JoAnn Dudek’s sisters speak out, MCSO revealing new details about the case

ANTHEM, AZ — Piece by piece, the mystery of what happened to JoAnn Dudek begins to unravel. The 64-year-old’s sisters sat down with ABC15 for the first time since her skull was discovered in New River. They are demanding answers in his case, as MCSO confirms new details as the investigation continues.

“It changed us forever,” said Terry Murtha, JoAnn’s sister. “We will, we truly will never be the same.”

Each sister had their own perspective and emotions regarding Dudek’s disappearance, but all three are grateful that she was found.

“I never thought I would go to Arizona and search, and I was in the vastness of it all and like we would never find her,” said Dudek’s youngest sister, Colleen Shanahan- Adair. “It was so overwhelming.”

“It was definitely a relief,” Terry said. “But when the phone call comes, it doesn’t matter how prepared you think you are and how you want to hear it. When the news comes, the one word she said was just heartbreaking and heartbreaking.”

The call came in earlier this month when the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a The skull found at New River was that of Dudek.

“I always honestly felt in my heart from the beginning that she wasn’t with us,” said Karen Olson, Dudek’s sister. “So now knowing that she’s in loving arms. She’s being cared for with respect, even though she’s in the coroner’s office right now. Honestly, it’s giving me something positive for the first time. “

On Monday, MCSO confirmed the skull was found with other bones in the area of ​​I-17, south of New River Road.

“Additional bones have been found, but nothing has been confirmed yet,” the sheriff’s office said via email.

But the mystery of what happened is still under investigation. This month marks two years since Dudek was last seen at her home near Meridian and Belfair Way.. At the time, she was living with her daughter, her daughter’s partner and her husband who died last year.

“We believe everything that happened happened in that house,” Shanahan-Adair said. “And JoAnn didn’t leave alone. She didn’t leave without her car keys and wallet.”

Dudek’s family believes there was a violent altercation inside the home, but this information has not been confirmed.

MCSO told ABC15 there are people of interest in the case, saying detectives are looking into everyone involved, including those who lived with Dudek.

“It’s a big relief that they have interesting people, to know that we have direction,” Terry said.

“I think the only information we all need is we need to know the truth,” said Erin Murtha, Dudek’s niece. “That’s what we need to really feel like we’ve put an end to this.”

The sister’s new goal is to bring Dudek home and let her rest with their parents. Their initial hope was before Christmas, but the medical examiner’s report is still pending.

“We fought together as a family and swore together, all of us, to never stop until JoAnne was home,” Terry said. “We will never stop until justice is served.”

ABC15 did call a number believed to be linked to Dudek’s daughter, but that person hung up. The MCSO Homicide Unit is investigating the case, but on Monday they could not confirm that Dudek’s death was a homicide.

Dudek’s cause of death is still pending, according to the Maricopa County medical examiner’s website.