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, has left her friends and family searching for answers after more than 30 years.
Zywicki, who grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, was killed Aug. 23, 1992, after dropping her brother off in Evanston and heading to Grinnell, Iowa, for college.
Zywicki’s family and friends have made it their mission to keep her case in the spotlight, teaming with the Facebook group “Who Killed Tammy Zywicki?” to organize a motorcycle ride in Zywicki’s memory in August or September for the past few years.
For the first time in 2023, her former high school soccer team came together for the Tammy Zywicki Memorial Game, marking 30 years since her disappearance and death. They will play another memorial game at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, April 25.
Eastside High School Head Varsity Girls Soccer Coach David Craig said the purpose of the memorial game is remembrance and, hopefully, closure.
“The Zywicki family has endured this for so long and I cannot imagine the heartache they feel on a daily basis,” he said. “While time tends to assist, Tammy’s life still has meaning for the family and we just want to help keep this fight alive.”
Zywicki graduated from Eastside High School in Taylors, South Carolina, where she not only played on the girls’ soccer team but also played a critical role in its formation. She grew up playing with her three brothers, so soccer was an important aspect of her life.
The team will wear patches on the armband of their jerseys with her name and her number 15.
Zywicki was seen last on the afternoon of Aug. 23, 1992, according to the Illinois State Police website.
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 Canon 35 mm camera and a Lorus-brand wristwatch. The watch had a green umbrella on its face and a green band and played the tune “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.”
In 2024, Shaw Local News Network sent a Freedom of Information Act request to state police, requesting the information they shared with the Philadelphia-based Vidocq Society, a pro bono service that provides assistance to the law enforcement community in solving cold case homicides.
State police responded with the following: “ISP is still actively investigating pending lab results in this case from the FBI, ISP and private labs. Additional investigative tasks may be conducted as a result of the pending lab results. Releasing the information at this time could compromise the investigation. ISP continues to analyze evidence and prepare reports.”
According to the FBI website, 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 older and more than 6 feet tall.
Anyone with information about the Zywicki investigation is asked to call the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 3 at 815-726-6377. Callers can remain anonymous.
Those interested in watching the game can tune in at nfhsnetwork.com.