Pennsylvania

One Year Later: Search for Missing Malvern Mother Now Murder Investigation, Police Say

More than one year has passed since 43-year-old Anna Bronislawa Maciejewska went missing. And friends and family of the Malvern woman won’t stop hunting for answers, despite slowly losing hope of finding her alive.

“She always had a great smile,” friend and former coworker Sharon Grant said. “She took pride in anything she did -- from her new home she built to her son. Everything was hope and happiness.”

A native of Poland, Maciejewska created a full life for herself a world away from her relatives. She was a successful actuary for Voya Financial and mother to a young child who was just 3 years old when his mother disappeared.

She was last seen alive by her husband, Allen Jay Gould, who reported her missing on April 10, 2017, police said.

Since then, what started as a missing persons search has turned into a murder investigation, Pennsylvania State Police told NBC10.

“We are out there looking for her body,” Cpl. Robert Kirby said. “We haven’t ruled out any suspects.”

As officials continue to search for answers, Maciejewska's loved ones have many more questions. She mysteriously canceled a visit to her native Poland in days leading to her disappearance. Then, her father received a happy birthday text in jumbled Polish filled with mistakes she never would have made.

“It wasn’t from her,” Maciejewska's mother, Janina Maciejewska, said via Facetime.

By all accounts, Maciejewska was a meticulous person. She worked in the financial sector for most of her career, and regularly kept in touch with family in Poland and friends in Pennsylvania. She drove her son two hours every week to a Polish school. She also found time to remain active in her book and movie clubs, plus have regular weekly dinners with nearby pals.

So when coworker Sharon Rouse visited Maciejewska’s house after hearing about the disappearance, she was shocked to find her friend’s phone on the table.

“She would not have left her phone,” Rouse told NBC10, adding that Maciejewska stayed in constant touch with her elderly parents and young son.

In the days following her disappearance, officials found Maciejewska’s Audi about two miles from her home. This, combined with the strange text and canceled trip, led investigators to focus on the two weeks before Maciejewska was reported missing.

As the investigation continues to unfold, police want to hear more from her husband.

“We last spoke to [him] two months ago,” Kirby said. “Allen would not provide any useful information.”

NBC10 approached Gould and asked him for comment, but he refused. "Please turn the camera off," Gould said, adding that he wants privacy. 

A call to his lawyer was not returned. Police have not named Gould or anyone else as a suspect. 

Maciejewska's family in Poland and friends in Pennsylvania have teamed up to keep the search alive. Her brother-in-law Leszek Wronski helped create a $30,000 reward fund for anyone with information that could lead to finding the missing woman. He also acts as the unofficial emissary between the U.S. and Poland, staying in touch with investigators in Chester County and relaying any news to his in-laws in Poland.

As leads slowly fades, the family remains devastated, he told NBC10.

“Especially for mother and father, it’s not getting better. It’s rather worse and worse,” Wronski said. “Time does not help.”

Part of the family’s pain is their strained relationship with Gould. He does not allow the now 5-year-old boy to Skype with his grandparents and canceled a trip to see them, Wronski said. 

"We have no contact with Allen, who does not talk to us," Wronski said. 

“It’s very strange for us. I have no idea why he behaves like this,” Wronski said. “The future looked quite bright, but not anymore.”

But her loved ones aren't giving up. A Facebook page has been created to finding Maciejewska. There, they share information and remember the woman they dearly miss.

“My heart broke into pieces,” Deb Streeter-Davitt said. “It’s really hard to make sense of everything. I see a lot of anguish.”

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