The Stow Police Department, under Police Chief Michael Sallese, has formed a task force to re-examine the 1985 case of Catherine “Cathy” Malcolmson’s disappearance. Cathy was 16 when she disappeared on her way to work in Hudson. This is the first task force solely dedicated to her case, despite several case reviews over the years.
The Edward J. Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program funded the task force. The grant will cover the task force’s creation, officer overtime, and a podcast production about Cathy’s case.
Sgt. Cassandra Scott will head the task force. The team plans to use technological and investigative advancements since Cathy’s disappearance to find new leads. The task force was announced on Friday, right before National Missing Persons Day on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Chief Sallese is hopeful about the renewed attention on the case. He believes that time may encourage those who previously withheld information to come forward. The aim is to determine what happened to Cathy.