The Disappearance of Kelly Dwyer

Peter Van Sant (0:00)

The Disappearance of Kelly Dwyer It was somewhat unusual for someone to just vanish out of thin air, especially on the east side of Milwaukee.

Eric Golbranson (0:20)

Kelly Dwyer, she is a young woman that is out trying to discover herself.

Peter Van Sant (0:25)

You see this bright-eyed, smiling, beautiful girl who really seemed to have a lot of life and vitality.

Ryan Hader (0:37)

We got to spend quite a bit of time together in the yoga room. It was rare not to see her, and I had just assumed she was on an adventure of some sort.

Peter Van Sant (0:48)

October 12th, 2013, she did not show up for work.

Her co-workers were absolutely the first to respond. Kelly was very tied to her cell phone, always posting on social media, always texting. When they called Kelly's cell phone, it went straight to voicemail.

Ryan Hader (1:11)

Kelly Dwyer is missing.

Flyers started going out. All of the sudden, in the community, it was boom. Everybody knew that she was missing.

Anne-Marie Green (1:26)

There's a sense of urgency here.

Peter Van Sant (1:28)

Absolute sense of urgency for certain.

SPEAKER_5 (1:30)

Today, authorities and volunteers hunted for clues in her disappearance.

Peter Van Sant (1:35)

I think that people saw those images and realized this could be my daughter, this could be my best friend.

Chanel Royston (1:44)

Kelly Dwyer was an acquaintance of mine. We would meet up at Allium, a local bar, and we would touch face frequently throughout the week.

SPEAKER_7 (1:54)

We learned that she was on a number of websites where one would meet men.

Chanel Royston (1:59)

She was bright, sweet, just kind-hearted, good person.

SPEAKER_8 (2:04)

She was on websites that could expose you to people very quickly that are strangers.

SPEAKER_7 (2:12)

Some of her friends made comments that she might be with one of those people right now. Ms. Dwyer was meeting people that could have put her in harm's way.

Peter Van Sant (2:30)

It's like she vanishes.

Her social media goes dead. Her debit card goes dead. The phone is dead.

Anne-Marie Green (2:42)

Like the rest of Milwaukee, Assistant District Attorney Sarah Hill found Kelly Dwyer's sudden disappearance in 2013 baffling.

Peter Van Sant (2:51)

In an age of an electronic footprint, if you will, it's not there. It's like she just isn't anymore.

Anne-Marie Green (3:02)

The night of October 10th started out like any other for Kelly. She'd been on a date with a man named Chris Sacco.

Peter Van Sant (3:10)

Kelly came to Chris' apartment building. They go to get a few drinks and have a nice night out at a place called Allium, a cute little bar that was kind of across the street from the apartment building.

Chanel Royston (3:25)

I remember her and I having a small conversation of, so what do you have to do tomorrow? And she goes, I actually have off.

Anne-Marie Green (3:32)

Chanel Royston was at the bar that night. Kelly told her what she planned to do the next day.

Chanel Royston (3:38)

I want to wake up in the morning. I want to do yoga.

I want to do laundry and just have an easy day.

Peter Van Sant (3:45)

They picked up a pizza from Ian's, a little pizza place that's like a block away, brought it to the bar.

Chanel Royston (3:51)

We were all sitting outside on this very long communal picnic bench. We were all nibbly on the pizza. You know, they're sharing it with us.

Anne-Marie Green (3:59)

Kelly and Chris decide to call it a night.

Peter Van Sant (4:03)

A little after 2 in the morning, they head back to Mr. Zocco's apartment building across the street.

Anne-Marie Green (4:13)

Kelly and Chris had been dating for about a year after being introduced through a mutual friend. Kelly had moved to Milwaukee in 2008 and gone to college.

Peter Van Sant (4:23)

When we're in our early 20s, that's definitely a time of exploration when you're trying to find your own footing as an adult.

Ryan Hader (4:32)

That's it. Biceps behind the ears, lower your chin. She always greeted me with a hug.

Anne-Marie Green (4:38)

Kelly's journey of self-discovery had led to yoga class and instructor Ryan Hader.

Ryan Hader (4:45)

She was always excited to see me and excited to get her butt kicked in my class. Keep your upper back strong. And her energy was just infectious.

Anne-Marie Green (4:54)

Kelly worked part-time as a nanny and as a salesperson for an athletic apparel store where her tight-knit coworkers were the first to sound the alarm when she missed a shift.

Ryan Hader (5:06)