For years, Michael Bukowski led a life that appeared to be that of a reliable family man.
Living in Toledo and caring for his three daughters, he kept a low profile, hiding the dark secrets of his past from everyone closest to him.
But last month, those secrets were uncovered when he was arrested in connection with a cold case murder that had haunted Cleveland for nearly three decades.
Catherine Parisi’s Mysterious Disappearance in 1997
Catherine “Cathy” Parisi, a 25-year-old mother of two, vanished without a trace in 1997.
Parisi, who had been working as an escort to support her family, took a call in April of that year, which would turn out to be her final one.
After arriving at an address in Parma, she was never seen again.
The following day, her car was found abandoned at a shopping center near Brookpark Road in Cleveland, but there were no signs of Cathy.
Inside the car, her keys and $350 in cash were discovered, but no trace of Cathy herself.
The Breakthrough in the Case
It wasn’t until January 2025 that the case saw a breakthrough.
After a collaborative effort between Toledo Police, the FBI, and Cleveland’s fugitive task force, Michael Bukowski, now 50, was arrested in Toledo in connection with Parisi’s disappearance.
Court documents show that Bukowski, who prosecutors claim has an “extreme anger problem,” lived just a short distance from where Parisi was last seen.
Although he had been secretly indicted in April 2024, the indictment was only unsealed after his arrest.
Defense attorney Terry Gilbert argued that Bukowski was a “reliable family man” with no adult criminal record, aside from traffic violations.
Gilbert stressed that Bukowski shouldn’t be judged for his past actions as a juvenile, claiming he had turned his life around.
Bukowski’s Dark Past Unveiled
However, Bukowski’s past is far from clean.
As a teenager, he brutally attacked a 14-year-old girl who had accused him of rape, trying to silence her.
Bukowski, who was supposed to be under home confinement for a series of robberies, broke into the girl’s house armed with a hammer and nearly killed her in a vicious assault.
The attack left the girl with severe fractures, including to her skull and jaw, and she was only able to survive due to medical intervention.
Prosecutors revealed that Bukowski confessed to the attack, admitting that he intended to intimidate the girl to drop the rape case.
Now, he faces multiple charges related to Parisi’s disappearance, including murder, involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, abduction, tampering with evidence, and gross abuse of a corpse.
The Impact on Parisi’s Family
For Cathy Parisi’s family, the arrest provided some comfort, though there’s still no closure.
Parisi’s daughter, Angelina Speer, spoke out after the arrest, saying that while the arrest was a step forward, what they truly needed was for Bukowski to confess so they could finally bring their mother’s remains home.
She also expressed the years of pain and heartbreak that came from not knowing what happened to Cathy.
Angelina’s sister, Cecelia Parisi, remembered their mother fondly, describing her as funny, intelligent, and always the life of the party.
Despite the passage of time, the family’s search for answers and justice for Cathy has never wavered.
The Next Steps in the Investigation
Bukowski, now in Cuyahoga County jail, awaits extradition from Toledo.
He has been ordered to provide a DNA sample, and investigators have searched his home as part of the ongoing investigation into Cathy Parisi’s disappearance.
Bukowski has been barred from contacting the Parisi family or any witnesses related to the case.
Though questions remain about his exact connection to Parisi, investigators are working to uncover more about his potential role in her tragic fate.
The arrest has brought some measure of justice, but for the Parisi family, the fight for closure is far from over.