Fabian Zydor had a difficult childhood. His mother decided to divorce her alcoholic husband and eventually left, leaving Fabian in his father's care. Unable to manage, his father lost custody, and Fabian’s older sister, who had just turned 18, became his legal guardian.
Fabian moved to Tarnowa in Greater Poland Voivodeship with his sister Patrycja, her partner, and their young child. However, he was a troublesome teenager, spending a lot of time away from home and sometimes returning drunk, which led to arguments with his sister.
The Day of His Disappearance
On Sunday, October 30, 2016, Fabian left home in the morning to meet a friend and returned drunk, going to sleep shortly after. When he woke up, he left again, telling his family he was going to a house party hosted by Iwan, a nearly 30-year-old Ukrainian living near Pyzdry. About 10 people attended the party. Fabian never came back. His sister quickly inquired among his friends and then reported his disappearance to the police, but despite extensive searches, there was no trace of him.
Inconsistent Witness Statements
People at the party gave inconsistent statements. Some claimed Fabian was very drunk, while others said he was only slightly intoxicated. Some said he seemed sad and confided that he was afraid of his sister's partner. Others mentioned a fight with a friend during the party.
All agreed that Fabian left the party around 11 PM alone. He had only a short distance to walk, partly along a forest path and partly on a well-lit asphalt road. The trail went cold just 300 meters from the house, near the fire station.
Initial Investigation Efforts
Police questioned friends and other individuals, thoroughly searched the property, and combed the forest. Residents also participated in the search. A police dog led officers to the intersection of the asphalt road and a path, but the trail ended there.
According to neighbors, a black BMW, unfamiliar to the village, was seen near the fire station the night Fabian disappeared. Police secured footage from surveillance cameras, but it did not show either Fabian or the black car. It later emerged that the time change from summer to winter had occurred that night, and the officers had likely retrieved footage from the wrong time.
The Reward That Broke the Silence
Investigators noted that the investigation was hampered by a code of silence in the village. Tarnowa, with around 200 closely-knit residents, was mostly united except for the Zydor family, who were newcomers. "The Zydors were outsiders in Tarnowa," explained an anonymous police commissioner from Poznań's criminal division to "Gazeta Wyborcza."
The breakthrough came when a reward of 10,000 zlotys was announced for information leading to the perpetrators' capture. - "This appeal led to people contacting the police who had not come forward earlier," said sub-inspector Iwona Liszczyńska from the KWP in Poznań's press office.
Motives and Suspects
On March 27, police announced the identification and arrest of three individuals (two 30-year-olds and a 39-year-old) suspected of Fabian's murder. These men were residents of Pyzdry, a town near Tarnowa. Evidence suggested that on October 30, 2016, they came to Tarnowa looking for Fabian. They knocked on his house late at night but were chased away by his sister's partner. They later encountered Fabian returning from the party and allegedly assaulted him.
"He was forcibly pushed into a car, had a bag placed over his head, and was driven to another location," said Łukasz Wawrzyniak from the Poznań District Prosecutor's Office. The assailants likely beat him to death and then hid his body, possibly dumping it into the Warta River after weighing it down. Despite multiple searches of the riverbed, the body has not been found.
Financial Disputes and Alleged Murder
The motive for the murder was reportedly financial. Fabian might have been involved with drugs, and one of the arrested individuals, 23-year-old Radosław M., was known to deal drugs in the Tarnowa area. - "We know Fabian knew them; they weren't strangers. The police determined it involved a small debt Fabian owed them," Liszczyńska added.
An anonymous source from zaginieniprzedlaty.pl revealed that Fabian owed one of the suspects money, unofficially around 200 zlotys.
Continuing Investigation
The arrested men had previous criminal records, including for kidnapping and detaining a person over a gang feud. - "A month before Fabian's abduction, in September 2016, they kidnapped, took to the forest, and severely beat another man. The police only learned of this case in 2019, leading to the arrest, trial, and sentencing of the men," said Andrzej Borowiak, quoted by "Głos Wielkopolski." Their recent arrests were carried out in prisons where they were already serving time. Based on the evidence, they were charged with murder with extreme cruelty, facing life imprisonment.
The investigation continues as authorities aim to fully solve the mystery of Fabian's death and find his body. - "This case is ongoing. We do not rule out the possible arrest of other individuals involved," Wawrzyniak added. Fabian's sister also hopes for closure. - "Even the worst, but knowing he is in a cemetery and we can visit him there, knowing he is there," Patrycja Zydor told "Interwencja."
