More than 30 years on, hope endures in Tammy Zywicki’s unsolved murder

More than three decades have passed since the disappearance and death of Tammy Jo Zywicki, an Iowa college student, last seen after her car broke down on Interstate 80 near La Salle. Her case remains unsolved.

But Tammy’s friends, family and community have never stopped advocating on her behalf with the hopes of discovering renewed direction in her case, and authorities are actively working on the case using technological advancements.

Last year, Todd Zywicki, Tammy’s oldest brother, said the Illinois State Police and the FBI were able to recover some amount of DNA that they thought was previously unusable.

“We’re very happy, very gratified that they are continuing to work on the case,” he said. “It’s gone through a couple of generations of investigators now. … and there still remains optimism and hope that from the DNA evidence they’ve been able to collect, that they’ll be able to find a lead.”

The Illinois State Police and FBI responded to a request for comment on the case and DNA evidence, saying they were unable to comment on the specifics of an ongoing investigation, but the case remains an active investigation and special agents follow up on new leads as they come in.

“We will continue to aggressively investigate this case along with the Illinois State Police, who is the lead investigative body, until a positive resolution is reached,” the FBI said.

Tammy Zywicki, who grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, was killed sometime between Aug. 23, and Aug. 24 1992, after dropping off her brother in Evanston and heading to Grinnell, Iowa, for college.

Nine days later, her body was found along Interstate 44 in rural Lawrence County, Missouri, between Springfield and Joplin. She had been stabbed to death.

Some of her personal belongings were never recovered, according to the FBI website, including a Cannon 35 mm camera and a Lorus-brand wristwatch. The watch had a green umbrella on its face and a green band that played the tune “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.”

Police said a tractor-trailer and its driver were spotted near Zywicki’s car between 3:10 and 4 p.m. Aug. 23. The driver of the tractor-trailer was described as a white man with dark and bushy hair who was between 35 and 40 years old and more than 6 feet tall.

However, recent investigations, such as the Paper Ghosts podcast, have said that a person of authority may have abducted Tammy, someone she may have trusted and willingly gotten into the car with if they stopped to help.

Years passed without any new leads until May 2020, when authorities in Iowa apprehended a long-haul trucker who had been implicated in the murder of three women in the 1990s and might be responsible for other homicides.

According to a Shaw Local News article from March 2021, Illinois State Police released the following statement: “At this time, [he] does not appear to have been involved with the murder of Tammy Zywicki, who was abducted and murdered by an unknown assailant after experiencing vehicle troubles alongside I-80 near La Salle, Illinois, in August 1992.”

Dean Zywicki, another older brother of Tammy, said that the case is probably more in the hands of a DNA match because the FBI is continuing to look at samples.

For the public, however, it’s about keeping an eye out for her camera, watch or soccer patch.

“They’re out there,” he said. “If somebody comes across it from, you know, a family member, or somebody that’s passed away, you see these things, it will add another piece to the puzzle of who might have done this. That’s the really big thing at this point.”

Both Dean and Todd said the support the family has received over the years has been amazing, from the memorial soccer games to the memorial rides.

“It’s one of those things that’s remarkable how the story just stays alive,” Todd said. “Over time, different generations have taken to this story… It’s really gratifying and touching for all of us in the family to see how many people, how many people are moved by her story and legacy.”

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification of the individual or individuals responsible.

Anyone with information about the Zywicki investigation is asked to call the Illinois State Police’s Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 3 at 815-726-6377 or Isp.crimetips@illinois.gov the FBI Chicago Field Division at 312-421-6700 and tips.fbi.gov. Tips can remain anonymous.