Regina Brown, Missing since March 26, 1987

Newtown, Connecticut is a small town that has had the misfortune to be in the national headlines more than once. Regina Brown’s disappearance was overshadowed heavily by the “Woodchipper Murder” – where Helle Crafts was killed by her husband who tried to dispose of her body by freezing it and sending it through a woodchipper.

Although white-passing Creole, Regina is of Black ancestry. A combination of other sensational news and being a minority likely contributed to her case not being covered as heavily as it otherwise would have been.

Regina Fontano met Willis Brown, Jr. through work at American Airlines, where she was a flight attendant and he was a pilot. They were married in June of 1982. Within a year, Willis was demanding a divorce. Regina was described as a person with deep religious convictions, and the divorce was troubling for her.

Regina, with a newborn, was trying to make things work. During these problematic times, she became pregnant again. Willis maintained residences outside of Newtown, including in Queens, throughout the subsequent years. This time included domestic abuse, threats of death, and a third child. By 1986, Regina had realized how bad things were and continued divorce proceedings. They were estranged by 1987.

In March of 1987, Willis was making visits to the house in Newtown. He did not have reason to be at the house, which was in Regina’s exclusive custody. Regina knew time was running out on his patience, and sent her two older children to live with her parents in Texas.

On March 26, 1987, she drove to LaGuardia Airport in Queens to put her live-in babysitter and her third child on a plane to Texas. She left most of her personal belongings at home, including an uncashed $1,000 check, pointing to her intent to return home.

Willis also traveled on March 26, back to Newtown from his Queens home. He attended a dentist appointment, and later told police that he went directly back to the apartment in Queens. 

Leaving the airport, Regina called her closest friend. She said she would be heading to Texas herself within the week. If no one was able to reach her, she cryptically warned her friend that Willis would be responsible.

Her parents and the children’s babysitter were growing concerned when they could not reach her at home in Newtown. On April 2, they called a neighbor. The neighbor, unable to locate Regina, called the police. It is not clear what the police did in response to this call.

Regina was scheduled to work a flight on March 30, 1987, which she did not show up for. When she missed another scheduled flight on the morning of April 3, American Airlines called Willis Brown. He was still living in Queens at the time, but he called Newtown police to file the missing person report.

Police began a search. After learning about the impending divorce proceedings and seeing the legal history between Regina and Willis, they asked Willis to participate in a polygraph interview. He told police he would only do so after the divorce was finalized. He never followed through on the interview.

Regina’s car was found in New York City on April 6. It had been left with the keys in the ignition, collecting traffic tickets under the windshield. Connecticut police gained custody of the vehicle, but found no evidence.

In 1995, Regina was declared dead in absentia. Her body was never recovered.

As recently as 2016, Newtown police have been investigating new leads, including searching the area off Mt. Pleasant Road where her home was. The area was also searched in 1987. Other areas have been searched as leads have surfaced, but Regina has not been found. Her family is still seeking answers more than 37 years later.

A huge thank you to Lisa Peterson, who continues to push for resolution in Regina’s case.