NY NY - Laura Smith Williams, 22, Esopus, 25 July 1994

Missing since July 25, 1994 from Esopus, Ulster County, New York
Classification: Endangered Missing


Laura Smith Williams, was last seen at her home in a Connelly Trailer Park located in Esopus, New York on July 25, 1994 by a neighbor. The neighbor stated Williams willingly got into a vehicle parked in front of her trailer around 10 a.m. with 2 unknown white males on the day of her disappearance.

Her residence gave no indication of force or foul play. Williams left behind three children and medication used to control her multiple sclerosis.

At the time of her disappearance, Williams was separated from her husband and the father of her two boys. She was reported missing by her live-in boyfriend and the father of her daughter.

Police believe foul play is likely due to Williams leaving behind her medication, the length of time she has been gone and because she has not turned up in credit card and driver's license databases.

In 2006 a suspect told authorities he was involved in the disappearance of Laura, and the disappearance of Cindy Rowles. He has not been charged in either case.



Doe Network - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1117dfny.html

Charley Project - http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/w/williams_laura.html

NamUs - https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/7079/7/

Same Suspect in Two Different Disappearances

Law Enforcement in New York is looking at a person of interest in the disappearances of two females. The first is Cindy Rowles who at the age of 17 was last seen on August 16th, 1986 in West Hurley, New York. She had been last seen while in a car that had been in parking lot of a restaurant at Route 28 and Maverick Road. The car she was in, had been circling around the parking lot. There has been no trace of the Kingston, New York native since.
In Connelly, New York, on July 5, 1994 Laura Louise Smith Williams was last seen getting in a four door older model white car. The car had two unidentified white males and they were at her residence at the Connelly Trailer Park. It is unlikely that Smith Williams took off voluntarily. The 22 year old suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and had three children. Foul play is suspected in her case.

An unnamed individual has claimed to know where evidence may be in both cases. This person is taken seriously by law enforcement but there is not enough evidence for an arrest.

If you have information about the disappearance of Cindy Rowles, please call the Kingston Police Department at 914-331-8404. For the case of Laura Louise Smith Williams call the Ulster County Sheriff's Department at 914-338-3640.

For more information about the Laura Smith Williams case visit the The Charley Project Page for Laura Smith Williams.

For Cindy Rowles visit the Charley Project Page for Cindy Rowles

Today marks 24 years since Laura Smith Williams disappeared.

Similar M.O, pretty short distance between the two disappearances, it's obvious these cases are connected.

Laura Louise Smith Williams

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Williams, circa 1994

• Missing Since 07/25/1994
• Missing From Connelly, New York
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Date of Birth 04/17/1972 (46)
• Age 22 years old
• Height and Weight 5'3, 130 - 145 pounds
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• Clothing/Jewelry Description A light-colored summer shirt and blue jean shorts. Carrying a beige duffel or tote bag with two handles.
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• Medical Conditions Williams has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She requires medication for her condition. She has trouble walking.
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• Distinguishing Characteristics
• Caucasian female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Williams's hair was straight at the time of her disappearance.
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• She has a tattoo of the name "John" on her upper right arm.
• She also has a tattoo on her right leg above her knee of two hearts, which appears to be two rings.
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• Williams has two scars on her stomach.
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• She may use the aliases Laura Louise Smith, Laura Cogswell and/or Laura L. Williams. Her nickname is Lori (alternatively spelled "Laurie").

Details of Disappearance
Williams's neighbor saw her enter an older model white four-door vehicle with two unidentified Caucasian men on July 25, 1994 outside of her Connelly, New York residence in the Connelly Trailer Park. She has never been heard from again. Her boyfriend reported her missing when he returned home from work and discovered she was gone. There was no sign of a struggle inside Williams's home.

Williams left behind three children when she vanished. She also left her multiple sclerosis medication. She has not used her credit cards or renewed her driver's license since her disappearance. At the time she went missing, Williams was separated from her husband, who is the father of her two older children, and was living with her boyfriend, who is the father of her youngest child.

Foul play is suspected in Williams's disappearance. Investigators have a suspect in her disappearance, a man with a history of mental illness who told police he was involved in Williams case and in the disappearance of Cindy Rowles, who disappeared from Kingston, New York in 1986. He told authorities where they should look to find evidence in both cases.

Police consider the man's statements to be credible, but he has not been charged in connection with either case due a lack of evidence to support his statement. Both disappearances remain unsolved.

Laura Louise (Smith) Williams drove off with two men from in front of her mobile home in this town of Esopus hamlet on July 25, 1994. She hasn't been seen since.


Though 25 years have passed since Williams' disappearance, the Ulster County Sheriff's Office says the case remains open. Authorities have said in the past, though, that it's unlikely she is alive.

Williams was 22 years old and had multiple sclerosis when she vanished, leaving behind three children and the medication she needed to control her condition, the Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post about the cold case.


At the time of her disappearance, Williams was separated from Vernon Williams, her husband and the father of her two boys. She was reported missing by Frank Coswell, her live-in boyfriend and the father of her daughter.

A neighbor told authorities she saw Williams about 10 a.m. on the day of the disappearance, leaving with two men in an older-model white four-door vehicle that had been parked front of her home at a trailer park in Connelly.

COLD CASE: Connelly woman vanished 25 years ago this week

Bumping for Laura - it's now been over 27 years.