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4w ago

64-year-old arrested in cold case disappearance of Wollongong mother Pauline Sowry

The 64-year-old suspect faces accessory after the fact to murder charges after Strike Force Anthea uncovered clothing evidence during bushland searches alongside a $500,000 reward for information.

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Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar speaks to the media in Sydney, Sunday, May 17, 2020. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING
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Pauline Sowry was a cat lover and, on left, on holidays with her sons Paul, Jason and Adam. Pictures supplied

Overview

  • NSW Police launched Strike Force Anthea in 2022 to re-examine Pauline Sowry’s disappearance after she vanished from Wollongong in December 1993.
  • Officers recovered a cream blouse and black pants believed to belong to Sowry during searches of the Illawarra escarpment at Figtree in March and May 2023 and October 2024.
  • A $500,000 reward was offered in March 2024 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
  • Police arrested a 64-year-old man at a Gwynneville unit on May 29, 2025; he remains in custody at Wollongong Police Station and was refused bail.
  • Jason Lawrence, Sowry’s son, welcomed the long-awaited arrest, thanked officers for their persistence and said his family looks forward to the court outcome.