The last anyone saw of Stanley Kotowski, 60, the Massachusetts man was walking away, without shoes on, from a vacation rental home at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island. “He just walked out the door,” his wife, Jackie Kotowski, said shortly after he vanished.
It was an unusual sight for a man his age, but if anyone thought so, nobody voiced concerns. At least not until authorities found him dead a short distance from the rental home ten days later.
Facts About the Days Leading Up to the Disappearance of Stanley Kotowski
The wife of the late Stanley Kotowski, Jackie, spoke with WJCL before his body was found. She confessed he had been struggling with insomnia for about a month and that his anxiety “kept getting worse and worse and worse.”
“He started to get a little paranoid,” she recalled. Before his disappearance, Jackie informed authorities that Kotowski had some concerns about the Sea Pines Resort, where they were staying. She said he thought it was “a setup.”
He had genuinely believed there were people there “out to get him.” In a police report, Jackie also said that Kotowski made claims about people “watching him” and that before he left, he told her, “Promise me you will go on without me.” Stanley Kotowski disappeared on Friday, August 16, around 10:30 a.m. local time, according to authorities.
He reportedly left without his phone or wallet, and an image from Ring doorbell footage, shared by the BCSO, showed that he was also barefoot upon his exit.
How Stanley Kotowski’s Son Zak Described Him
While Stanley Kotowski was still missing, his son Zak told the media some things about him. Zak described Kotowski as an “athletic” and “strong person who “even in a delirious state…could get a few towns over.”
After the man went missing, a multi-day search for him commenced. Crews were brought and utilized with multiple resources, including “K9s, helicopters, drones, boats, and foot patrol” in the search for him.
People also pitched in to help by creating a Facebook page dedicated to Hilton Head Island. Jackie frequently updated the page with information about the search while members of the group actively shared information with each other.
Some data they shared included tips, missing posters, contact information for authorities, and more as they raced against time to find Kotowski. Unfortunately, all their efforts were in vain because Stanley Kotowski had passed away by the time authorities located him.
Stanley Kotowski Was Found Dead in a Small Crawl Space
Kotowski was found dead on Monday, August 26, in a small crawl space underneath two townhomes at the Sea Pines resort. The announcement was made by Sheriff P.J. Tanner at a press conference on Tuesday, August 27.
A security officer located the body at the resort while searching the villas. He had noticed a foul odor and flies near one of the buildings, which prompted him to contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
They found the foul smell was coming from Kotowski’s body, which was resting 150 to 200 yards from where he was last seen on video. Authorities believe Kotowski lost his life on the same day he disappeared, and according to Beaufort County Coroner David Ott, after conducting an autopsy, it was determined that he died by suicide.
The cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging. The area where they located Stanley Kotowski is “very secluded,” which made it easy to be overlooked during the search.
His Family Mourns His Death
Kotowski’s wife, Jackie, has been mourning his death ever since. In a statement shared on Facebook, she wrote, “Our hearts are heavy with grief as we begin to process this unimaginable loss.”
She also thanked “everyone who offered their support, shared information, and helped in the search efforts” for her husband.
“Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us during this incredibly difficult time,” Jackie wrote. “As we take the time to come to terms with this news, we ask for your continued thoughts and prayers.”
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