Man charged with accessory after the fact to murder 30 years after Pauline Sowry disappearance

A man has been charged more than 30 years after mum Pauline Sowry disappeared over the Christmas period in 1993. Here’s what he is facing.

A man has been arrested and charged 30 years on from the disappearance of Pauline Sowry.

NSW Police on Thursday announced they had charged a 64-year-old man with accessory after the fact to murder and conceal a serious indictable offence in relation to the cold case.

The shock breakthrough 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.

Police arrested the man at a unit in Murphys Ave, Gywnneville, about 8.30am on Thursday.

Video released by NSW Police show investigators approaching the man’s address, knocking on the door and then taking him into the paddy wagon and police station.

The man sports a long grey ponytail.

NSW Police arrested man at 8.30am. Picture: NSW Police

The police have confirmed the man has a connection to Pauline. Picture: NSW Police

He was interviewed throughout the day at Wollongong Police Station.

NSW Police Southern Region commander Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar, speaking to media on Thursday before the charges were laid, confirmed the man was a “significant person who can certainly assist us with this inquiry”.

“The reason for his arrest is specifically in relation to the suspected disappearance of Pauline,” he said.

The assistant commissioner the man had been a “person of interest” in the long-running investigation.

“There is a confirmed connection between this individual and Pauline,” he said.

Homicide detectives are now interviewing the man.

Ms Sowry’s son, Jason Lawrence, released a short statement following the arrest.

NSW Police have arrested a man 30 years after the disappearance of Pauline Sowry. Picture: Supplied

“We welcome today’s news that a person has been arrested in relation to the suspicious disappearance of our beloved mum,” he said.

“We have waited more than 30 years to hear today’s news.

“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.”

Assistant Commissioner Cassar said it was a “good day for NSW Police and it’s a good day for the Lawrence family”.

“It is a clear message to offenders out there who have committed these crimes and have gone undetected, that we never forget as NSW Police,” he said.

“We will continue to investigate. Whether it’s this generation of police or a generation 20 years down the track, they never forget.”

NSW Police Southern Region Commander Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar praised the work of investigators in the case. Picture: Supplied

The arrest follows an earlier breakthrough in October last year when the taskforce discovered items of clothing in bushland in the Illawarra region related to the case.

Searches in March and May 2023 and October 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, Jason said he hoped the clothes could lead to a breakthrough in the investigation.

Police search bushland after the formation of a new taskforce to look into the case. Picture: NSW Police

“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.

Originally published as Man charged with accessory after the fact to murder 30 years after Pauline Sowry disappearance