University of Hawaii student Diane Suzuki, 19, vanishes in broad daylight

This story appears in the Hawaii News Now special “Who killed Diane Suzuki?” View the full episode here.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Diane Suzuki’s disappearance on July 6, 1985, was puzzling.

The 4-foot-11, 109-pound bubbly University of Hawaii Rainbow dancer vanished in the middle of the day in a safe and crowded area.

Tracing her steps, the killer had only a small window to act.

Suzuki was a dance instructor at the Rosalie Woodson Dance Academy in Aiea. She had just finished teaching a jazz class at 3 p.m. A newspaper article said she then spent about five minutes helping a dance academy photographer move some equipment.

At about 3:15 p.m., another dance instructor, who was waiting in the parking lot, went upstairs to look for her.

By then, Suzuki was gone. Her car, keys, and purse were all left behind.

The two ladies were supposed to ride together to the North Shore for a dance academy gathering at Turtle Bay Hilton.

“When I didn’t hear from her, I was like, I guess we’ll talk when she comes back,” said her high school sweetheart. “She never showed up at Turtle Bay and so we went looking.”

The man who was dating Suzuki at the time helped with the search. They had been together for three years. He asked that we not show his face or use his name.

“We went on searches every day and we always started at the Suzuki residence in Aiea,” he said.

The Suzuki family was gracious and welcoming to everyone who tried to help.

In a 1985 interview with former KGMB reporter Leslie Wilcox, they described their daughter as full of energy and loving.

“She is so independent, going out and this and that, and then all of a sudden, she just sits on my lap and stays with me,” said mother Yuri Suzuki. “I thought, still my child.”

Father Masaharu Suzuki said, “Why? I don’t know why anyone would want to hurt her.”

Diane Suzuki was the youngest of five girls, and for years, the family waited and hoped their youngest would someday return.