Missing Freehold woman: Hundreds search for Stephanie Parze after one-time boyfriend found dead

Andrew Ford | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Stephanie Parze's dad talks to reporters after her one-time boyfriend was found dead Edward Parze said he only met John D. Ozbilgen briefly. Ozbilgen has been called a person of interest in Parze's disappearance.

Nights are terrible for Edward Parze.

He’s surrounded by caring people during the day, but at night, when it’s quiet, he’s left to think. He worries about his daughter, Stephanie Parze.

“You try and you keep that mind positive,” he said. “But there’s so much out there today. You see all this stuff. You watch all the movies, see all the police shows. Your mind has no choice but to go into a negative direction. And you try and pull it back, but sometimes it just overwhelms you.”

Parze’s days are busy. He’s been organizing search efforts for his daughter, who was last seen the night of Oct. 30. She’s a 25-year-old makeup artist, she’s outgoing and a great softball player. She loves kids, and she recently took a job as a nanny.

Earlier: One-time boyfriend of missing Freehold woman found dead

Parze, 54, used to be a first responder, once serving as a squad captain for Freehold First Aid Squad. Saturday morning, he rallied volunteers at Freehold Township Independent Fire Company and toted a radio to keep an ear on crackling developments as searchers scoured a field off Route 524, just a few miles from Parze's home. They scanned the brush for anything suspicious, many prodding through thickets with sticks.

While searching, Ed Ferro, 68, of Manalapan, cut his hands on briar. The Army vet has friends who know Stephanie Parze’s family. He had nothing to do Saturday and figured the search was time well spent. He didn’t find much, just a bunch of deer bones. He said someone else found a phone, but it appeared to have been discarded long ago.

Another search party simultaneously worked on Staten Island, according to Parze.

"I can't thank everybody enough for coming out, the support is fantastic," Parze told the crowd Saturday morning.

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Parze keeps in touch with law enforcement authorities. He said he has been to Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office late at night, and he’s seen investigators working long hours, though he hasn’t heard much about the investigation. Stephanie’s one-time boyfriend John D. Ozbilgen was found dead at his home Friday. He was named a person of interest in the case, and his death was determined to be a suicide.

Parze barely knew him.

“I can’t really say anything about him,” Parze said. “I only met him maybe twice, and it was like a five minute: hi, bye.”

Parze holds himself together to make decisions and support his wife and three other daughters, ages 13, 19 and 21. The family is getting help — phone calls, letters, food and friends coming to their home.

Freehold missing woman: Ex-boyfriend sent expletive-laced texts night before she vanished

If Parze sleeps, it’s in his family room, he said. He and his wife haven’t slept in their own bedroom since Stephanie went missing more than three weeks ago.

This way, they’re close to their front door.

“Waiting for that door to open,” Parze said. “You have that hope that she’s going to walk through that door.”

Saturday’s search found nothing of value, Parze said about 2:30 p.m.

But he’ll keep searching. He’ll keep sleeping near the front door.

Meanwhile, he had a message for his daughter:

“Stephanie, daddy’s trying everything he can,” Parze said. “We’re not going to stop until we find you.”

Andrew Ford: 732-643-4821; aford3@gannettnj.com