Death of Man Missing Since '73 Under Investigation

Authorities are investigating the death of a man who was reported missing to Bridgewater police almost 40 years ago.

A DNA match was made by a Texas university identifying skeletal remains found in 1984 as Joseph Dziowgo, a resident of Drake Street in Bound Brook at the time of he went missing, according to Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano.

The Bridgewater Police Department received a report that Dziowgo was missing on May 10, 1973 when he was residing in Bound Brook with his wife and daughter, according to Soriano.

Soriano said that in May of 2010 his office informed the family about a DNA initiative through the University of North Texas and subsequently obtained a DNA sample from each family member. In September of that year, Soriano said that investigators with the New York State Police submitted skeletal remains of a "John Doe" to the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner in an attempt to generate a DNA profile of remains found in August of 1984 in Wawarsing, N.Y.

Detectives were informed in May of 2011 that the family DNA samples matched those from the remains found in New York, Soriano said.

Soriano said that investigators from both agencies have been actively working on the case since the match, and thus far have been able to determine Dziowgo was last seen near the third week of May in 1973 when he was staying with a male known as "Bear" at a rental bungalow behind the former Alibi Bar on Route 28 in Branchburg.

Investigators are not releasing the cause and manner of death in order to jeopardize the ongoing investigation, Soriano said. 

Authorities are asking anyone with information pertaining to the incident to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Squad at 908-231-710;, the New York State Police Troop “F” Ellenville Barracks at 845-626-2800; or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE.” All calls are confidential, Soriano said.

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