The story of the Dowalibys is one of those true crime cases that sticks to your ribs. It isn't just about the tragic 1988 disappearance of seven-year-old Jaclyn; it is about a marriage that was put through a literal meat grinder by the American legal system. People often find themselves wondering are Cynthia and David Dowaliby still married after all the cameras stopped flashing and the court orders were signed.
They are.
It is a rare thing, honestly. Usually, when a couple faces the death of a child, the statistics for staying together are already grim. Add a murder trial where the state tries to pit you against each other? That’s usually a recipe for a quick divorce. But the Dowalibys didn't follow that script. They stayed united through the kind of trauma that most of us can't even wrap our heads around.
The Mystery of the Broken Window
Let’s look back at the mess that started it all in Midlothian, Illinois. In September 1988, David and Cynthia reported Jaclyn missing. They pointed to a broken basement window. To them, it was proof of an intruder. To the cops, it looked like a "staged" scene.
The police theory was basically that the glass was broken from the inside. They didn't have DNA. They didn't have a weapon. They had a theory and a witness named Everett Mann who claimed he saw a man with a "prominent nose" near the body's dump site.
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- 1988: Jaclyn vanishes.
- 1990: The trial begins, turning the couple's life into a public spectacle.
- The Verdicts: A judge acquitted Cynthia during the trial, but a jury convicted David.
When David was sentenced to 45 years, Cynthia didn't walk away. She didn't take her acquittal and start a new life. Instead, she became his biggest advocate. She worked with journalists, specifically David Protess and Paul Hogan, to keep the story alive. She was certain of his innocence. That kind of loyalty is what kept their marriage from dissolving while he sat in a cell.
Living Life After the Overturned Conviction
In 1991, the Illinois Appellate Court did something pretty unusual. They didn't just order a new trial; they overturned David’s conviction entirely, saying there was never enough evidence to convict him in the first place. David walked out of prison in November 1991.
Since then, the couple has been incredibly private. You won't find them on a reality show or chasing TikTok fame. They essentially vanished into a quiet suburban life. They raised their other children, David Jr. and Carli—who was actually born while her parents were dealing with the heat of the initial investigation.
Why Their Marriage Lasted
Kinda makes you think, right? Most people break. But the Dowalibys had a "us against the world" mentality from day one. They were both targets. If one of them had turned on the other to save themselves, David might still be in prison.
They moved out of the Chicago area years ago. They wanted a fresh start away from the neighbors who whispered and the police who still, in some cases, held a grudge. Living in the shadow of an unsolved murder—because Jaclyn’s killer was never found—is a heavy weight. They’ve carried it together for over 35 years.
Where Are They Now?
As of 2026, the Dowalibys remain out of the public eye. They have consistently declined most interview requests for decades. Their focus has been on their surviving children and, now, likely their grandchildren.
The case of Jaclyn Dowaliby is technically still open, though it is colder than a Chicago winter. Other suspects, like Timothy Guess (the brother of Jaclyn's biological father), were investigated but never charged. The Dowalibys have had to live with the fact that while they are legally exonerated, the "true" killer was never brought to justice.
Key Takeaways for True Crime Followers
- Marital Resilience: The Dowalibys are a rare example of a marriage surviving a wrongful conviction.
- Privacy as a Shield: They chose to disappear from the spotlight to protect their kids.
- Legal Precedent: David's case is still studied by law students as a prime example of how circumstantial evidence can go horribly wrong.
If you're looking for a deep dive into the legal specifics of their exoneration, you should look into the archives of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. They documented the breakdown of the witness testimony that eventually set David free. For those interested in the human side, the 1993 TV movie Gone in the Night (starring Shannen Doherty) offers a dramatized look at the intense pressure the couple faced.
The best way to respect their journey today is to acknowledge the complexity of their survival. They lost a daughter and nearly lost their freedom, yet they managed to keep their family unit intact against all odds.