CONVICTION OVERTURNED NJ - Timothy Wiltsey, 5, murdered, Sayreville, 25 May 1991 *Released 2021*

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(sources: NY Times online archives, 1991-1996 inclusive; Wikipedia [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Wiltsey[/url] )

On the evening May 25th, 1991, 23 year old single mother Michelle Lodzinski reported to reserve police officers working the carnival in Kennedy Park, located near Sayreville in NJ, that her 5 year son was missing. Lodzinski stated that she had left her son, Timothy Wiltsey, in line for a ride while she purchased a soda. Lodzinski told police that she was seperated from Timothy for only a few minutes, and when she returned to where she had left him Timothy was gone. Police immediately instituted a search, clearing the carnival grounds and calling in dog and scuba units to search the surrounding area. No sign of Timothy could be found. His father, who lived in Iowa, was confirmed to have been in Iowa at the time.
Inconsistencies in Lodzinski's story were quickly discovered. Lodzinski stated she and Timothy had been in Holmdel Park, NJ before arriving at the carnival. However, it was determined that the lot she told police she had parked in was closed that particular day. Also, no one police spoke with could remember seeing her with Timothy at the carnival. Neighbors told news reporters of their own suspicions, due to Lodzinski's seemingly odd behavior. She took no part in searches, nor did she assist with making missing-person flyers. During numerous news interviews, she appeared "perky" and "more worried about her hair" than her missing son.

In October of 1991, a science teacher discovered a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" sneaker in a swampy area of the Raritan Center Industrial Park, near Sayreville. Lodzinski reportedly denied that the shoe was Timothy's; a search of the area uncovered nothing else.

In early April of 1992, Lodzinski resigned from a non-profit group organized to find Timothy. She had wanted to organize a charity baseball game using Chippendale's dancers.

On April 24th, a follow-up search of the swamps in Raritan Center, near where the TMNT sneaker had been found, revealed the skull, skeletal remains and clothing scraps matching those of the missing child. Police later confirmed that they had in fact found Timothy. Questions by news reporters as to why the remains were not discovered at the time the shoe was found went unanswered. The cause of death has never been released, despite numerous requests by local news-gathering entities for the information. One of Lodzinski's former jobs was found to have been located close to Timothy's resting place.

The case continued to grow more bizarre. In late January of 1994, Lodzinski's car was found, running, outside her home by her brother. The next day, she called him from Michigan stating that she had been kidnapped by FBI agents who had thrown her into a black van and driven her to Detroit. Law enforcement and the FBI questioned her about the kidnapping. Lodzinski stated that the agents had repeatedly told her to keep quiet about Timothy's case. The same agents had visited her repeatedly, seeking information about a Bayonne police officer who was harrassing her. (Lodzinski had previously reported this information to local law enforcement; investigation revealed that no such officer was in the employ of the Bayonne PD).
The agents had then dumped her in Detroit. An FBI business card, bearing the name of one of the agents, had been found taped to Lodzinski's front door with the words "SEE YOU SOON its not over" written on it.

The FBI were highly skeptical of Lodzinski's report. Just prior to her "kidnapping", Lodzinski was to have been subpoened for a grand jury inquiry into the activities of a police officer who had been assisting in the search for Timothy. The officer allegedly used a police computer to search for license information at Lodzinski's request.
During their investigation, the FBI discovered that Lodzinski had taken the seal from a business card of one of the agents working Timothy's case and had fake cards made. Lodzinski later recanted the entire story, telling the judge she didnt know why she created the hoax. In March of 1995 she was sentenced to 3 years probation, 6 months house arrest, and told to seek mental treatment.
In December of 1997, Lodzinski pled guilty to the theft of a laptop computer from a former employer. In early 1998, Lodzinski left NJ to live with relatives in Florida.

Timothy's death is listed as an unsolved homicide. Though his mother has long been a suspect, no charges are pending.
 
I think this woman killed her son. So sad.
 
So frustrating that LE have to waste their valuable time when people like this woman make up crazy stories!

