This year is the 30th anniversary of National Missing Person’s Week. For the occasion, we will take a look back at the people with a connection to the Far South Coast who vanished and still have not been found.
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Sylvia Pajuczok, Eden
The 53-year-old mother of three and grandmother of five vanished just before Christmas 2008 from Bombala.
She has not been seen or heard from since, and her bank account has not been accessed.
Ms Pajuczok’s green Toyota Tarago van was found abandoned by the side of the Monaro Hwy, 10km south of Bombala.
An inquest into her disappearance in 2014 found there was insufficient evidence to recommend that Rockton man James “Jim” Hawes, who was the last person known to have had contact with her, be charged with her death.
Magistrate Mark Douglass, who presided over hearings of the NSW Coroner's Court in Bombala, found that Ms Pajuczok was deceased and her death was suspicious. He found she died on or about December 23 or 24, 2008, in the vicinity of Rockton.
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Kellie-Anne Levitski, Mount Darragh
When she was 38, she disappeared from her father’s property on Mount Darragh Rd on the night of Sunday, March 30, 2014.
Police searched the caravan where Ms Levitski was staying and found her phone, medication, wallet, bank cards and cigarettes, and over the next year they conducted multiple searches in the Mount Darragh area but did not find any evidence of where she had gone.
An inquest into her disappearance held in July 2018 in Bega found that she was deceased, with Deputy State Coroner Magistrate Teresa O’Sullivan saying the “most compelling evidence is perhaps that of an absence of evidence rather than anything else”.
Last year, Ms Levitski’s father said it was a "50/50" chance his daughter was still alive.
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Ray Speechley, Dalmeny
In 2016 the then-77-year-old was last seen near Dalmeny. He suffered from Alzheimer's disease and had wandered away from a nearby nursing home he was staying at the time of his disappearance.
Police were told a man matching his description was seen on the Princes Hwy at Dalmeny, shortly after 4pm on July 7, 2016. A red vehicle was stopped nearby, police said.
The weather on the day he disappeared and the following days after was horrendous with cold and rainy conditions.
Wollongong is where Mr Speechley’s family believe he may have been trying walk to once he got out of the aged care facility, as they used to live there and he often mentioned it.
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Garry Verrall, Narooma
The then-62-year-old was last seen leaving his unit in Narooma on the morning of January 24, 2018 saying he was going to the Tilba area and would return by the next day, but has not been seen since.
Mr Verrall is described as being of Caucasian appearance with fair skin, about 180cm tall with a thin build and small tattoos on his lower left arm. He is known to hitchhike around the local area.
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Elizabeth Hallahan, Moruya
The now 56-year-old was last seen at Tuross Head about 5pm on December 13, 2017 when she left her friend’s house.
Her vehicle was located with her personal belongings and clothing found later that evening at nearby Coila Beach.
Police said Ms Hallahan has not been in contact since and her family hold serious concerns for her welfare.
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David Abuoi, Canberra
Mr Abuoi, who would now be 41, was last seen on the morning of July 10, 2012 in the Canberra Civic area. He had been visiting friends and had recently moved to Canberra from Sydney.
He was known to frequent and stay at Bega and Allawah Flats in Canberra and has friends and family in Sydney. Police said he also uses the name Gabrielle and Malak.
Mr Abuoi is of Sudanese descent.
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You do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone as missing. If you have concerns for someone’s safety and welfare and their whereabouts is unknown you can file a missing person’s report at your local police station.
If you have any information on a missing person call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.