New Jersey Cases

Mystery of Missing Man only Partially Solved

On May 23, 1973, Joseph Dziowgo was reported missing by family members. He was last known to reside on Drake Street in Bound Brook, New Jersey. His whereabouts were unknown until 2011 when his DNA matched that of remains were found in August of 1984 in Wawarsing of Ulster County in New York. His remains were found by an old campground.
Police Investigators have been trying to trace the last few days of Dziowgo’s life. He was last seen around the third week in May of 1973. He was staying with a man with the nickname “Bear” at a rental bungalow in Branchburg, New Jersey. The area they stayed at was located behind the former Alibi Bar, on Route 28. Dziowgo was 25 years old and a former veteran in the Marines Corp. Before he disappeared, he was arrested on May 9, 1973 for malicious damage to property and had an assault and battery charge due to a domestic dispute. At the time he was last seen, he had shoulder length hair and a beard.

Law Enforcement has classified Dziowgo’s death as a homicide. They want to find who this man “Bear” is and who Dziowgo may have associated with in the last few weeks of his life.

There is a $10,000 reward for any information regarding the disappearance and homicide of Joseph Dziowgo. Please call the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or go online at the website http://www.888577tips.org or http://www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. You correspondence can remain confidential.

Fifty Years Later Father’s Murder Haunts Son

January 18th, 1963 was the last time anyone saw 52 year old Thomas Schicitano. According to newsreports at the time, he had been seen talking to an unidentified man in front of his home at 576 High Street in the town of Long Branch. At that time, Schicitano had a thousand dollars on him. He had last been seen wearing a dark grey sports jacket, dark trousers, with a white shirt and a tie. A physical description of him was that he was five foot nine, 175 pounds with brown eyes and hair.
His body was found two months later in a wooded area near Asbury Avenue in the town Colts Neck. He had died from a gunshot wound to the chest. The only money found on the victim was three pennies.

Schicitano was a plumber who often gambled big stakes and carried around large amounts of money. It has never been stated in public whether this had anything to do with his murder.

If you know anything about this crime you may contact the New Jersey State Police at 732-441-4550 Ext. 7400. You can remain anonymous.

Murder of School Girl Never Solved

It was the afternoon of June 2nd, 1963 when 14 year old Sophie Olejnik went missing from the town of Manville. She was thought to have been walking on Sunnymead Road and on her way to a dance at the Polish Falcon Camp on Falcon Road. About a week later her body would be found in a brook in the town of Hillsborough. She had been submerged in about six inches of water. An autopsy proved inconclusive as to whether she had been sexually assaulted or molested. It was determined that she was drowned and had her head pushed to the botton of the body of water. A suspect in his late 30s with a history of sexual abuse was questioned in the case but was never arrested. It is unknown if the case is being investigated or who is conducting it. At the time, the State Police of New Jersey were involved in the investigation. If somebody does have information, please contact the State Police at 609-882-2000.

More Than Two Decades Later, Family Still Looks For Answers

Quiana Dees was a 12 year old girl who was murdered near Fisher Place and the corner of Washington Street in the town of Neptune. She was found near a church and died from a gunshot wound to the head at 2:44 am on May 2, 1992. That night she went to a party despite breaking her parent’s curfew. She was clinging to life when she was found only to succumb to her injuries the next day.
For over two decades her parents have searched for justice and conducted marches condemning violence. Despite it being over 22 years, they want their daughter’s killer caught. Few clues are available to the public but she was found in the woods behind the church. It was several blocks away from the party she was at that night.

Somebody must know something. If you have any information please call 732-763-1433. There is a a reward for information that will lead to a successful conviction of Quiana’s killer.

UPDATE: 12-20-2018, a 40-year-old North Carolina woman, who they say was 13 when she shot Quiana Dees in the head on May 2, 1992. Because of the killer’s age at the time of the murder she may receive minor prison time.  Stay tuned for details.   

Ritualistic Murder or Staged Crime?

