffed, rough bunch, in a collapsing city back in the ‘70’s. But, if there was any kind of cover-up, that would be a whole other kind of case, too.

I imagine very few of the original 1975 NYPD is still there. But, just a hunch, I do think the CC Squad did try to find evidence when they reviewed it in 2010. Did any of the rumors pan out? We really don’t know. Don’t they need evidence to open as a homicide case, especially without a body? No evidence, no case. And yes, it would leave her brother feeling totally helpless after four decades.

There is no lessening the heartbreak here. This is why the SI Adv. article and the posting of the crime stoppers anonymous hotline #, could, with any luck, prompt a tip. Hindsight is I am sure the regret that this didn’t happen in 1975.

 

[alliemay]

I would imagine the $60,000 was spent on private detectives, just guessing.

 

[Jmoose]

I think EL may have gone back to the police precinct, possibly bringing with her some photos, etc-but not convinced that whoever spoke to her would automatically put these things in her file. I am thinking that, since the people the Lwowskis spoke to at the 122 precinct thought she was a runaway, they might not have bothered. I think the police precincts in NYC were overworked and busy places, where it might also have been possible for a lazy desk officer to hide. I'm not necessarily saying these cops WERE lazy-but they certainly didn't jump on this case to investigate the possibility that Sylvia was missing, and not a runaway. I mean, getting out of CC's car in a huff (if she actually did so), doesn't prove that she ran off to California. At most it proves that she was suddenly in a vulnerable position. Since they based their "runaway" theory entirely on CC's statement that she ran off, I'm thinking the cops who got the missing person report from her parents didn't give it much thought at all. I used to think that police officers had a high standard when it comes to stuff like this, but so many cases here on Websleuths indicate that there are lots of foul-ups like this.

CC's statement that LE was "handling it" doesn't mean much to me-I think LE must have tried speaking to him once-doesn't mean he complied with their request, though. LE never seemed to want to speak to MMQC, although there was some attempt in 2010 to get her statement, LE would only take the statement if she opted to come to NYC while her husband was dying and couldn't leave him-that doesn't sound like an aggressive effort to me, but maybe that is how they were required to do it.

I don't think we ever heard if the "no publicity" request was ever changed; hard to tell if Sylvia's brother is clear on this either.

According to Det. Savage, without a body or a confession, there is nothing, at this point, that can be done to open the case. The Cold Case squad did put in some time on this case, but by 2010 or so, what evidence was there to look at? The time to do this was in the 70's-by 2010, they couldn't even take a look at CC's car, if they didn't do so in 1975.

I am amazed that the author of the most recent article included so much more info that the one from 2 years ago. I wonder why the 1st article had to be so cryptic? I am also surprised that the comments on the most recent ones are still up-I really thought the paper would take them down.

 

[Jmoose]

I would imagine the $60,000 was spent on private detectives, just guessing.

I think you're right-what else could have cost that much?

 

[rosemadderlake]

There may have been legal consulting fees, too? --Fairly sure LE interviewed the fiancé in 1975 because weren’t we told that LE cautioned the family to back off on the BF/F or face possible legal suit? There is more to this than we know. (imo)

I’m guessing ^^^this piece^^^ obliged Sylvia’s family. --Maybe they even felt intimidated by the authority, and cut off from it at the same time? -Just heartbreaking. I keep wondering what could have prevented further communication to change in the status of her missing classification. – Why “no publicity” after 30 days, one year, five years? Why?

I write this cautiously because I wonder if there was a Romeo & Juliet, Capulet & Montague “element” to this story in that the families were not warm and embracing of each other. We see the expression of the powerlessness felt recently, in the “cut out, broken pictures” posted online last year, --The yearning for answers. Even though I question that path, I totally respect the current crusade searching for answers.

At the heart of 1975 is Sylvia’s mother; ALL that she knew and ALL that she navigated with LE, the BF/F, her family, the PI, and ALL that she did herself to try to find her daughter on her own. - Sadly, we are missing her account as a parent. --How I wish we could have a conversation with her.

Cold case squad revisited her case In 2010. No doubt they are adept at the time-travel gathering of facts around the deceased (not optimal) and current relatives on all sides, and the friends coming forward with possible new evidence? There were stated rumors years later but none at the time of her disappearance (happy and getting married). Maybe that’s the reason for taking statements in person at the precinct. –Just a thought.

Did Sylvia see a movie that night before she disappeared? Aw, it would have answered a big time-line Q… No one seems to be able to confirm that answer. But we do know they had a fight – and that piece of the puzzle is our best guess here on WS.

 

[Jmoose]

I have also wondered about the "Romeo and Juliet" sort of relationship; certainly it doesn't seem as if the families knew and liked each other well-this might make sense if the families lived in different parts of the country, but Staten Island, relatively speaking, is a small place. Drawing from my own experience, my mother-in-law isn't a warm person, but I can't imagine that she would repel any contact from my own mother if I had disappeared before marrying her son. We have all thought that there is something strange about this engagement-it could be that neither family was really happy about the union. I definitely am getting that feeling. As far as the "no publicity" issue goes, there must have been some reason that there was never any public announcement that Sylvia was missing. I don't know what the policy was in those days once the police report was made-could they simply have asked for publicity later on? Would the Lwowskis have been intimidated by the process? Difficult to say-I'd like to think that EL would have been tougher than that, but who really knows how she may have acted in the face of LE. If only that one thing was different, the family might have their answer, regardless of what really happened.

 

[leilarose68]

Has Sylvia's brother ever asked that well-known diving crew that looks for missing persons in water if they would search the swamp nearby? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought there was a nearby swamp?

Also, did Sylvia have anything on her that she could ostensibly hurt herself with?

 

[leilarose68]

And do we know if Sylvia's fiance at the time was powerful in the community?

 

[leilarose68]

I'm also curious... does anyone know of any more recent reactions by Sylvia's then-fiance? I know his name has been made public and I imagine people have contacted and probably harassed him about the story

 

[Jmoose]

The fiance almost certainly knows about the most recent inquiries-It would be hard to imagine that he doesn't know, but there's no specific confirmation that he does.