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Woman Found Guilty of Murder in 1991 Death of Her Son, 5 Woman Found Guilty of Murder in 1991 Death of Her Son, 5
(about 5 hours later)
More than two decades after the remains of 5-year-old Timothy Wiltsey were found in a New Jersey swamp, a jury found his mother guilty of his murder on Wednesday morning, closing one of the state’s most notorious cold cases. When 5-year-old Timothy Wiltsey vanished on a spring evening in 1991, the story his mother told the police was chilling — every parent’s worst nightmare made real. His mother, Michelle Lodzinski, maintained that Timmy, as he was known, had disappeared from a town carnival in New Jersey.
The verdict, coming after two months of often emotional testimony and more than a week of deliberations, ended a mystery that has long haunted the Middlesex County community where the child lived and confirmed the suspicions harbored by many who lived there that his mother, Michelle Lodzinski, was responsible. Five months later, the boy’s sneaker was found in a swampy part of an industrial park where his mother once worked. His remains were found there too, six months after that.
When Timmy, as he was known, went missing on a spring evening in 1991, the story his mother told the police was chilling — every parent’s worst nightmare made real. Ms. Lodzinski maintained that Timmy had disappeared from a town carnival. But it would take a blue blanket, its color long faded but the memory of it held firm by those who had seen it covering Timmy long ago, to finally break the case.
As the verdict was read aloud in State Superior Court in New Brunswick on Wednesday, Ms. Lodzinski, 48, sat quietly with her head bowed. She could face life in prison when she is sentenced on Aug. 23. On Wednesday, 25 years after Timmy disappeared, a jury found his mother guilty of his murder, closing one of the state’s most notorious cold cases.
The verdict, coming after a trial of more than two months, ended a mystery that has long haunted the Middlesex County community where the child lived and confirmed the suspicions harbored by many who lived there that his mother was responsible.
As the verdict was read in State Superior Court in New Brunswick on Wednesday, Ms. Lodzinski, 48, sat quietly with her head bowed. She could face life in prison when she is sentenced on Aug. 23.
When she was escorted from the court, her brother, Michael Lodzinski, stood up in the gallery and shouted: “I love you, sis. I love you very much.”When she was escorted from the court, her brother, Michael Lodzinski, stood up in the gallery and shouted: “I love you, sis. I love you very much.”
Gerald Krovatin, a lawyer for Ms. Lodzinski, said the conviction was “devastating.”Gerald Krovatin, a lawyer for Ms. Lodzinski, said the conviction was “devastating.”
“She’s extremely disappointed,” he told reporters outside the courtroom.“She’s extremely disappointed,” he told reporters outside the courtroom.
On May 25, 1991, Ms. Lodzinski said, she took Timmy to a Memorial Day carnival in Kennedy Park in Sayreville, N.J. They had enjoyed a few rides when she decided to get a soda, turning her attention from the boy for two to three minutes.On May 25, 1991, Ms. Lodzinski said, she took Timmy to a Memorial Day carnival in Kennedy Park in Sayreville, N.J. They had enjoyed a few rides when she decided to get a soda, turning her attention from the boy for two to three minutes.
“He doesn’t like to wait on lines,” Ms. Lodzinski told a reporter for The New York Times in 1991.“He doesn’t like to wait on lines,” Ms. Lodzinski told a reporter for The New York Times in 1991.
But when she turned back around, he was gone.But when she turned back around, he was gone.
She screamed. The carnival was shut down. Scores of police officers rushed to the scene. The State Police dispatched a helicopter. Scuba teams scoured the ponds in the park.She screamed. The carnival was shut down. Scores of police officers rushed to the scene. The State Police dispatched a helicopter. Scuba teams scoured the ponds in the park.
The case immediately attracted national attention. Timmy was one of the missing children featured on a milk carton, his smiling face frozen in time. He was last seen wearing a red tank top and sneakers adorned with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The case immediately attracted national attention. Timmy was one of the missing children featured on a milk carton, his smiling face frozen in time. He was last seen wearing a red tank top and the sneakers.
But from the outset, suspicion fell on Ms. Lodzinski, who was estranged from Timmy’s father at the time of the disappearance. Something seemed off, according to prosecutors and investigators.But from the outset, suspicion fell on Ms. Lodzinski, who was estranged from Timmy’s father at the time of the disappearance. Something seemed off, according to prosecutors and investigators.
The concerns and circumstantial case they outlined during the trial were much the same as they were 25 years ago. The concerns and the circumstantial case they outlined during the trial were much the same as they were 25 years ago.
Early in the trial, the prosecution called a witness, Laura Mechkowski, to cast doubts on whether Timmy was ever at the carnival. She remembered seeing Ms. Lodzinski but not the child.Early in the trial, the prosecution called a witness, Laura Mechkowski, to cast doubts on whether Timmy was ever at the carnival. She remembered seeing Ms. Lodzinski but not the child.
When she heard about the disappearance, she called the police.When she heard about the disappearance, she called the police.
“I got a sick feeling,” Ms. Mechkowski testified. “I spoke with her and she did not have a child with her. I was very upset. There was a child missing and there was no child.”“I got a sick feeling,” Ms. Mechkowski testified. “I spoke with her and she did not have a child with her. I was very upset. There was a child missing and there was no child.”
