Summary based on the NamUs case record (CP999656447) and
1 other sourceMary Dussich was 63 years old when she vanished from Lighthouse Point, Florida, in 1982. She lived on the 3100 block of Northeast 31st Avenue and, in the day leading up to her disappearance, spent time with her daughter and grandchildren before going out with friends for what was described as her regular evening out. Those who saw her that night reportedly felt she was in a good mood. Later, at about 1:45 a.m., she left to head home and was never heard from again.
After Mary failed to return, her estranged husband, Joseph A. Dussich, told authorities that an argument at their home escalated into a physical confrontation, during which he punched her in the face and bloodied her nose. He stated that she then left angrily, got into her yellow four-door 1978 Lincoln Continental, and drove away. Despite this account, police reported finding no bloodstains or other clear signs of a fight inside the home, and no blood traces were found in her vehicle.
Mary’s car was later located in the long-term parking lot at Miami International Airport in 1982. Her purse was found in the trunk alongside some old clothing. Inside the purse were personal items such as her checkbook and photographs of her daughter and grandchildren, but there was reportedly no cash or wallet. The circumstances raised painful questions for loved ones: the vehicle was accounted for, yet Mary was not, and the items left behind suggested she had not simply packed up her life in a planned way.
At the time she disappeared, Mary and Joseph had been married for sixteen years and were in the midst of a bitter divorce. Although they were separated, they were still living under the same roof because neither wanted to relinquish rights to the home; they reportedly occupied different wings and even placed cowbells on their bedroom doors. Police described the tension in the household as “like an armed camp.” Mary had previously accused Joseph of beating her, and police had responded to their home more than once for domestic disputes. In 1980, she reportedly required hospital treatment after an assault; she obtained a restraining order, though no charges were filed. Joseph, for his part, described Mary as “very abusive” in divorce testimony.
Public records connected to the divorce proceedings reflect the harsh reality of her disappearance: with Mary missing and unable to participate, the dissolution case was effectively halted. A Florida appellate decision notes that she disappeared in early 1982, and court action followed because she did not reappear, underscoring how completely her absence disrupted every part of her life and legal affairs.
No publicly available information located here indicates that Mary has been found alive or that the case has been formally closed due to her being located deceased; instead, it continues to be described as unresolved. Joseph later died in 1996, and those who cared about Mary remained divided on what happened, with her family and friends expressing belief that she likely met with foul play. Mary is described as a White woman with graying blonde hair, about 5'4" and 130 pounds at the time, and she had previously broken her leg. She was last known to be wearing a red dress and expensive jewelry.
Anyone who has information about Mary Dussich’s disappearance is urged to contact the Lighthouse Point Police Department at 954-942-8080. Even small details that may seem insignificant can matter decades later, and sharing them can be a compassionate act toward a family that has lived with unanswered questions for far too long.Last Seen: Apr 28, 1982
