OLEAN, N.Y. — Olean Police want to talk to the person who sent an anonymous letter that offered possible clues about what happened to a young mother that disappeared 34 years ago.
The one-page, handwritten letter was postmarked in Buffalo but had no name or return address. Police got the letter on February 7 — the same day Josephine Cottone Despard disappeared in 1984.
The then 26 year old was last seen at the Olean Mall with a male acquaintance from Franklinville. The man committed suicide a few months after Despard's disappearance. Police never publicly released his name.
Olean Police Captain Robert Blovsky told 2 On Your Side the letter does not implicate the writer but said it mentions the man's name and says he was in some way involved in Despard's disappearance.
Captain Blovsky also said the letter mentioned a location. Police would only say it's in New York state, not far from Olean. It's described as a vast residential area with nearby wooded areas.
"It gives a location of where things may have gone bad," said Captain Blovsky. "We need to go there to find out, look at it, see exactly where it is and see if we can identify the right spot and go from there."
Police were also scheduled to speak with two family members this week to see if there was any new information they may have gotten or heard.
Police say since they posted on Facebook about receiving the anonymous letter, they've heard from about five or six people who came forward with information that may be helpful in solving the case.
Captain Blovsky said the letter by itself isn't "earth shattering" and alone won't solve the case, but he stressed the need for more information and said no clue or piece of information is too small.