Prosecutors also outlined the ways that Ms. Lodzinski’s story changed over time. At first, she said that she had simply turned from her child for a brief moment and then he was gone.Prosecutors also outlined the ways that Ms. Lodzinski’s story changed over time. At first, she said that she had simply turned from her child for a brief moment and then he was gone.
Pressed by investigators, she said that she was threatened at knifepoint and Timmy was taken by force. In another version, she said she had asked a woman she knew casually — Ellen, no last name — and two men to watch Timmy while she went for a soda. They were all gone when she returned. Pressed by investigators, she said she was threatened at knife point and Timmy was taken by force. In another version, she said she had asked a woman she knew casually — Ellen, no last name — and two men to watch Timmy while she went for a soda. They were all gone when she returned.
She was also not doing the things the public expects from a grieving parent.She was also not doing the things the public expects from a grieving parent.
“Everyone is waiting to see a grieving mother on TV break down, crying, hysterical because the public, they thrive on that stuff,” she told reporters in 1991. “But I’m not going to do it.”“Everyone is waiting to see a grieving mother on TV break down, crying, hysterical because the public, they thrive on that stuff,” she told reporters in 1991. “But I’m not going to do it.”
Around the time she made those comments, Daniel O’Malley, a retired science teacher, was out looking for wildlife in an undeveloped part of Raritan Center, an industrial park in Edison, when he stumbled upon a sneaker.Around the time she made those comments, Daniel O’Malley, a retired science teacher, was out looking for wildlife in an undeveloped part of Raritan Center, an industrial park in Edison, when he stumbled upon a sneaker.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adorned the shoe. He had followed Timmy’s case closely, he testified, and he recalled the description of what Timmy was wearing when he disappeared. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adorned the shoe. Mr. O’Malley had followed Timmy’s case, he testified, and he recalled the description of what Timmy was wearing when he disappeared.
But when the police showed the sneaker to Ms. Lodzinski, she said that she did not think it was Timmy’s, according to testimony from one of the investigators, Raymond Szkodny, a retired Sayreville detective sergeant.But when the police showed the sneaker to Ms. Lodzinski, she said that she did not think it was Timmy’s, according to testimony from one of the investigators, Raymond Szkodny, a retired Sayreville detective sergeant.
The turtles on this sneaker, she told him, were not the same as the turtles on the shoes she bought for Timmy. Later, however, she conceded it might belong to her son.The turtles on this sneaker, she told him, were not the same as the turtles on the shoes she bought for Timmy. Later, however, she conceded it might belong to her son.
Another six months passed before Timmy’s remains were found, not far from where the sneaker had been discovered.Another six months passed before Timmy’s remains were found, not far from where the sneaker had been discovered.
On April 25, 1992, the police, working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, found the boy’s skull. The lower jaw was missing but it still contained several teeth. On April 25, 1992, the police, working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, found the boy’s skull. The lower jaw was missing, but it still contained several teeth.
It was no longer a missing persons case. It was now a homicide.It was no longer a missing persons case. It was now a homicide.
About 30 feet from the skull, the police found a pillowcase, balloon, shovel and remnants of the waistband from Timmy’s underwear and shorts. The cause of his death could not be determined. About 30 feet from the skull, the police found a pillowcase, a balloon, a shovel and remnants of the waistband from Timmy’s underwear and shorts. The cause of his death could not be determined.
They also found a beat-up blanket. But they could not make a case.They also found a beat-up blanket. But they could not make a case.
Most recently, Ms. Lodzinski was living in Florida, raising two sons born after Timmy.Most recently, Ms. Lodzinski was living in Florida, raising two sons born after Timmy.
The Middlesex County prosecutor’s office, never satisfied leaving the case unsolved, decided to give the case another look. The Middlesex County prosecutor’s office decided to give the case another look.
There was no new DNA or forensic evidence. But an old piece of evidence provided a crucial new lead.There was no new DNA or forensic evidence. But an old piece of evidence provided a crucial new lead.
The tattered blue blanket, weathered and frayed around the edges, its color long ago faded, was the key, prosecutors said.The tattered blue blanket, weathered and frayed around the edges, its color long ago faded, was the key, prosecutors said.
They were able to find three witnesses who would testify that they remembered this blanket from the Lodzinski home. This time, they focused on the blanket, posing new questions to three witnesses who testified that they remembered it from the Lodzinski home.
It was this connection that led to Ms. Lodzinski’s arrest in Florida in August 2014 and her extradition to New Jersey. And it was the blanket that prosecutors would argue was proof of her guilt.It was this connection that led to Ms. Lodzinski’s arrest in Florida in August 2014 and her extradition to New Jersey. And it was the blanket that prosecutors would argue was proof of her guilt.
“She dumped his body in a creek like a piece of trash, but she left behind a telling clue, this blanket,” Christie Bevacqua, the deputy first assistant prosecutor, said during the trial.“She dumped his body in a creek like a piece of trash, but she left behind a telling clue, this blanket,” Christie Bevacqua, the deputy first assistant prosecutor, said during the trial.
She held up the filthy blanket for the jurors to see.She held up the filthy blanket for the jurors to see.
“No other killer could get this,” she said.“No other killer could get this,” she said.