Hunt in N.J. park 200 join search for missing woman
Nearly 200 people descended on a park in New Jersey on Wednesday in search of Stephanie Parze, who went missing last month.
Authorities have been scouring locations around northern New Jersey and Staten Island for clues to her disappearance, and friends and family have posted dozens of missing posters throughout Monmouth County, N.J.
Parze’s father led Wednesday’s effort at Michael J. Tighe Park in Freehold.
“You want to find something, but you don’t want to find something,” Edward Parze told the media during the search, according to the Asbury Park Press.
“We’re doing everything we can,” he added, tears welling in his eyes as he wore a T-shirt with his daughter’s face on it. The 25-year-old (inset) vanished Oct. 30.
The search included some 175 people, which included mostly volunteers as well as some law enforcement personnel.
Searchers plan to return to the location Thursday. The park includes about 5 miles of ballparks and wooded areas.
The New Jersey woman was last seen after a night out with family to visit a psychic. She posted to Snapchat as she returned home, but the next morning didn’t show up for work.
Her family went to her home and found her car parked outside, but Parze was missing.
Search efforts have included a joint effort by the NYPD and New Jersey police at Long Pond Park on Staten Island.
Cops have looked into an ex-boyfriend, John Ozbilgen. Prosecutors said he sent several angry texts to Parze the night before she vanished.
Ozbilgen was busted this month on unrelated child pornography charges, but no other charges have been filed.
Parze was last seen wearing jeans, a burgundy V-neck shirt and burgundy sweater, authorities said. She is 4-feet-11 with brown hair and brown eyes.