NJ NJ - Susan Walsh, 36, Nutley, 16 July 1996

Susan Walsh, 36, Missing since July 16, 1996 from Nutley, NJ

Susan Walsh
Missing since July 16, 1996 from Nutley, Essex County, New Jersey
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: February 18, 1960
Age at Time of Disappearance: 36 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'6; 110-120 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Bleached blonde hair; blue eyes. Light complexion. Scar on her right wrist. Talks with a distinct Garden State accent.
Clothing: A gold ring with a black stone.
Medical: Manic-depression. Substance abuse, alcohol and drugs.

Circumstances of Disappearance


Walsh was last seen at her home in Nutley, New Jersey on July 16, 1996.

Walsh had been depressed and had attempted suicide.

She was a journalist, and occasionally worked as a stripper to support herself. Walsh had written a string of freelance stories for the New York weekly. Her most acclaimed article told how the Russian mob forced immigrant women to work in strip clubs. She also worked on her master's degree in writing at New York University.

At the time of her disappearance her life had taken on a downward spiral. She had started drinking after 12 years of sobriety, and was getting sick.

She was off her medicines and became increasingly paranoid, telling friends she was being targeted by stalkers and mobsters. She also worked as an exotic dancer at some skeezy places. Her estranged husband told police that she went to use a pay phone less than a block from their Washington Street apartment in Nutley. According to police there is no record of any outgoing calls made from the pay phones near Walsh's apartment the morning of her disappearance.

Walsh and her son lived on the ground level of a rundown brick tenement in a mostly commercial strip on Washington Street. Her husband lived in a connecting basement apartment below. She left her purse, keys, pager and 11-year-old son behind, and was never seen again.

Foul play is suspected.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Nutley Police Department
Lt. Steven Rogers
973-284-4940

OR

New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit
800-709-7090

NCIC Number: M-945727001

Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
New Jersey State Police
Unsolved Mysteries
The Doe Network: Case File 1578DFNJ


LINK:


http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1578dfnj.html

It has been over 15 years since Susan Walsh, 36, went missing on 16 July 1996, from Nutley, NJ

Susan Walsh, A stripper-turned-investigative reporter is missing and some think the disappearance is tied to the Russian Mafia

Susan Walsh
Gender: Female
DOB: 2/18/60
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 110 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Bleached blonde
Defining Characteristics: Scar on her right wrist
Remarks: Last seen 7/16/96


CASE DETAILS

... On July 16, 1996, Susan Walsh of Nutley, New Jersey, was in a hurry. She dropped off her son, David, with her estranged husband. She said she needed to make some phone calls and run a few errands. But Susan never returned. Police believe Susan Walsh simply chose to disappear. Others fear she may have met an untimely end. Susan grew up in a broken home. By most accounts, it was a bitter childhood. Still, Susan dreamed of being a poet. By the time she turned 20, she was far from her dream. She was, instead, a substance abuser supporting herself as a stripper. Still, she kept her hopes alive, using her dancing tips to pay her way through college. By the time she graduated in 1988, she’d traded stripping for a writing career.

According to Susan’s friend, Melissa Hines, Susan had been sober for over four years when she got married and became a devoted mother.“Susan loved her son very much and she was always there for her son. The two things that meant a lot to her were her son and her career as a journalist.”

... Eventually, she and her husband separated. Her writing jobs didn’t pay enough to support her son. According to journalist James Ridgeway, she went back to stripping, unable to resist the easy money...

... But now, years after she vanished, police believe she was murdered and the case remains open.

Much more, including photos and video clips at link below.

http://www.unsolved.com/ajaxfiles/mis_susan_walsh.htm

I see ID Discovery has a Disappeared show "Dancing Into Darkness" about her tonight 1/16/2012.

http://investigation.discovery.com/videos/disappeared-susan-walshs-disappearing-act.html

I am so glad that Susan's case is back in the spotlight - we had several mutual friends in the early 90s and I remember all of the media when she first went missing. It's a very sad case, she had a great deal of promise as a writer and of course had a son, and many others who loved her.

