"The story I have for you today is the truly mysterious disappearance of a 23-year-old woman from southeastern Pennsylvania." — Ashley Flowers
"The jury conducts Hawkins a first degree murder, which like in my mind, you must have been a terrible study of those magazines, which by the way, they fully brought up at trial because his DNA and fingerprints were all over the crime scene." — Britt
"From her writings, it seems like Dawn had been getting a little bored in her relationship with Dan. And somehow, while in this unsatisfied state, she meets this guy named Nick Catona." — Ashley Flowers
The disappearance of 23-year-old Dawn Mosino in May 1989 from southeastern Pennsylvania remains an unsolved mystery. Initially, Thomas Hawkins, a twice-convicted murderer with a prior connection to Mosino, became a primary suspect. A witness reported seeing Mosino speaking with a Black man near her workplace, and Hawkins, who had a history of bullying Mosino, was identified through a photo lineup. However, Hawkins maintained he had not seen Mosino in weeks prior to her disappearance, and a fabricated interview story he provided was easily disproven. Despite this, and the fact that Hawkins committed another murder shortly after Mosino went missing, no direct evidence tied him to her case, and he maintained his innocence regarding her disappearance.
Further complicating the investigation, a letter surfaced in 2001 from Gerald Bennett, another inmate, confessing to Mosino's murder. This claim was met with skepticism, and the prosecutor indicated he would apologize to Hawkins if Bennett could lead authorities to Mosino's body. Bennett was ultimately unable to provide verifiable information, and police determined he was not in the state at the time of the disappearance. The focus then shifted to Mosino's personal life as revealed in her diary. Her writings indicated a secret relationship with a man named Nick Catona, while she was dating Dan Colbe. Catona's behavior was described as inconsistent and frustrating, and he later died by suicide in 2011, over 20 years after Mosino vanished.
A more recent line of inquiry, developed by a civilian criminologist working with Mosino's sister, Kath, centers on Hampton, a married man with whom Mosino's best friend, Carol, was having an affair. Mosino had apparently informed Hampton's wife of the affair, creating potential animosity. Hampton and his wife were interviewed by police, but he has not been officially ruled out. Another individual with a criminal history, Maurice Biel, who worked at the Kmart where Mosino and her friends frequented, is also being considered due to his past convictions and a serious assault charge. Despite these potential leads and the ongoing efforts of a new detective, the case remains open, with no definitive evidence placing any individual at fault for Dawn Mosino's disappearance.