The Missing Patricia Jane Wagner

The Missing
Patricia Jane Wagner
Case #: 3981DFNJ (Doe Network)
Hudson County, New Jersey

Patricia Jane Wagner, also known as “Patty” to her loved ones, was a 26 year old mother of two young boys when she went missing on October 20th, 1972. Patty lived in Jersey City, New Jersey in a two-family home with her mother, Marie. She asked her mother to watch her boys so she could go on a coffee date with a man named Dennis. The coffee shop in which the date was to occur, is unknown. When Patricia did not arrive home after her date and did not show up the next morning, her mother began to worry and called police.
Patty’s son Kenny, who was only 5 years old at the time, states he remembers begging his mother not to go out that night. He had a gut feeling that she would not be coming back home. He and his mother made plans to go to McDonald’s the next day, it was their “thing” to do together as a family, and unfortunately that special trip did not end up happening.
At first, the theory was that Patricia had run off to elope with Dennis, but her family insists that she loved her boys very much and would not leave them behind. Patty did not take any of her personal belongings with her when she vanished. Another reason to doubt this theory is that Patricia was a stay-at-home-mom with no income other than occasional housekeeping, so she did not have the money or the resources to run off.
Upon investigating, it turned out that Dennis had also gone missing at the time, he had a paycheck from work that he never picked up. His whereabouts between 1972-2019 remain unknown, however, Dennis was found alive in Florida in 2020. He refuses to speak about Patricia to her family.
Patricia’s cousin, Eileen, has spent her life advocating for Patricia, hoping that one day answers will surface. She runs several Facebook groups, dedicated to finding missing people. I admire her strength and dedication, and I pray for justice and closure for Patricia’s family.

If you have any information about this case, please contact the New Jersey State Police at 609-882-2000.

Sources:
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/55832?nav

https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/cousin-new-jersey-woman-who-vanished-1972-refuses-give-hope-n1243809