http://sfindependent.com/Woman still missing after six weeks
By Alison Soltau | Staff Writer
Published on Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Ann-Marie Lawrence was grieving the recent death of her mother but was determined to forge a new life in San Francisco, training to become a club DJ and preparing to open a massage-therapy business.
Then, in November, she disappeared -- leaving a promising life in limbo and sending heartbroken friends scouring The City for traces of her.
The vivacious 29-year-old was last seen the night of Nov. 22, when a male acquaintance dropped her off at home after a party.
But instead of entering her home on the 2400 block of Fulton Street, Lawrence abruptly turned and ran into Golden Gate Park, the acquaintance told police.
Inspector Pierre Martinez of the police missing-persons unit said witnesses recounted that Lawrence appeared depressed. She was acting oddly at the party -- possibly, they said, because of grief for her mother, who had tragically died of cancer within the past 12 months.
"She had been in a different frame of mind, very quiet and not herself," Martinez said.
"People who know her say she is usually an upbeat, friendly and outgoing person but it appeared during that stage, she had become paranoid about certain things."
Martinez said Lawrence's bank accounts have not been accessed since she disappeared. Police have not ruled out foul play. Dog, bike and foot patrols searched the park but have come up with no clues.
Lawrence's roommate and longtime friend Dan Fitzgerald noticed a few days later that she was missing, and he alerted police and the woman's family in Southern California.
"There are a lot of people who love her very much, who are not only worried but frantically working around the clock to find out that she is OK," Fitzgerald said.
"If anybody can just let us know she is OK and talk to her, that would be great."
Fitzgerald and a group of friends have trawled through The City's club scene, including Lawrence's favorite house-music hangout, Mission district club Liquid, but no one has seen the missing woman.
Some six weeks into the heartrending search they have plastered The City with flyers bearing her picture and have retraced their steps over all her old haunts, such as The World School of Massage and Holistic Healing, where she trained as a therapist, but to no avail.
"It's very tough," Fitzgerald said.
"It's been a long time. You go out and you catch yourself, and think, 'Is there something I could be doing? Have I given up?'
"I haven't given up, but I don't know what I can do right now."
Ann-Marie Lawrence is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds. She has a fair complexion, brown eyes and bleached blonde hair. Police urge anyone with information on her whereabouts to call Inspector Martinez of the missing-persons unit at 558-5508 during business hours or the Operations Center at 553-1071 at any other time.
