Overview of Kathy Nicastro Luongo
Kathy Nicastro Luongo was 28 years old when she was murdered.
She had been married for two years and had a young son who was barely 2 years old. Kathy was energetic, healthy, outgoing, and a talented seamstress. Her friends say she was an incredible mother and that she loved her son very much.
The day Kathy vanished seemed to be a normal day.
She usually spent her time doting on her son, volunteering at Weight Watchers, and regularly tanning at Tan Tasia. At 5 pm on May 18, 1984, Kathy went to the gym at Holiday Health in the Warwick Mall then to dinner with two friends at September's. These friends reported that Kathy was her normal self. She had a grilled cheese sandwich, and no alcohol was consumed. After dinner, at around 8:30 pm, she arrived at her home in Warwick.
Kathy’s husband David reported to police that she wanted him to go back out with her, but he didn’t want to. David had previously refused counseling, and Kathy was ultimately considering divorce. A fight ensued, in which she took off her wedding rings, and Kathy left the couple's home on Hamilton Avenue in her car without telling her husband where she was going.
Saturday morning, May 19, 1984, Kathy missed an early appointment at the tanning salon as well as a speaking engagement for Weight Watchers in the Governor Francis Plaza. Her blue 1976 Toyota Celica hatchback, with “LUONGO” Rhode Island vanity plates, was seen three times that day, including around 6 pm on Post Road near City Hall. Witnesses described the driver as a large man.
At 12:22 pm on Sunday, May 20, 1984, Kathy was found dead in her car parked near a baseball field, behind City Hall, next to the Warwick Fire Department, with her keys inside of the car and the doors locked. Her body was found in the back seat, laid down, with her head behind the driver’s seat and the car keys on the floor. Her death was initially considered an overdose, but an autopsy later determined that Kathy died from manual strangulation.
Where the case stands today.
Kathy’s husband, David, was the primary suspect. A grand jury was called for subpoena purposes, but not enough evidence ever surfaced to make an arrest. There was some new investigation in 1998 when a lead arose in regards to a former next-door neighbor. DNA was taken from this suspect, but results were reported as inconclusive and no arrests were made. Otherwise, no investigation has taken place in the 24 intervening years. The case is still open and is receiving more attention thanks to deceased advocates and friends looking into the case. You can learn more about the case via the following Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kathynicastroluongo/
