FENTON (WJRT) — (02/06/10) — It has been nearly a year since a Fenton woman vanished from her apartment.

Police still don’t have any solid leads, but her family still hopes for her safe return.

Randa Jawhari was last seen a year ago next week in her Fenton apartment on Shiawassee Avenue.

Her family is now desperate for closure.

It’s said losing a child is a parent’s worst nightmare. For Anisse Jawhari, not knowing the whereabouts of her daughter is even worse. “If she is dead, I want to know. If she is alive, I want to know.”

Forty-three-year-old Randa Jawhari disappeared last February. Since then, birthdays and holidays have come and gone, but the Jawhari family remains stranded in time.

‘It’s like the world keeps living, but we have stopped on that day. Until we know what happened to my sister, we can’t go on,” Jawhari’s sister Rocky said.

A sketch of a so-called person of interest was released several months ago, but it hasn’t brought police any new leads.

The family set up a Facebook page in Randa’s honor. On it are messages of hope, prayers of support and pleas for help to find her. “I feel like we can let our emotions out we can talk to her, or talk to whoever knows anything,” said Rocky.

There is a billboard along U.S. 23 and posters still hang on business windows throughout the community that is also looking for answers. “It almost comes up almost every day in conversation. Any news, ya know? Have they heard anything? There are no clues, so that makes it doubly agonizing,” business owner Elizabeth Dickens said.

Brother Sam Jawhari says the family needs to know the fate of their loved one. “You can deal with anything when you know someone passed. You deal with it, but it just eats you alive. Is someone holding her hostage? Is she dead on the side of the road? All these things keep playing in your mind.”

Fenton police ask anyone with information to come forward.

Anisse Jawhari (center, front), the mother of Randa Jawhari, is surrounded by three of her daughters and her daughter-in-law.

This story is from Tri-County Times:

“Where are you, Randa?”

By Sharon Stone

Fenton — It’s been 287 days and there is still no sign of Randa Jawhari, a Fenton woman who vanished without a trace, sometime during the very late night hours of Tuesday, Feb. 10 and early morning hours of Wednesday, Feb. 11.

As families across the country are getting together for Thanksgiving dinners, the Jawhari family must cope with the fact that one chair at the dining room table will be empty.

Randa, 43, was reported missing Feb. 11 after her mother, Anisse Jawhari went to her Shiawassee Avenue apartment and found the apartment  empty. Randa had lived there for about five months. She kept in touch with her large family constantly by using her apartment phone.

Bracing herself for the upcoming holidays, Randa’s mother knows they will be difficult. “Anytime I’m by myself, I cry for Randa.

“I say, where are you, Randa?” Anisse said as she glanced at photos of Randa, on display in her Fenton home.

Anisse and her husband David will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner at their home and will be serving traditional family favorites, dating back to their Lebanese heritage. Anisse and David, and seven of their children were born in Lebanon.

After the elder Jawharis married, they came over to the United States to be with relatives in Ohio. They brought three of their children with them, and sent for the other four 10 months later after they settled in. Their youngest daughter, Diana, was the only child born in the United States.

After a visit to an uncle in Holly, the Jawharis moved from the Parma, Ohio area to Fenton and have lived in town ever since. The Jawharis own Beirut Restaurant in Linden.

Some of the Jawhari favorites include Chicken Hashwe, adorned with rice and nuts. Homemade hummus, baked eggplant, Fatoush salad and homemade dressings are also expected to bring some comfort to the large, family get together. For dessert, Anisse said Baklava, a big one, will be served, along with some fruit salad.

Anisse said she contemplated canceling Thanksgiving dinner, however, her son, Sam insisted everyone get together for the sake of the children. As the prayer is said, Anisse said the entire family will pray for Randa’s return.

Coping with so many unknowns has taken a toll on the family. Anisse does not understand why her daughter does not show up on the surveillance video that monitors the apartment complex parking lot. She does not know why Randa left a coat, her ID and her cigarettes behind.

“If she was alive, she’d think about her daughter and call,” said Anisse. “She was beautiful, smart.

“You don’t want anyone to take your daughter’s life.

“If she’s dead, I want to know what happened.”

Recent news reports out of Cleveland, Ohio put the Jawhari family on edge. The Jawharis listened intently as they learned that a former U.S. Marine, Anthony Sowell, has been with charged with murder, rape and kidnapping after police recovered the bodies of 11 women, from his Cleveland residence.