Saw the ID Disappeared show - in the video they showed of her made days before she went missing did anyone notice the cut on her left wrist?! Since she holds her cigarette in her right hand, I assume she is right handed, and a cut on the left wrist would be consistence with a suicide attempt or if she was just playing with the idea.

This is just my personal opinion (so its pretty much worthless), but I dont think she met foul play. I get the feeling that she just hated her life and wanted to just leave. Whether or not she committed suicide, I do not know that. But it is my opinion that she just walked away to start a new life, one without her family and away from everything she hated.

q64ceo said:

one without her family and away from everything she hated.

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Did you since from any of the interviews that she didn't want her son?

Just saw Susan's story on "Disappeared"...

CircuitGuy said:

Did you since from any of the interviews that she didn't want her son?

Click to expand...

I meant sense...

The ID show made me think the Russian mafia had something to do with it. Even if it was local thugs who fancied themselves part of an international crime organization, they might have acted based on her writings. This was the NYC area, so they could have bothered some bona fide international criminals.

On one hand, I could see her able to disappear b/c she worked in an industry with more under-the-table cash. OTOH, it seems like she was at an age where she would be transitioning from working in the sex trade to managing it or writing about it. Maybe that was what was hard for her. She felt by this point she should be further along, not still doing the front-line work. That doesn't tell us anything, though, because those feelings could have sent her to run away, suicide, or take risks with her safety. Her associates/friends said she was back on drugs and was taking more risks.

Drug use (including alcohol) for many people is harmless fun. A few people, though, seem to have a different reaction. They quickly come to crave the drugs/alcohol and don't even enjoy it. It's not that they enjoy drugs too much. It's more like drugs become like food or water. While their drug levels are low, they experience something like horrible thirst. When they get a good dose of drugs, they experience the normal effects of the drug, which are incompatible with any activity besides hanging out with friends on the weekend.

So my wild guess is she was feeling like she was aging out and should be a manager, owner, writer, or some other job function. She went back to drugs. The drugs for her were not at all fun in the way they are for casual users. She put herself in risky situations b/c of her job situation. She was on drugs in those situations, and couldn't make good decisions. Other people in those situations were also had drug problems. That situation is a tinderbox just waiting for some spark to ignite a fight over drugs, an accident, an overdose etc. One of those killed her, and the people around her hid it. They don't go to the authorities.

As in all cases like this, the family says, "It seems like such a shame this should happen just as she was pulling her life back together.". That's always possible, but it appears sadly she was not pulling her life back together.

I've just uploaded Susan's Disappeared episode on YouTube if anyone wants to watch it.

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edwmd4BS7BA

Definitely one of the most mystifying cases they've ever featured. Susan's Unsolved mysteries episode was also uploaded on YouTube by a user but was deleted.

OldSteve said:

Saw the ID Disappeared show - in the video they showed of her made days before she went missing did anyone notice the cut on her left wrist?! Since she holds her cigarette in her right hand, I assume she is right handed, and a cut on the left wrist would be consistence with a suicide attempt or if she was just playing with the idea.

Click to expand...

I just watched this tonight, and noticed the same thing. Wondering if this same cut/abrasion was followed up with. I also had the same thought that it could have been self-injurious or signs of abuse at the hands of someone else. Wondering if the friend shown in the "Disappeared" episode had followed up with Susan about where it came from. Could mean nothing, but on the other hand, could mean something.

I watched this the other day because of her connection to Al (screw magazine). He passed on a week back and the book was brought up. Anyway, I'm a sex worker and I knew before I read about it that she was on xanax. You can just tell and that's what people were talking about when they said she seemed "off" or disconnected. I know they said she was bipolar. From limited experience, those with bipolar who take benzo's (and drink too) tend to go off the deep end or become very destructive.

She does look like a street walker I know in San Fran (who's name is SUSAN). Does anyone know if she had breast implants. I know it didn't look like it and the Susan I know has implants (with 1 broken and deflated). She's from the east coast, smart and has the time frame matches. The issue is implants.

It's really sad to see this, it really is. I'm Susans age and know exactly how she felt reentering that society or structure because she had to, not because she wanted money.

