Some murders become household names. Others slowly fade from public memory.
The murder of Anthony Michalowski is one of them. More than three decades later, it remains one of the most disturbing unsolved homicide cases in Western Pennsylvania—a case so gruesome that many investigators have never forgotten it.
A Grisly Discovery
On Dec. 27, 1988, just two days after Christmas, a sanitation worker made a horrifying discovery inside a dumpster in North Versailles. A severed human head had been placed inside a garbage bag.
Over the following days, investigators recovered additional body parts from dumpsters in North Braddock, Whitaker, and other communities throughout the Mon Valley. Enough remains were eventually recovered to identify the victim as 22-year-old Anthony Michalowski.
The Victim
Michalowski was from Pittsburgh’s North Side and was last seen alive on Christmas Eve along Liberty Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. At the time, the area was known for prostitution and adult entertainment. Investigators explored numerous leads about his movements, but none ultimately solved the case.
Because only a small portion of his remains was recovered, investigators could not determine a definitive cause of death. While authorities believed foul play was involved, proving exactly how he died proved difficult.
A Possible Connection
The case took an unexpected turn in 1992.
Another Pittsburgh man, Michael Hickmott, was found dismembered in a strikingly similar manner. Police eventually focused on Robert Wayne Marshall, believing he was responsible for Hickmott’s murder and suspecting he may also have killed Michalowski because of the similarities between the two crimes. Before investigators could question him, however, Marshall died by suicide, leaving many questions unanswered. No one was ever charged in Michalowski’s death.
A Mystery That Endures
Today, Anthony Michalowski’s murder remains officially unsolved. Whether Robert Wayne Marshall was responsible, whether there were additional victims, or whether someone else committed the crime entirely may never be known.
But one thing is certain: A 22-year-old man lost his life in one of the most disturbing crimes in Pittsburgh history, and after more than 35 years, his family still has no definitive answers.
Some mysteries refuse to disappear. This is one of them.