Police search for clues in Newtown woman’s disappearance NEWTOWN — Although it’s been almost 30 years since Regina Brown disappeared, local police still hope to crack a case that’s puzzled everyone who knew her. Since last week, Newtown police have been searching the area around Whippoorwill Hill Road, a dead-end street off of Route 6 where the 35-year-old flight attendant lived before she vanished in 1987. The family called Linda Van Horn, the woman’s longtime friend and neighbor, who went to Brown’s home with other neighbors but found it empty except for the family dog and many personal items. The Browns had a turbulent five-year marriage marked by violence, unsubstantiated allegations of promiscuity and drug use, said Van Horn, who now lives in Texas.