It was August 7th, 1972 when Jeannette DePalma went missing from her home at 4 Clearview Road in Springfield. Around Six weeks later a horrible discovery was made behind an apartment complex when the forearm and hand of a female was found. A search commenced and the body of the missing 16 year old teenager was found atop of a forty foot cliff of Houdaille Quarry. Police believe that killing may have been cult related as pieces of wood were laid around her body like a coffin. They also claim that two pieces of wood were placed as a cross over head. The victim was a religious christian and other theories suggest she may have been killed because of her faith. IF you have any information about this murder please call the Springfield Police Department at (973) 376-0400.

Atlantic City Serial Killer Still Eludes Police

On November 20, 2006, two women made a startling discovery when they found the dead body of a woman face-down about fifty yards behind the Golden Key Motel in located in West Atlantic City. It wasn’t long before police made an even more brutal discovery. The dead bodies of three additional women. Identifications were made on all four women. Kim Raffo (35 years of age), Tracy Ann Roberts (23 years of age), Molly Dilts (19 years old) and Barbara Breidor (42 years of age). All the victims were white females who worked as prostitutes and most of them had engaged in drug usage. Their bodies were clothed but they were all found barefoot. Law Enforcement immediately declared that the four were victims of a serial killer. Two of the women had been strangled but an examination on two others could not determine a manner or cause of death due to decomposition of the bodies. All four women also had children.

The motel where the women were found near, has a reputation of having prostitution and drug usage at it’s location. If you have any information about this case please call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or make an online tip at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html. You can remain anonymous. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS). There is a 25,000 dollar reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer.

Who Killed Adult Woman and Two Kids in her Home?

For more than two decades, the brutal triple murder of 28 year old Barbara Waterman, an employee of the city’s Division of Youth and Family Services, her four year old daughter Bianca Wilon, and her Curry’s boyfriend’s 14 year old daughter Felecia council. All three were found shot to death on February 7th, 1994 at Waterman’s Woodward Street apartment in the former Lafayette Gardens public housing complex. Waterman was found dead still grasping her keys, her daughter was found stuffed in a toilet. Waterman is believed to have returned home that day at 9:30 am after she dropped off her boyfriend at work.
If you have any information about this horrible case, please call the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office’s Homicide Unit at 201-915-1345. Your call can remain confidential.

Who is Bayonne Jane Doe?

She was discovered on October 18th, 2007 in the town of Bayonne in Hudson county. She was a black female estimated to be between the ages of 16 and 20. Her height and weight are from 5’2 to 5’5 and in the range of 118 to 138 pounds. Her remains were very decomposed and she may have been dead around three weeks to her body being discovered. She was found by the southbound lanes of Route 440 near the East 30th street by the Jug Handle ramp. The road is heavily traveled by local and out of state travelers. Police surmise that the woman could be from out of state. There was no evidence of sexual assault of the victim though her death remains suspicious. The victim had black hair though she wore brown twenty eight inch, braided hair extensions that were attached attached to her own hair. She had no shoes on but wore white socks that had orange toes and green colored bear heads on the ankles. On her possession was a medium sized colored pink, “Pascal Tex” brand tank top,. a black colored “Buff” brand bra that had red lace around the cups (Size 36C). She also wore green, “Vigoss” brand camouflage pants that were a size 11/12) and also wore pink colored “Pascal” brand, boy short underwear.

For more information and sketches about this jane doe, please visit the DoeNetwork link at http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/664ufnj.html

If you have any information about this unidentified individual please contact either the Bayonne Police Department at 201-858-5766 or New Jersey State Police 1-800-709-7090. You can also contact the Office of the State Medical Examiner at 973-648-4500.

Teen Leaves Home and Is Brutally Murdered

Sixteen year old Sharon Thor received a phone call from an unknown person on October 26, 1982. Shortly afterwards, two white males in a vehicle picked her up at 5:30pm. She was supposed to return home for a ballet lesson. When she did not, her parents filed a missing persons report for the Franklin Township teenager. After three days of searching, her battered body was found a quarter of a mile from her home in a wooded area. She had been bludgeoned to death. The murder weapons were a cinderblock and a large piece of lumber. Whoever killed her, also tried to conceal her body. Police do not know much about the two men that she left with, one of them was reported to have had dark hair. It is likely that Sharon Thor knew her killers and that they may have been from the area. The case is now an active investigation.

