top of page

ALL EPISODES OF CRIME OF THE TRUEST KIND ONLINE

Episode 96 | Where is Amy Sher? Billerica, Massachusetts & The Haunting Story of Isolation, Coercive Control, Domestic Violence (part one)




ree

This episode deals with violence against women and describes injuries caused by domestic abuse. Please listen with care.


The unsolved disappearance of Amy Sher is a disturbing story of violence, isolation, coercive control, and how one person can terrorize an entire family. Amy’s haunting case reveals the devastating realities of domestic violence—the emotional abuse, despair, and powerlessness she endured.


Amy Beth Sher, a 38‑year‑old mother, was last seen at work on Monday, October 14, 2002, at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts. Her life had been marked by struggle since meeting Robert J. Desmond, Jr., an office temp at her job. Their relationship moved quickly, too quickly, and those closest to her were stunned by how reckless Amy seemed. Within a year, she divorced her husband to be with Desmond. Over time, they witnessed the frightening transformation of a once‑vibrant woman fading under the weight of coercive control and isolation.


While the official record states Amy was last seen at Alewife MBTA Station around noon on Friday, October 18, 2002, there are no eyewitnesses to confirm this. The detail is widely repeated, but its origin come from the husband’s shifting accounts.


What we do know is that Amy’s last confirmed location was Lahey Clinic in Burlington, and the last place she had to have been was her home in Billerica, where she lived with her husband and son.


The chilling disappearance of Amy Sher underscores the profound impact of domestic violence. In this episode, we confront the realities of abuse and the helplessness experienced by everyone around her—family, coworkers, and friends—who could not save her from torment, no matter how they tried to offer a lifeline.


By sharing Amy’s story, we shed light on the insidious nature of coercive control, the urgent need for advocacy and education, and the importance of collective action to break cycles of violence. This deep dive into a missing person case serves as a vital resource for understanding the delicate, destructive dynamics of domestic abuse.


There is so much more to this than the question, “Why did you stay?”


Help is always here


13th Annual Gift Drive to collect unwrapped gifts for local foster families is Friday, Dec 19 at the Burren in Somerville, Mass. Live music from Gene Dante and the Future Starlets and Lovina Falls. Help us spread some much needed holiday cheer this time of year. Get tickets.



Updating!

Photos: the billboard for Amy, Anmy Sher at Brookline High, her first wedding, radiant Amy, struggling Amy, the blue house at 28 Andover where Amy lived with her family via Zillow.com, posting - this is after the remodel (notice the two fireplaces).




SOURCES


The Vanished Podcast - transcript from Marissa's episode with Joani, Amy's sister, andy Wendy Murphy, attorney for the Sher family. Thank you, Marissa, for sharing Amy's story. thevanishedpodcast.com


Billerica Public Schools https://billericak12.com Burlington, Mass https://burlingtonchamberofcommerce.org



Lowell Sun - Jury Awards Family $600,000 In Suit Against Billerica Police - Kennedy vs Town of Billerica https://www.lowellsun.com/2007/05/01/jury-awards-family-600g-in-suit-against-billerica-police

Marjorie Sher obituary


The Charley Project - Amy Sher

NAMUS - Amy Sher


Doe Network -Amy Sher


Lowell Sun- Search for Billerica woman appears to have gone cold, 2011


Lowell Sun - For 16 years, Billerica Woman’s Disappearance Haunts Her Family


CBS NEWS - Inspired By Movie, Family Hopes 3 Billboards Solve Cold Case, Amy Sher


WCVB Channel 5 - What Happened To Amy Sher, Family Still Searching For Answers, 2011 https://www.wcvb.com/article/what-happened-to-amy-sher-family-still-searching-for-answers/20117790


 
 

©2025 CRIME OF THE TRUEST KIND + ANNGELLE WOOD MEDIA 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

bottom of page