“We miss her every day": Arrest made in 30-year cold case breakthrough

In a major breakthrough in a decades-old missing persons case, a 64-year-old man has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder in connection with the disappearance of Illawarra mother Pauline Sowry, last seen in 1993.

Sowry, also known by her married name Pauline Lawrence, was 49 years old when she vanished from the northern suburbs of Wollongong in December 1993. Despite an unconfirmed sighting in 1994, a 2008 coronial inquest concluded she had likely died. Her case was reopened in 2022 under Strike Force Anthea, leading to Thursday’s arrest at a unit on Murphy's Avenue in Gwynneville.

Police allege the man charged had a connection to Ms Sowry. He has also been charged with concealing a serious indictable offence.

“The reason for his arrest is specifically in relation to the suspected disappearance of Pauline,” Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said during a press conference. “This is a significant development, and we wanted to tell the public as soon as possible.”

Assistant Commissioner Cassar declined to provide details about what led to the arrest but confirmed that investigations would continue “until we can locate Pauline”.

Earlier this year, police and the Sowry family announced a $500,000 reward for information leading to a conviction. While the reward has not yet been paid, Cassar acknowledged it acted as a catalyst for new leads in the case.

One such lead included the discovery of clothing in bushland in Wollongong’s south, uncovered during a search nine months ago. The garments are still undergoing forensic examination, and authorities have not confirmed if they belonged to Ms Sowry.

“We’ll continue to analyse that clothing and any additional items recovered from today’s search warrant,” Cassar added.

Ms Sowry had recently separated from her husband at the time of her disappearance. He has since been ruled out as a person of interest. Her son, Jason Lawrence, welcomed the news of the arrest in a statement released Thursday.

“We have waited more than 30 years to hear today’s news,” he said. “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 acknowledged the emotional weight of the developments, calling it a “bittersweet time” for the family.

The investigation remains active as police continue to search for answers and work towards justice for Pauline Sowry.

Images: NSW Police