There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment(s) of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of Sharon Thor. If you have any information about this homicide, please call the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477).

Young Child Disappears From Front Yard

The Case of William Ebenezer Jones III is one of the oldest missing person cases in the state of New Jersey. On December 17, 1962, the 3 1/2 year old boy was playing with his two year old sister in the yard. His mother had been keeping an eye on them but went to check on her youngest son. When she came outside she saw her daughter holding a plastic poinsetta. She had said a man gave her the plastic plant and took her brother.
At the time of his disappearance, he was 3 feet tall and weighed 30 pounds. He had brown hair and blue eyes. Jones did have an unusual mark on the outside of his left arm, a giraffe shaped vaccination. It is possible thart Jones may have been abducted and raised as a child in another family. It is also possible a sex offender took him as well. For more information about this case and a composite sketch of what Dixon would look like today click on the link for the http://charleyproject.org/cases/j/jones_william.html .

If you have any information about the disappearance of William Ebenezer Jones III, please contact the Vineland Police Department at 856-696-1212.

Shocking Discovery on Beach

On December 10, 1988, a group of volunteers clearing a patch of land near Sandy Hook Bay made a shocking discovery. A Human skull was located near lower Bayside Drive in the town of Atlantic Highlands. Police soon recovered most of the skeleton and determined that the person was a young white female around the ages of 15 to 18 (possibly up to the age of 30). She was around 5’1 to 5’4 and 100 to 120 pounds. The Unidentified female could have been buried there for up to fifteen years. Items of clothing were found by the victim; a long-sleeved gray and red nylon laced top; brown leather platform sandals tha were size 6 1/2 with a 2 1/2 inch-high heel; a white bra; and white acrylic socks that were knee high. Other items found nearby included a portion of one pink rubber thong-style sandal; and a shoe or small boot with a picture of a football scene on the side, that was stitched in red and white.
For more information and pictures of this case visit http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/20ufnj.html   If you have information about the death and identity of this Unidentified Female please contact the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office 732-431-7012 or the Atlantic Highlands Police Department at 732-291-1212.

What Happened to Mother of Three?

The last time anyone ever saw Robin Trivisonno was the evening of January 20, 1997 in the town of Neptune. At the time of her disappearance, the mother of three children was twenty-eight years old, was 5’2 and weighted 105 pounds. Her last known stop was at an exotic dance club named “Heartbreakers”, an establishment where she once worked as a dancer. She wanted to get a ride to Delilah’s Den in South Amboy. She ended up leaving the bar with an unidentified white male who had long dark-brown flowing hair. He was 5’8″ tall and weighing around 180 pounds. The unidentified individual also appeared well groomed. Around four months after her disappearance, her wallet and jacket were located in a wooded area behind the Delilah’s Den parking. For more information about this case, please visit http://charleyproject.org/case/robin-d-trivisonno
If you have information about the disappearance of Robin Trivisonno, please call Neptune Police Department Detective Joseph Burst at 732-988-8000.

Teenager’s Slaying Remains Unsolved

Jennifer Persia was an athletic and smart teenager who was brutally murdered in her parents house in the 100 block of Jefferson Avenue, Magnolia. It was the afternoon of April 4, 1994, and she was stabbed more than twenty times and had suffered blunt force trauma to her upper body. There was no forced entry into the house and two hundred dollars worth of Susan B. Anthony coins were stolen. It is possible she might have known her attacker. If you have any information about the murder of the Sterling High School student, please contact the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office hotline at (856) 225-8476 or via e-mail at tipline@co.camden.nj.us.

