A decades-old missing person case in Connecticut is leading to proposed federal legislation.
Billy Smolinski disappeared from Waterbury nearly two decades ago when he was 31. His family still don’t have the answers as to exactly what happened, but they say they’ve encountered systemic challenges with law enforcement in the search for their missing son.
Now, Help Find the Missing Act or “Billy’s Law” aims to close loopholes in the American missing persons system.
“Billy was a very active kid,” said Billy’s mother, Janice Smolinski.
Janice remembers his bright blue eyes and big heart.
“He was just the normal working class guy who had a really good heart,” she said.
The Smolinskis, who now live in Florida, raised their children in Cheshire. When Billy was 26, he bought a house in Waterbury.
“He worked three jobs, made ends meet and really loved life,” said Janice.
That house on Holly Street was the last place Billy was ever seen. He disappeared on August 24, 2004.
“When a loved one goes missing, your heart just drops out from under your feet,” Smolinski said.
Billy left behind his truck, keys, wallet and beloved dog, Harley.
“We knew right away something was wrong,” said Janice.
In the months and years that followed, the Waterbury Police Department processed the case, which was also escalated to the Connecticut State Police and the FBI.
“We can’t move on without finding answers,” Janice said.
She says the family dedicated their lives to finding Billy but encountered obstacles
“The Smolinskis were harassed twice. First by the disappearance and possible murder of Billy, but then by a system that didn’t allow them to participate in the search,” Senator Chris Murphy said.
The family works with the Democratic US Senator to close loopholes.
Murphy first introduced Billy’s Law in 2009. It failed in Congress, but now he’s reinstating the bipartisan law.
“The fact that we don’t have a centralized database of unidentified remains is really unfortunate,” Murphy said. “Your loved one could be sitting in a morgue across the country and you just don’t know it.”
600,000 people go missing in the United States every year. At the same time, 4,400 unidentified human remains are being recovered, according to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
If passed, Billy’s law will fund a database called NamUs, which stands for National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Billy Smolinski has a page on this site.
It’s a tool available to the public, but it also helps law enforcement, coroners, and coroners match missing persons with unidentified remains.
Billy’s Law would additionally connect NamUs to the FBI NCIC so these two systems could communicate and information be consolidated.
It would require missing adults to be reported to NamUs, grants to be created to support the reporting, and for the DOJ to issue guidelines and best practices to assist in the search for missing persons.
“These are the things that often break cases and sometimes solve cases,” Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said.
Spagnolo supports Billy’s law.
“Anything that allows law enforcement agencies and families to work together cohesively and take over the systems that are already in place, work separately and bring them together, I think is a good thing,” he said.
After Waterbury Police were initially criticized by the Smolinskis for their handling of the case in 2004, the chief says the department has become dedicated to pursuing new leads.
One of the latest developments: a dig on Fort Hill Avenue in Shelton last November
“As a local law enforcement officer who grew up with the Smolinski case in my career, I certainly want to help this family find some closure or at least some answers,” Spagnolo said.
Billy’s 18-year disappearance has prompted the Waterbury Police Department to review its own practices in dealing with missing persons cases. Spagnolo says it even led to some policy changes.
The department now enters missing adults in the national database within 24 hours and treats missing persons cases as homicides
“We took their criticism to heart,” Spagnolo said. “There is no greater drive or desire than that of a loved one to find answers. It’s really important to have their input.”
The Smolinskis now believe Billy was murdered based on what they have learned over the years.
“Families missing a loved one, it’s a rollercoaster ride of not knowing. Your life has changed forever,” said Janice.
If Billy’s law is passed, Janice hopes it could help families find closure or even a different outcome
“Not all of the missing have died,” she said. “There is always hope. And I hope this law can help a missing person come home so their loved ones can hug and hold them again.”
The parents of Gabby Petito, the woman who was killed by her fiancé last year while traveling across the country, are also behind Billy’s law. Her father, Joe Petito, says the bill is “long overdue”.
Anyone with information regarding Billy’s disappearance is asked to contact the Waterbury Police Department at (203) 574-6941 or the FBI’s New Haven Office at (203) 777-6311.
Comments are closed.