Det. Ron Skarzynski of the Fenton Police Department has been in contact with detectives in Cleveland, however, there were no signs of Randa’s body being found. The detective said he reads every news report and makes contact to inquire about the cases.

If Randa is dead and it was due to an accident, Anisse said, “We’d forgive them.”

Frustrated that police have been unable to solve the mystery, Anisse said Randa’s twin sister, Ghada, who lives in Ohio, has been in talks with a detective to see if the family can get the detective to do some investigative work for them.

Despite these trying times, Anisse said she is thankful for many things. The mother of eight said she is most thankful for everyone’s prayers and the opportunity to stay very busy with the Farmer’s Market.

Skarzynski said on Monday that police are continuing to do everything they can. “We are looking for any information and using all available resources,” he said.

The detective would very much like to identify, and question, the unknown black male in the composite sketch that was done by a Michigan State Police forensic artist. Skarzynski has also been in contact with several agencies in the Flint area that Randa frequented. Fliers about her case have been posted at numerous locations, from Flint to Fenton.

No leads in the case has the detective frustrated. Since police cannot prove a crime has been committed, police cannot identify any possible suspects. Skarzynski said a male neighbor with whom Randa sometimes associated with, has been questioned, however, questioning, a search of his apartment and two searches of the lake he fished at the night of Feb. 10 revealed nothing. This individual, who has since obtained legal counsel because of his past criminal record, was advised against taking a polygraph examination.

Skarzynski confirmed that the garbage dumpster at Randa’s apartment complex was emptied the morning she went missing. He said he spoke directly with the garbage truck driver, who drove his truck to Venice Park landfill in Venice Township.

“They saw absolutely nothing,” he said. He added that employees of the landfill and the truck drivers watch as their trucks are unloaded and nothing unusual was observed.

If anyone remembers seeing anything the night of Feb. 10 or morning of Feb. 11, or has information about the unknown man in the composite sketch, they are asked to call Skarzynski at (810) 629-5311.

What we do know…

• Randa Jawhari, 43, lived alone in a small apartment at 3464 Shiawassee Avenue, ¼ mile east of U.S. 23.
• She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She was physically and mentally ill at the time of her disappearance.
• A Fenton police officer responded to a fast-food restaurant on Tuesday, Feb. 10 on Owen Road to investigate a complaint of a woman, later identified as Randa, asking customers for money. The officer drove Randa back to her apartment.
• Randa’s sister, Fadia Jawhari, was the last family member to speak to her by phone, at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
• Randa was a chain smoker. Her cigarettes were found in her apartment on the table next to her favorite chair.
• Randa was afraid of the dark and tended to be cold all of the time.
• Randa’s apartment showed no signs of foul play. The first-floor apartment faced U.S. 23.
• A Your Ride driver arrived at Randa’s apartment at 8 a.m. for a scheduled pick-up. The driver left when Randa did not answer her door.
• Her mother, Anisse Jawhari, called Randa several times, beginning at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, but Randa did not answer the phone. Anisse stopped by Randa’s apartment at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11 and found it empty.
• A blue bathrobe and a brown coat were the only articles of clothing noticed missing. There were no signs of foul play.
• The front door was unlocked and open.
• Randa has a 7-year-old daughter, Mattilyn, whom Anisse cares for.
• Anisse had obtained guardianship over Randa to ensure that she took her medication. Randa did not believe she was as ill as she really was.
• A search of Randa’s apartment did not provide any clues as to her whereabouts. All neighbors living at the complex at the time of the disappearance, and the landlord have been questioned.
• A garbage dumpster at the apartment complex was emptied that morning. Det. Ron Skarzynski contacted the landfill in Venice Township with negative results.
• A video surveillance camera, triggered by a motion-detecting light, did not show Randa in the parking lot during the night or early morning.
• Randa was seen visiting a dental office in Flint, with an unknown black male. Police have obtained a sketch of this individual and are still seeking his identification.
• The Jawharis have several relatives in the Cleveland and Parma area of Ohio. Randa previously lived and did some modeling while living in Miami and Hawaii.
• Police have entered Randa’s case into every available missing person database. At this time, Randa’s disappearance remains a “missing person” case, since police have so far been unable to prove that any crime has occurred.

Randa”s birthday is coming up on June 2. I hope you will join my family and I in honoring Randa on Saturday, June 6th, 2009 with a prayer vigil.

The Mill Pond Park Gazebo is located in Fenton next to City Hall:

301 S. Leroy St.
Fenton, Mi. 48430
(810) 629-2251

Please come and support my family and I at 7:00 pm. We will love to meet each of you. May you all be blessed with the peace of God!!!

