19 Investigates: Suspect arrested in cold case disappearance of Cleveland mother Cathy Parisi

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -A big break in a Cleveland cold case, nearly 28 years after a mother of two went missing.

19 Investigates first brought you news of an arrest in Catherine Parisi’s case Tuesday.

Cathy Parisi’s daughters Cecelia and Angelina grew up without a mother.

For years, they have not known where she was and what happened to her.

We spoke with them years ago, as they fought for justice for their mom.

“I can only remember our family broken. So it’s nice to have those pictures of us all together, but I don’t remember any of it,” Angelina Speer said.

“She was funny and intelligent and the life of the party and she was always a good person,” Cecelia Parisi said.

Finally this week, there have been more answers for Cathy’s daughters.

Toledo Police arrested 50-year-old Michael Bukowski in connection with her disappearance.

We spoke to Angelina again.

“The arrest is almost enough comfort, just to know something has happened,” she said.

19 Investigates learned Toledo Police assisted the FBI and Cleveland Police in serving a search warrant with their fugitive apprehension task force at Bukowski’s house Monday.

We found he has no criminal record, according to court records.

Back in April of 1997, Cathy Parisi was just 25 years old with a boyfriend and two kids.

To pay the bills, she worked as an escort.

The day she disappeared, she took a call in Parma, but no one answered the door and she was never seen again.

Cathy’s car was found at a shopping center a day later on the west side of Cleveland on Brookpark Road off I-480.

Her keys and $350 were found inside.

Over the past few years 19 Investigates learned homicide detectives were working her case.

Then April of last year, Michael Bukowski was secretly indicted.

The indictment was unsealed after his arrest this week.

He faces six counts total: murder, involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, abduction, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse.

Angelina told us she believes Bukowski was a client connected with her mom’s work.

According to court documents, Bukowski lived just down the road from where Cathy disappeared.

To this day, Cathy’s body has never been found.

“Mostly out of all this, pray that he confesses so we can have her remains,” Angelina Speer said.

We reached out a possible attorney for Michael Bukowski, but we have not heard back.

We’re told he will be extradited from Toledo to Cuyahoga County jail as soon as a judge signs off.

He’s set to face a judge in Cleveland on February 4.

You can learn more about this case from our podcast episode on Dark Side of the Land, called What Happened to Cathy Parisi?

Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.