Breakthrough in missing mum mystery after three decades

[Pelican Press 0]

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Breakthrough in missing mum mystery after three decades

A man has been charged over the suspicious disappearance of a mother more than three decades ago after the re-opening of the cold case.

Pauline Sowry, 49, went missing in 1993 from Wollongong, south of Sydney, and her whereabouts remain unknown.

An inquest in 2008 found she had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994.

Police strike force Anthea was formed in 2022 to re-examine the circumstances of the case, leading to the arrest of a Wollongong man, 64, on Thursday.

He’s now been charged with accessory after the fact to ******* and conceal serious indictable offence, and refused bail to appear in Wollongong Local Court on Friday.

Ms Sowry’s son, Jason Lawrence, said it had been a long time coming for the family to breathe a sigh of relief.

“We have waited more than 30 years to hear today’s news,” he said in a statement shared by police.

“We miss her every day and her disappearance has taken a huge toll on myself and our entire family.

“We thank the police officers for never giving up hope and we look forward to the outcome of this investigation.”

Southern Region Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said police worked tirelessly to close the case.

The NSW government offered a $500,000 reward in March 2024 for any information about Ms Sowry’s disappearance.

Local officers conducted three searches as part of their investigation in 2023 and 2024 and found items of clothing belonging to Ms Sowry, who also went by her married name Pauline Lawrence.

“During last year’s renewed appeal for information, I made a promise that the NSW Police would leave no stone unturned to seek a resolution,” Mr Cassar said.

“The persistence and effort by my officers has resulted in today’s arrest.

“I commend the tireless commitment of our officers in finding answers for Pauline’s family and they continue to work hard to bring this matter before the courts.”

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