I hope this little boy's murder will be solved someday
 
Two decades later, cops still suspect mother in disappearance, death of South Amboy 5-year-old

[snip]

This week will mark the 20-year anniversary of the disappearance of Timothy Wiltsey, a 5-year-old from South Amboy whose remains were found in a marshy area 11 months after he was reported missing. The case haunted the state and the nation, and it confounded authorities who quickly suspected the boy’s mother — Michelle Lodzinski — had played a role in his death.

More: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/two_decades_later_cops_still_s.html
 
A new reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest for the murder of Timothy Wiltsey, the young South Amboy boy who disappeared 20 years ago this week.

In a statement, Kaplan said his office and the Sayreville Police Department "have never given up hope" Timmy’s killer will be brought to justice.

"We are always hopeful that, one day, charges will be filed and justice will be served," Kaplan said.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/officials_offering_new_reward.html#incart_hbx
 
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/n...e-woman-arrested-in-murder-of-5-year-o/ngxC7/

Michelle Lodzinski, 47, was arrested by local authorities on a warrant from Middlesex County, N.J., and charged with the 1991 murder of her 5-year-old son, Timothy Wiltsey. Lodzinski works in Martin County and was taken into custody by deputies from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

The Middlesex County Prosecutors Office conducted a routine cold case review of the evidence and a new investigation was conducted. The case was turned over to a grand jury and warrant was later issued for Lodzinski’s arrest.

Her bond amount in New Jersey was set at $2 million.
 
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I am happy to hear there is finally justice for Tim Wiltsey. From the time they found his Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtle sneaker in the swampy area, it was obvious that he had been murdered. Now, if Jersey would just bring back the death penalty so 'monster' won't die of old age in prison, justice would be complete.

Timothy Wiltsey's mother charged with murder

MIDDLESEX COUNTY – Michelle Lodzinski, mother of Timothy Wiltsey, the 5-year-old boy reported missing from a carnival in 1991, was charged Wednesday with her son's murder.

Lodzinski, formerly of South Amboy, was arrested at about 6 p.m. in Florida and charged with killing her son, whose partial remains were found in 1992, 11 months after he was reported missing from a carnival in 1991, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Sayreville Police Chief John J. Zebrowski.


http://www.app.com/story/news/local...rrested-son-timothy-wiltseys-murder/13705647/
 
I wonder how she treated her other children, and I wonder if they even knew about their older sibling. I wonder if they are shocked at their mother's arrest or if in their hearts they are not surprised at all.

Kudos to you, MadamReporter, for helping keep this little fella's case from gathering dust in a cold case file room.
 
Madam Reporter
Thank you so much for keeping Timmy in your thoughts and writing to Dateline about him. When this happened it was very clear from the get go his mom was responsible and I have always wondered if she would ever face Justice for his murder. You might be the very reason his case was looked at by the cold case unit. Hopefully she will be convicted and never see the outside of a cell again, I only wish 2 things , 1 that we still had the death penalty,2 I could be on the jury !

ETA I should have said 3 things,1. That it never happened !
 
If you read the comments section of any of the news articles that are from NJ publications, every single person is saying: It's about time! What took so long? I knew she was guilty back then!

This case captivated NJ at the time and there was a pervasive feeling that something was not quite right about how Mom was acting. I didn't realize how widespread the sentiment really was until I started reading what other people from Jersey were saying.

I have a feeling that there really is no new evidence. Only a few months ago a new Middlesex County Prosecutor replaced the one that had been serving for years. Something tells me this indictment was the work of a new prosecutor willing to try a circumstantial case that maybe some others didn't want to risk a loss on. I also think it won't get to trial. I think she's going to roll. If you read up on the case, all the other times she was arrested she would initially deny the charge, then when presented with evidence to refute her story she would finally admit the truth. The other times she was questioned by LE about her involvement in Timmy's disappearance/murder she would just get up and walk out when it got too intense. I wonder what she'll do now that she can't just leave whenever she wants. I have a feeling they're going to offer her a deal and she's going to take it.

I really, really want to know if she even remembered that yesterday was his birthday. That would tell me a lot.
 
I can't believe it's been this long!
 
I wonder what new evidence LE has to finally convict this woman?
 

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