Latest news with #StrikeForceAnthea
News.com.au
6 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
NSW Police arrest man 30 years after disappearance of Illawarra mum Pauline Sowry
A man has been arrested 30 years on from the disappearance of Pauline Sowry. The shock breakthrough in the cold case was announced on Thursday morning and follows the formation of Strike Force Anthea in 2022 that was set up to examine the circumstances surrounding Ms Sowry's disappearance. Ms Sowry, also known by her married name Pauline Lawrence, was 49 years old when she was last seen by her family in the northern suburbs of Wollongong in December 1993. NSW Police Southern Region commander Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar and Wollongong Police District commander Superintendent Karen Cook police will address the media on the arrest on Thursday. It follows an earlier breakthrough in December last year when the taskforce discovered items of clothing in bushland in the Illawarra region related to the case. Searches in 2023 and 2024 in the area of Figtree near Wollongong turned up a cream button-down long sleeve blouse with a coloured stitching design and black pants. Mr Cassar, speaking in December, said the discoveries could prove crucial in determining Ms Sowry's final movements. 'We are releasing these images to try to jog someone's memory. The clothing includes some hand stitching in coloured cotton and we know Pauline was known for altering both her and her children's clothing, ' he said. 'We are not ruling out further searches as we continue to investigate the circumstances of Pauline's disappearance. 'Pauline's family deserve to know what happened to her and to get some closure following her disappearance.' In a statement from December, Ms Sowry's son Jason Lawrence said he hoped the clothes could lead to a breakthrough in the investigation. 'We don't want to spend another Christmas not knowing what happened to mum. We deserve to know what happened to her and to give her a proper send-off and lay her to rest,' he said. 'It's been 30 years since my mother's disappearance, she's been sadly missed and this has been a devastating effect on our family, including the loss of her two sons, my brothers Paul and Adam, to mental health and her parents, Bill and Pat, who have also passed away not knowing what's happened to their daughter.' A 2008 coronial inquest found that Ms Sowry had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994. In May 2024, police issued a call for information on a white 1968 Holden HK Kingswood sedan said to be in 'pristine' condition that police believed Ms Sowry may have travelled in south of Wollongong.
ABC News
6 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Man arrested in relation to cold case disappearance of NSW mother Pauline Sowry
A man has been arrested in relation to the disappearance of Illawarra mother Pauline Sowry, who went missing more than three decades ago. The 49-year-old, also known by her married name Pauline Lawrence, was last seen by her family in December 1993 in the northern suburbs of Wollongong. A coronial inquest in 2008 found she died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994, but the case was reopened in 2022 for investigation by Strike Force Anthea. A $500,000 reward for information leading to a conviction was launched by police and Ms Sowry's family in 2024. Three items of clothing believed to belong to Ms Sowry were recovered during a search of bushland in Wollongong nine months later. More to come.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- The Advertiser
Man arrested in the cold case disappearance of mother-of-three
A man has been arrested in relation to the cold case disappearance and suspected murder of Wollongong mother of three Pauline Sowry. The recently-divorced 49-year-old disappeared in December 1993, and she left behind distraught sons Jason, Paul and Adam. A NSW Coronial inquest in 2008 found Pauline Sowry, who was also known by her married name of Pauline Lawrence, had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994. Following decades of police investigations and public tip-offs, a man was arrested on Thursday, May 29. Police will address the media at 10.30am, more to come. In December 2024, police revealed they had conducted two digs in rugged bushland off O'Briens Road in Figtree and found clothes thought to belong to the missing mother. A cream-coloured button-down long-sleeve blouse with colourful hand-stitching design was found along with long black trousers during the digs in March and May 2023 and again in October 2024. In March 2024, police announced a $500,000 reward for information into Pauline's disappearance. In May 2024, police revealed Pauline may have been travelling south of Wollongong in a white-coloured 1968-model Holden HK Kingswood sedan in 'pristine' condition. During an exclusive interview with the Mercury in July 2024, Pauline's son Jason said his Mum's disappearance and suspicious death have taken a significant toll on the family. For years, he wondered if she'd left of her own accord, and those thoughts shattered him. "That's in the back of your mind that you think that mum may have disappeared, or she walked off, or she met someone or had gone overseas," he said in July 2024. Click on the photo to see more pictures. Jason was 24 years old when his Mum disappeared. For Pauline's other sons, Paul and Adam, who were 27 years old and 18, respectively, the struggle became too much, and they both have since died by suicide. He might have last seen his Mum 31 years ago, but he still vividly remembers her as a woman who loved listening to her favourite vinyl, especially Diana Ross and the Eurythmics. She loved cooking up a storm for her three sons and ensured they ate every last vegetable on their plate before they were allowed to leave the table. Strike Force Anthea was established in 2022 to re-examine the circumstances surrounding Pauline's disappearance. If you have any information about Pauline Sowry's suspicious disappearance, contact Wollongong Police on 4226 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. You can provide information anonymously. A man has been arrested in relation to the cold case disappearance and suspected murder of Wollongong mother of three Pauline Sowry. The recently-divorced 49-year-old disappeared in December 1993, and she left behind distraught sons Jason, Paul and Adam. A NSW Coronial inquest in 2008 found Pauline Sowry, who was also known by her married name of Pauline Lawrence, had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994. Following decades of police investigations and public tip-offs, a man was arrested on Thursday, May 29. Police will address the media at 10.30am, more to come. In December 2024, police revealed they had conducted two digs in rugged bushland off O'Briens Road in