Zachary Malinowski, was a 19 year old young man from Aynor, SC who went missing on August 25, 2013. Additionally, his hopes and dreams for the future vanished.
Zach was a typical teen with many friends who dabbled in songwriting and recording, playing basketball, and video games. His family describes him as funny, mischievous, and perhaps thought himself to be invincible to the dangers of the world as young people often do.
On that August summer night, Zach dropped off friends after playing basketball and visited another friend prior to leaving to get something to eat. Although his car was located by searchers torched and burned, he has not been located. Charges against suspects have been filed, but the judicial process is pending. More information is needed to achieve resolution in this case.
Zach’s family, and the community surrounding Aynor, continues to be very active in seeking justice.
“The CUE Center for Missing Persons opened up a whole new world that didn’t exist to them,” according to Zach’s cousin Jessica. The Cue Center has provided support, education, ground searches and other resources in an effort to locate him over the past 7 years. The grief and unknowing has irrevocably altered his family both in negative and positive ways.
Jessica, who works in social services, related that Zach “was a good kid deep down, but never had the opportunity to mature past the stage of invincibility. They stole that from him.”
Zach’s family and friends want accountability and to hear the word guilty. They also want to hear, “We’ve got Zach. He’s coming home.”
August 25, 2020 marks the 7 year anniversary of Zach’s disappearance. CUE Center for Missing Persons joins with family members to sponsor an awareness event featuring 3,000 color flyers of Zach attached to pizza boxes delivered to customers throughout Horry County.
What is the message to be learned from his event? His family’s ultimate desire is to inspire at least one person to change their path or to decide to do the right thing for another family.
If you have any information or tips, contact the Horry County Police (843-915-7995) or the CUE Center for Missing Persons at their 24 hour confidential tip line (910-232-1697).