~ Naheda Jawhari

by Eric Fish | Fenton Press

Saturday May 30, 2009, 2:01 AM

FENTON, Michigan – Almost four months have passed since Randa Jawhari disappeared from her Shiawassee Avenue apartment. Police detective work, a $6,000 reward, a highway billboard and social networking Web sites have turned up little information in attempts to locate her.

But the Jawhari family isn’t giving up on the search.

Last week, the family went from business to business in Fenton, reposting fliers detailing what they know about the woman’s disappearance. The family also has started a benefit fund and will host a vigil June 6 in downtown Fenton. Tuesday marks Randa Jawhari’s 43rd birthday.

“Hopefully, this will bring back an awareness that she’s still missing,” said her sister, Naheda Jawhari. “We had heard rumors that people thought she had been found.”

Randa Jawhari, described as 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 100 pounds, went missing from her apartment Feb. 11. There were no signs of foul play, and police leads have come up empty.

“There’s no more new leads,” Naheda Jawhari said. “(The police are) doing what they can, but they’re waiting for someone to basically say, ‘There she is.’ They’re not getting the information that they need to find her.”

The Jawhari family has set up the Randa Jawhari benefit account at The State Bank and will accept donations from community members. Naheda Jawhari said funds from the account will be used to further the search.

“It’s kind of difficult, especially with the way the economy is, to ask for anything like that,” she said. “We’re to the point where we have no choice.”

The June 6 prayer vigil will begin at 7 p.m. at the Fenton Millpond on South Leroy Street next to City Hall. Naheda Jawhari said the downtown area was always one of her sister’s favorite spots. The community is welcome to attend.

“It’s a park that Randa always enjoyed going to,” Jawhari said. “We just thought it would be appropriate to honor my sister with a prayer vigil.”

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Randa Jawhari should call the Fenton Police Department at (810) 629-5311.

The Jawhari family has put a hold on asking for financial help for as long as they could. This is so difficult, especially now with the economy the way it is. They have opened the “Randa Jawhari Benefit Fund” at The State Bank. All proceeds will help the Jawhari family to further help in the search of Randa. You can mail a check or money order to:

The State Bank
Attn: Mail Teller
PO Box 725
Fenton, Mi. 48430-0725

(810) 714-3914
(810) 629-3892

You may also make a deposit at any State Bank location.

The Jawhari family thanks you for your continued support, they appreciate all of you that have helped in Randa’s search, brought food, given them a shoulder to lean on and continue to pray for their family. May God’s blessings be upon you. May the peace of God rest upon you and your loved ones.

Fenton police Detective Ron Skarzynski said the man accompanied Jawhari on about five visits to a dentist’s office at Court Street and Dort Highway in October and November.

Jawhari was having a partial bridge made and a receptionist there told police the man seemed very impatient during the appointments.

The man was constantly asking how long Jawhari would be, said Skarzynski.

The dental receptionist recently met with a state police sketch artist and described the man with Jawhari as clean cut and 30 to 35. He was seen wearing a long, black leather jacket and silver chains around his neck.

Police want to talk with him to see if he has heard from her since she went missing.

Police have labeled the man a “person of interest” and said the investigation has not led them to suspect foul play in the disappearance.

March 26, 2009: Flint Journal: Billboard to seek information on missing Fenton woman Randa Jawhari

March 13, 2009: Fenton Press: Reward increases, search continues for missing Fenton woman Randa Jawhari

March 11, 2009: ABC12: Family hopes for safe return of Fenton woman (contains video)

March 6, 2009: NBC25: Missing Fenton woman’s family wants answers (contains video)

Randa (pron. Ron-da) Jawhari has been missing since the evening of Tuesday, February 10, 2009. That night her mother was with her and helped her lay out her clothes for the next day. The last time anybody had any contact with her was around 11:30 p.m., when she was at her apartment on the 3000 block of Shiawasee Avenue in Fenton, Michigan. Though she is a heavy smoker, her cigarettes were left in tact at her place, and the only things missing from her apartment were a blue bathrobe and a brown jacket with white wool sleeves and a collar. The clothes that had been laid out had not been touched.

Randa is 42 years old, 5′1″ tall, approximately 100 lbs with curly brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a beautiful smile. She has bipolar disorder but had been on her medication and stable. She has family in Michigan and in Ohio. Randa is a mother, sister and daughter. Please help us find her.

Media inquiries can be directed to info@findranda.org.

Please join the “Randa Jawhari is Missing” Facebook group!