Figtree and found clothes thought to belong to the missing mother. A cream-coloured button-down long-sleeve blouse with colourful hand-stitching design was found along with long black trousers during the digs in March and May 2023 and again in October 2024. In March 2024, police announced a $500,000 reward for information into Pauline's disappearance. In May 2024, police revealed Pauline may have been travelling south of Wollongong in a white-coloured 1968-model Holden HK Kingswood sedan in 'pristine' condition. During an exclusive interview with the Mercury in July 2024, Pauline's son Jason said his Mum's disappearance and suspicious death have taken a significant toll on the family. For years, he wondered if she'd left of her own accord, and those thoughts shattered him. "That's in the back of your mind that you think that mum may have disappeared, or she walked off, or she met someone or had gone overseas," he said in July 2024. Click on the photo to see more pictures. Jason was 24 years old when his Mum disappeared. For Pauline's other sons, Paul and Adam, who were 27 years old and 18, respectively, the struggle became too much, and they both have since died by suicide. He might have last seen his Mum 31 years ago, but he still vividly remembers her as a woman who loved listening to her favourite vinyl, especially Diana Ross and the Eurythmics. She loved cooking up a storm for her three sons and ensured they ate every last vegetable on their plate before they were allowed to leave the table. Strike Force Anthea was established in 2022 to re-examine the circumstances surrounding Pauline's disappearance. If you have any information about Pauline Sowry's suspicious disappearance, contact Wollongong Police on 4226 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. You can provide information anonymously. A man has been arrested in relation to the cold case disappearance and suspected murder of Wollongong mother of three Pauline Sowry. The recently-divorced 49-year-old disappeared in December 1993, and she left behind distraught sons Jason, Paul and Adam. A NSW Coronial inquest in 2008 found Pauline Sowry, who was also known by her married name of Pauline Lawrence, had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994. Following decades of police investigations and public tip-offs, a man was arrested on Thursday, May 29. Police will address the media at 10.30am, more to come. In December 2024, police revealed they had conducted two digs in rugged bushland off O'Briens Road in Figtree and found clothes thought to belong to the missing mother. A cream-coloured button-down long-sleeve blouse with colourful hand-stitching design was found along with long black trousers during the digs in March and May 2023 and again in October 2024. In March 2024, police announced a $500,000 reward for information into Pauline's disappearance. In May 2024, police revealed Pauline may have been travelling south of Wollongong in a white-coloured 1968-model Holden HK Kingswood sedan in 'pristine' condition. During an exclusive interview with the Mercury in July 2024, Pauline's son Jason said his Mum's disappearance and suspicious death have taken a significant toll on the family. For years, he wondered if she'd left of her own accord, and those thoughts shattered him. "That's in the back of your mind that you think that mum may have disappeared, or she walked off, or she met someone or had gone overseas," he said in July 2024. Click on the photo to see more pictures. Jason was 24 years old when his Mum disappeared. For Pauline's other sons, Paul and Adam, who were 27 years old and 18, respectively, the struggle became too much, and they both have since died by suicide. He might have last seen his Mum 31 years ago, but he still vividly remembers her as a woman who loved listening to her favourite vinyl, especially Diana Ross and the Eurythmics. She loved cooking up a storm for her three sons and ensured they ate every last vegetable on their plate before they were allowed to leave the table. Strike Force Anthea was established in 2022 to re-examine the circumstances surrounding Pauline's disappearance. If you have any information about Pauline Sowry's suspicious disappearance, contact Wollongong Police on 4226 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. You can provide information anonymously. A man has been arrested in relation to the cold case disappearance and suspected murder of Wollongong mother of three Pauline Sowry. The recently-divorced 49-year-old disappeared in December 1993, and she left behind distraught sons Jason, Paul and Adam. A NSW Coronial inquest in 2008 found Pauline Sowry, who was also known by her married name of Pauline Lawrence, had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994. Following decades of police investigations and public tip-offs, a man was arrested on Thursday, May 29. Police will address the media at 10.30am, more to come. In December 2024, police revealed they had conducted two digs in rugged bushland off O'Briens Road in Figtree and found clothes thought to belong to the missing mother. A cream-coloured button-down long-sleeve blouse with colourful hand-stitching design was found along with long black trousers during the digs in March and May 2023 and again in October 2024. In March 2024, police announced a $500,000 reward for information into Pauline's disappearance. In May 2024, police revealed Pauline may have been travelling south of Wollongong in a white-coloured 1968-model Holden HK Kingswood sedan in 'pristine' condition. During an exclusive interview with the Mercury in July 2024, Pauline's son Jason said his Mum's disappearance and suspicious death have taken a significant toll on the family. For years, he wondered if she'd left of her own accord, and those thoughts shattered him. "That's in the back of your mind that you think that mum may have disappeared, or she walked off, or she met someone or had gone overseas," he said in July 2024. Click on the photo to see more pictures. Jason was 24 years old when his Mum disappeared. For Pauline's other sons, Paul and Adam, who were 27 years old and 18, respectively, the struggle became too much, and they both have since died by suicide. He might have last seen his Mum 31 years ago, but he still vividly remembers her as a woman who loved listening to her favourite vinyl, especially Diana Ross and the Eurythmics. She loved cooking up a storm for her three sons and ensured they ate every last vegetable on their plate before they were allowed to leave the table. Strike Force Anthea was established in 2022 to re-examine the circumstances surrounding Pauline's disappearance. If you have any information about Pauline Sowry's suspicious disappearance, contact Wollongong Police on 4226 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. You can provide information anonymously.