AstroKitty said:

I watched this the other day because of her connection to Al (screw magazine). He passed on a week back and the book was brought up. Anyway, I'm a sex worker and I knew before I read about it that she was on xanax. You can just tell and that's what people were talking about when they said she seemed "off" or disconnected. I know they said she was bipolar. From limited experience, those with bipolar who take benzo's (and drink too) tend to go off the deep end or become very destructive.

She does look like a street walker I know in San Fran (who's name is SUSAN). Does anyone know if she had breast implants. I know it didn't look like it and the Susan I know has implants (with 1 broken and deflated). She's from the east coast, smart and has the time frame matches. The issue is implants.

It's really sad to see this, it really is. I'm Susans age and know exactly how she felt reentering that society or structure because she had to, not because she wanted money.

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About the streetwalker you know, I do not know if Susan had implants. But Mellisa did state on the show Susan was talking about wanting to start her life new in Florida. I don't know if there's any evidence she went to CA, but i guess it could suggest Susan may have wanted to her life behind and start new somewhere different. Also a prostitute told police Susan stayed with her in Newark new jersey and was working there as a prostitute. But tbh i doubt Susan is still alive, I think when Susan wrote about the Russian mafia and the sex slaves that were supposedly owned and exploited by the Russian mob was an extremely bad move and probably exposed her to some really bad people. And Susan did say she was getting threats and that she was sure there were two different contracts out for her murder because of the piece and her father said she was convinced someone had a hit out on her. But then again if Susan was abusing drugs she could've been just paranoid. But her other projects also may have also placed her in danger too. With Susan going into these bizarre vampire clubs with people who claimed they were "the undead" and claimed they were real blood drinkers, it really seems she was putting herself in some really risky situations and associating with some really strange people. Also with the people talking about the cut on he wrist a friend did notice Susan's wrists bandaged once and said found out she was taking tranquilizers. It makes me wonder if she was indeed self harming or perhaps she let these so called "vampires" extract blood from her.

Murkywaters said:

About the streetwalker you know, I do not know if Susan had implants. But Mellisa did state on the show Susan was talking about wanting to start her life new in Florida. I don't know if there's any evidence she went to CA, but i guess it could suggest Susan may have wanted to her life behind and start new somewhere different. Also a prostitute told police Susan stayed with her in Newark new jersey and was working there as a prostitute. But tbh i doubt Susan is still alive, I think when Susan wrote about the Russian mafia and the sex slaves that were supposedly owned and exploited by the Russian mob was an extremely bad move and probably exposed her to some really bad people. And Susan did say she was getting threats and that she was sure there were two different contracts out for her murder because of the piece and her father said she was convinced someone had a hit out on her. But then again if Susan was abusing drugs she could've been just paranoid. But her other projects also may have also placed her in danger too. With Susan going into these bizarre vampire clubs with people who claimed they were "the undead" and claimed they were real blood drinkers, it really seems she was putting herself in some really risky situations and associating with some really strange people. Also with the people talking about the cut on he wrist a friend did notice Susan's wrists bandaged once and said found out she was taking tranquilizers. It makes me wonder if she was indeed self harming or perhaps she let these so called "vampires" extract blood from her.

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I agree with you somewhat. Let me explain the Russian thing here:
If you look through MSM's you'll find that the Russian outfit has been busted a few times in times square strip clubs. They have been importing women since the 90's. Scores was notorious and still is. Those clubs are ran by a Sicilian outfit. I worked at Scores and NY Dolls for over 6 years in Manhattan and another 5 in Chicago. They moved the girls from NYC to Chicago often. What she discovered was at the start of it all or when no one cared to pay attention. However, the Russian men that brought the women did not run the clubs, they ran "apts" where the girls stayed until a made up debt was paid off.


The vampires.. Okay, there's a doc out there about that scene specifically (and at the same era) on A&E. It's seriously not sinister at all, which is why she didn't get a story from it.

I truly think she's deceased as well and likely a victim of foul play. I could see her making a call to a dealer, getting in a car and something going awry. Then again ... she was 35 not 25 - she had street smarts and common sense. That's why suicide seems more likely than a murder.

