The details of Victoria's disappearance took a weird turn; the parts regarding her son
Victoria, circa 1988
- Missing Since 04/15/1988
- Missing From Boyne Valley Township, Michigan
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Sex Female
- Race White
- Age 69 years old
- Height and Weight 5'5, 165 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A maroon or rust-colored full-length coat, brown pants and a tightly knitted hat with a brim.
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Graying brown hair, brown eyes. Victoria wears eyeglasses. Three of her teeth are missing and she has fillings in several teeth. Her nickname is Vicky, and her maiden name is Kush.
Details of Disappearance
Victoria was last seen by her brother-in-law, walking in the backyard of her home on DeNise Road in Boyne Valley Township, Michigan on April 15, 1988. She lived with her husband, who suffered from memory lapses, so the date she was last seen is considered somewhat tentative. Her boss at the Pippin’s Restaurant in Boyne City, Michigan, where she worked as a waitress, called the police after Victoria didn't show up for work three days in a row.
Investigators went to her house and saw Victoria's car in the driveway and her purse and keys on the dining room table, but she was gone. She has never been heard from again. Her family suggested she might have gone to Detroit, Michigan to visit friends, but police thought it was suspicious that her car and belongings were left behind.
Authorities believe Victoria's son, Stephen Salisz Jr., may know more than he has said about what happened to his mother. He was reportedly camping in the woods behind her home, boiling sap into maple syrup and looking for mushrooms, at the time of her disappearance.
In January 1991, a grand jury began investigating Victoria's disappearance, and Stephen was called to testify. He refused to appear in court and dropped out of sight with his girlfriend, Beth Webb. They armed themselves with weapons including homemade grenades and left on their mountain bikes.
Stephen was held in contempt for his non-appearance in court. In February, the police found him and Webb and when they tried to arrest them, the couple attacked them. Stephen and Webb were arrested after a one-hour standoff.
Both were initially ruled incompetent to stand trial. On the witness stand, during his competency hearing, Stephen claimed he was a Green Beret and a secret CIA operative tasks with helping protect the United States, and that his mother was a Nazi and Nazis had invaded the country.
Stephen and Webb were ruled competent after getting treatment in a secure psychiatric facility, and ultimately they were convicted of numerous charges, including assault and resisting arrest. They served time in prison, but never offered any information on Victoria's disappearance.
Victoria's case remains unsolved and is still under investigation.
Investigating Agency
- Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office 231-547-4461
Source Information
Updated 4 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated November 2, 2020; details of disappearance updated.
