Police make breakthrough in 30-year cold case disappearance of NSW mum Pauline Sowry
Clothing found in bushland may be a crucial piece of evidence for police in the search for a mother last seen 31 years ago.
Police may have made a major breakthrough in a 30-year cold case on the NSW south coast.
Pauline Sowry, who was also known by her married name Pauline Lawrence, was last seen by family in Wollongong’s northern suburbs in December 1993.
In 2022, NSW Police set up a taskforce to take a fresh look at the mother-of-three’s disappearance, and in March this year the state government put up a $500,000 reward.
On Monday, police announced the taskforce had found items of clothing in bushland in the Illawarra region related to the case.
The state’s Southern Region police commander is expected to hold a press conference about the development later on Monday.
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.
Southern Region commander Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said this could be a crucial piece in the investigation to determine 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, 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.
“We know someone out there knows something – as you prepare to spend Christmas with your own family, we are pleading for you to come forward and give us some closure, by knowing what happened to my beloved mum.”
Wollongong police or Crime Stoppers can be contacted anonymously.
“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.
“I believe someone has taken advantage of her kindness and vulnerability, so my family and I plead with the public to come forward with any information or knowledge of her disappearance.”
A 2008 coronial inquest found Ms Sowry had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994. She was 49 years old when she disappeared.
In May this year, police issued a call for information on a white 1968 Holden HK Kingswood sedan, said to be in “pristine” condition, which police believed Ms Sowry may have travelled in south of Wollongong.
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Based on that appeal, police searched bushland at Figtree, south of Wollongong.
“We don’t want to leave any stone unturned, this latest search is another step in trying to find crucial answers for Pauline’s family,” Mr Cassar said earlier this year.
“Someone out there knows what happened to her and we believe this search could help unlock some vital information as to where Pauline is.”
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