Just saw Susan's Disappeared episode.

I think regardless of a person's street smarts or common sense, mental illness and drugs can combine to create a vulnerable victim. The mark on her wrist could have been a sign of a past suicide attempt, or a sign of participation in the vampire subculture...maybe further participation went too far. I think it is strange her husband stopped talking to police. Even if you're estranged, wouldn't you want to help find your son's mother?

I just saw her Disappeared episode and I am not sure what to think. I can understand that she wouldn't leave her son but if she was heavy into drugs (not saying that she was) and it says that she is bi polar she may have felt like he would be better off without her and took off. I have seen so many cases where everyone says that the missing person would never leave their children and then they show up months/years later and that's exactly what they did.

I was surprised that the live in boyfriend wasn't mentioned that much. I saw in the articles above that he took off the same day that she went missing. Seriously? Why wasn't that the biggest red flag for le?

q64ceo said:

This is just my personal opinion (so its pretty much worthless), but I dont think she met foul play. I get the feeling that she just hated her life and wanted to just leave. Whether or not she committed suicide, I do not know that. But it is my opinion that she just walked away to start a new life, one without her family and away from everything she hated.

Click to expand...

I agree with you. I know I am bumping an old thread, but I finally watched the ID episode regarding her case. I also read about the case on the Charley Project. CP has a much dimmer portrait of Susan's life at the time of her disappearance than the Disappeared episode. CP states that she attempted suicide, was bipolar but self-medicating with xanax, was drinking, was paranoid (untreated bipolar), thought people were after her (ditto), and very sad. These are a lot of demons to "cure" alone. She needed consistent professional help.

It is very easy for someone on drugs and with severe mental illness to simply end her life and -- yes -- leave behind a son she loved. People who love their kids commit suicide. They also love their friends and family. When people say that a kid/family member/lover would precludes suicide or intentional vanishing, they clearly do not understand depression and bipolar. These illnesses make you believe that there is no escape from the pain. Add the drugs to the mix, and, sadly, the path is very predictable. Death -- due to suicide, a drug overdose, or becoming easy prey to a predator as you engage in sex work to feed your addictions. Either way - that's pretty suicidal behavior.

https://vimeo.com/96401429 I uploaded Susan's Episode to Vimeo since YouTube has an unhealthy obsession with removing Disappeared episodes.

I also found a radio episode on Susan that aired Feb 28, 1997 that featured Friends of Susan interviewing people at the bars where Susan previously worked, A women that knew Susan, And one in particular apparently spoke very softly and told them not to ask too many questions about what happened to Susan. Also one in particular including a man who believes he knows what happened, he however said he will only talk if they do not use his name and obscure his voice. He says he believes Susan was killed in a ''fatal attraction''. And was talking to a man who has been ''beeping'' her on her pager all the time. Probably the same one that was recorded in the ''stripped'' documentary IMO. I think this is probably one of the most likely scenarios. Susan seemed very naive and too friendly and trusting. If Susan did OD on drugs or commit suicide, why has her body not been found? I've always thought if Susan did overdose or committed suicide she could still be a Jane Doe.

I find it highly unlikely someone living that lifestyle could move about for 18 years and never be contacted by LE , fingerprinted ect ..
It appeared she stepped out with nothing but the clothes on her back and some loose change for the pay phone .
Not really enough information provided to really lean one way or the other . The live in bf that was hardley mentioned looked pretty sketchy and seemed to be one of the last people to see her, along with the ex .
TT

It sounds like she may have been in the grip of mania when she disappeared, just going by the paranoid things she was saying, thinking mobsters were after her, etc. Drugs and alcohol can worsen mania. Maybe she really believed she was being stalked by someone out to kill her and decided to hide out for a while. Then possibly someone harmed her later or she passed of an overdose. If others were with her they may have panicked and disposed of her someplace that she hasn't been found. But having 2 bipolar people in my family and being familiar with some of the paranoid delusions they had, she sounds like she was going through a manic state. Illogical plans would have made sense to her then.