Fatal Assault of College Student Still Unsolved

On Saturday, October 27, 2007, Donald Farrell III, a Rowan University student was attacked on campus by the Triad Building in Glassboro. A group of black males had approached him when he was with some friends moments earlier. Farrell was punched and kicked in the abdomen and suffered fatal trauma. The suspect and his friends took off with Farrell’s cellphone and wallet. Farrell’s friends had little time to act and defend their friend. The primary suspect is described as a black, or possibly Hispanic male with a medium complexion and rounded facial features. He had braided hair, a thin mustache and light goatee. At the time of the attack he was around the ages of 20 – 24 and he was 5’7″ in height. He was also wearing a Coogi Heritage hoody that was gray and red in color. It is believed that the suspected killer left in a dark colored vehicle.

There is a $100,000 reward offered for information that may lead to an arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of Donald Farrell, III.

If you have any information about this case, you are urged to contact the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office Lt. Langdon Sills at 856-384-5604 or via email at the address of lsills@co.gloucester.nj.us

Question Persist 30 Years Later in Amusement Park Fire

It was one of the worst amusement park disasters in the history of the United States. The fire at the Great Adventure Amusement Park in Jackson, New Jersey changed the fire codes in New Jersey permanently. That evening on May 11, 1984 eight teenagers died and several others barely escaped with their lives. It has been said that a fourteen year old youth accidentally lit some foam on fire by accident. The person in question had been using the lighter because of a faulty strobe light in the haunted castle attraction. The name of the person in question has never been released. In 2004, a documentary was released by Peter James Smith called “The Doorway to Hell” explored the possibility of negligence by the park operators that was not properly prosecuted. It also looks into the alleged firestarter who is alleged to have been a troubled child that enjoyed starting fires. In the end, it is possible that justice was not served in the deaths of Joseph Beyroutey, Nicola Caiazza, Jose Carrion, Samuel Valentin, Lenny Ruiz, Eric Rodriguez, Christopher Harrison and Tina Genovese. 

Foul Play Suspected in Teen’s Disappearance

October 23, 1979 was the last time there was a confirmed sighting of 16 year old Karen Zendrosky. The sixteen year old had been seen at a then bowling alley in Bordentownship. Over the decades there have been rumors that the teenager may have gone to a nearby party site with three men who were in their twenties. In 2005, police dug up an old sludge pit to look for her remains. Nothing was found. The case remains open and is investigated as an unsolved homicide. At the time of her disappearance, she was five foot two, with brown hair and green eyes. If you have any information about this case please contact the New Jersey State Police at 609-882-2000 extension 2554. All calls can be confidential.

Did Convicted Killer Have More Victims?

The 1994 murder of Melissa Padilla was a brutal one. The Woodbridge mother of four children and was savagely beaten and strangled. Law Enforcement eventually made an arrest after a similar crime against a female Maine State Police Trooper a year later. The trooper (Vicki Gardner) survived despite the brutal injuries she received. Steve Fortin was arrested for that crime and eventually convicted in the murder of Melissa Padilla. At the time of the Padilla murder, Fortin was in his late 20’s. It is very likely that he is responsible for other crimes such as assault and murder. Fortin did serve time for a 1983 manslaughter conviction in which he stabbed his brother to death. Fortin was originally convicted and sentenced to death for Padilla’s death, however, the sentence was overturned. Before they could try and sentence him again, the Death Penalty was repealed. Fortin is now serving a lengthy prison sentence. The question remains though, is he a serial killer?

Murders of Two Elderly Women Remain Unsolved

Northern New Jersey had a series of elderly women who were killed in home invasion killings. In 2012 Daniel Rochat was arrested for the murder of 70 year old Barbara Vernieri in the town of East Rutherford. However, there are two other homicides that were similar that baffle police. The first was of Dolores Alliotts, who was a 69-year-old Palisades Park resident who lived on 12th Street. She was stabbed to death in April of 2010. Five months later, 74-year-old Joan Davis of Teaneck suffered the same grisly fate later in her residence at 976 Alpine Drive. Davis had been bludgeoned to death and bound. The homes of both women were set on fire, similar to what happened in the solved killing of Barbara Vernieri. Davis was a common fixture at town council meetings as was viewed as being a loner yet a loud political watchdog.
If you have any information about these two cases, please the Bergen County Sheriffs Office at (201) 646-2200.