Illinois State Police and FBI seek public assistance in solving Tammy Zywicki murder
25th anniversary of Tammy’s death ushers retesting of DNA evidence
JOLIET (Heartland Newsfeed) – Illinois State Police (ISP) officials and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are seeking the public’s assistance for information regarding the kidnapping and murder of Tammy J. Zywicki. August 23 marks the 25th anniversary of Tammy’s death, and her case remains active as the FBI and ISP continue exploring new leads, examining 200 items of evidence, and retesting items with modern DNA technology.
Some of Tammy’s personal property are known to be missing, including a Canon 35mm camera and a Lorus brand musical wrist watch which played the tune “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” with a green umbrella on its face and a green band. Also taken from Tammy was a red and white soccer patch monogrammed with “St. Giles Soccer Club, Greenville, South Carolina.”
Tammy was reportedly last seen with her car on Interstate 80 at mile marker 83 in LaSalle County, Illinois, between 3:10 and 4:00 p.m. on August 23, 1992. She departed Evanston, Illinois for college in Grinnell, Iowa, where she was expected to arrive that evening. Later that day, Tammy’s car, a 1985 White Pontiac T1000, was found by an ISP Trooper and marked as being abandoned. On August 24, 1992, the vehicle was towed by the ISP. On that same evening, Tammy’s mother contacted the ISP and advised that her daughter had not arrived at college. On September 1, 1992, Tammy’s body was located along Interstate 44 in rural Lawrence County, Missouri, which is located between Joplin and Springfield, Missouri. She had been stabbed to death. It was also reported that a truck tractor semi-trailer was seen near Tammy’s vehicle during this time period. The truck driver was described as a white male between 35 and 40 years-of-age, over six feet tall, with dark, bushy hair.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification of the individual or individuals responsible for this crime. Anyone with information is asked to contact the ISP at (815) 726-6377, or the FBI Chicago Field Division at (312) 421-6700. Callers can remain anonymous.
Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
