Police usually wait 48 hours to begin amissing person search, but the families started immediately. It was a normal kind of night, Valentino said. Danielle Imbos loved ones wondered about Richard Petrone, claiming he was rough around the edges and suggesting he perhaps bore some gambling debt or Mob tie that could have gotten him and Danielle killed. She was wearing a black jacket, a cream-colored sweater, blue jeans and carrying a two-handle black purse. In 2015, the Philadelphia Daily News recognized the 10 year anniversary of the disappearance of Danielle and Richard with an interview of the Petrones, who still felt the weight of the mystery. Joe Imbo, on the surface, seemed to be saying the right things, though. That night, John and Richard Petrone Sr. set out on a nightlong drive, John behind the wheel, rolling slowly along darkened city streets, tracing and retracing every major highway route and side road leading from Philly to Mount Laurel. Volunteers fanned out a hundred miles in every direction. This search result is here to prevent scraping, Hop Sing Laundromat Charging $75 for Bar Reservations, Exciting I-95 Capping Project Finally Begins In Philadelphia, Those Gummies May Not Have Contained Fentanyl After All, Why I'm Boycotting the Roots Picnic This Year. If you call in the tip and it leads to a resolution, youre gonna get paid. In a disappearance like Danielle and Richards, we have nothing. With no arrests and no one officially declared a suspect, friends and family on both sides began to speculate. "Tips throughout time have indicated logically that this is not a kidnapping case. They sat close, smiling and laughing. But he told his parents how he felt. Danielle has a tattoo on her lower back of "flowers." Nevertheless, their search got results. She was wearing a jacket, cream colored sweater, blue jeans and carrying a black purse. Police: dredging isn't search for missing couple. Philadelphia Inquirer, 29 08 2005, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102493641/police-dredging-isnt-search-for-missin/. That theyd be all right.. Christian Zajac, the FBI agent in charge, said, "We feel this was an orchestrated act. But there remain other leads. In 2008, the FBI announced that the case was being treated as murder-for-hire. In April, 2005, the Allentown Morning Call reported: Joseph Imbo has said he made it clear in telephone conversations with Petrone that he did not like that his wife was involved with him. On the 15th anniversary, in 2020, the FBI again pleaded for information from the public: The FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Mount Laurel Police Department, and Burlington County Prosecutors Office are seeking the publics assistance as we continue to investigate the disappearance, 15 years ago today, of Danielle (Ottobre) Imbo and Richard Petrone, Jr. Shed started dating another man, Richard Petrone. Youve gone crazy!. Ominously, the couple's cell phones had not been used in the last two weeks, and there had been no activity on their credit cards or in their bank accounts, the families said. But tonight, on February 19, 2005, he had been alone, eating in a South Philly bar and working his cell phone, searching for someone to meet up with for a drink. He falls silent for a second, whispers, I apologize, reaches for a napkin to wipe away the single tear that escapes down his cheek. He looks me straight in the eye. However, panic didn't truly set in until 3 pm, when her husband Joseph arrived at her condo to drop off their son, "little Joe," and Imbowas absent. Danielles brother, also John Ottobre, named after their father, arrived at her Mt. Searching for Richard Petrone, Jr. and Danielle Imbo, South Philadelphia Police Department
Through her best friend, Christine, she reconnected with her high school crush, Christine's older brother, thirty-five year old, single father Richard Petrone. Richard, a single-dad, worked primarily for his parents at Viking Pastries and had become a masterful wedding cake designer. As is often the case in a missing person investigation, police have considered Imbo's estranged husband as a suspect, and the FBI has questioned Joe Imbo many times. They compared notes on what their ensuing Sundays entailed: Danielle had a hair appointment at 11 a.m.; her ex-husband was scheduled to return their son after that. Joe Imbo moved to the Carolinas with the son he had with Danielle, Joe III, and to this day, he maintains his innocence and he has never been named an official suspect by the police. On February 6th, 2008, nearly 3 years after the vanishing, the FBI announced they were investigating the disappearance of Danielle and Richard as a hit. In the early hours and days after Richard Petrone and Danielle Imbo disappeared, their families banded together, frantically phoning each other the next morning when Danielle didnt turn up for her hair appointment and both her cell phone and Richards kicked straight to voicemail. If we can find the truck, well find Richard and Danielle. After the Petrones reached out to him, Roselli consulted with Richard Walter, a renowned criminal profiler and member of the Vidocq Society, a group of retired criminal investigators who gather in private in Philadelphia once a month to review cold cases. Using maps and accounts of the missing persons last-known whereabouts, their home, and their destination, founder Jared Leisek has been able to locate a surprising number of vehicles (many times with remains still in them) in which the missing simply, for unknown reasons, drove their vehicle into a body of water. This would be the last time anyone saw them. Friends also swarmed into the picture. Disappearance of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone Jr. "Petrone Family Seeks Closure in 2005 Cold case", "FBI Seeks Information On 2005 Disappearance of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone", "Adventures With Purpose Confirms They're Working On Richard Petrone, Danielle Imbo Case From 2005", "EPISODE 4: RICHARD PETRONE & DANIELLE IMBO", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disappearance_of_Danielle_Imbo_and_Richard_Petrone_Jr.&oldid=1128688649, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 December 2022, at 12:27. Youve got to stop this, Pincus warned him. There was no doubt that there had been some tension between Joe Imbo and Richard Petrone, though. Nothing has ever been found to guide us. The fear among these families is that the mystery draws so much attention that Danielle and Richard get lost as people. What access did you have? Some even believe that it was the mob that carried it out. Only reports and accounts and theories. Weve all seen Philadelphia depicted on the screen a thousand times; the steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art so famous from the Rocky movies, Independence Hall where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed, and more commonplace but equally character-defining rowhouses shoulder-to-shoulder in working class (and some would say gentrified) neighborhoods. But there is no magic here. Entering this subject, the story of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone, is like entering a field of misery, a pall so unrelenting that the only thing that might counterbalance all this pain is something unworldly, some kind of magic. A single dad, he moved from Jersey to North and then South Carolina, and also from car to condo sales. We can only speculate. But he has a different view. But Leisek searched all the obvious areas in that particular stretch of the river and didnt find the car in the search in March of 2022. Likewise, Richards family was worried. Imbo, 34, of Mount Laurel, and Petrone, 35, of Philadelphia, disappeared without a trace after leaving the Abilene bar on South Street on Feb. 19, 2005. They later told investigators that Imbo and Petrone appeared to be having a good time - they weresitting close together, smiling, and kissing throughout the evening. Sometimes a family witness might be less-than-forthcoming with information in a criminal case due to a feeling of shame. 856-234-1414, Philadelphia Police Department
The speculation doesnt do any good, he says. In the days after their disappearance, Richards then 14-year-old daughter Angela gave an absolutely heart wrenching public plea for the return of her dad that is very hard to watch. Danielle later told family members that Joe had bounced the babys high chair off the wall, though Joe has said he doesnt think that ever happened. In August, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story on a police dredging operation that generated some buzz and prompted a denial from the authorities: Police denied reports yesterday that a crew was dredging the Delaware River in search of a vehicle belonging to Richard Petrone Jr., who with his girlfriend disappeared from the vicinity of a Philadelphia bar six months ago. When Richard Sr., the writer, tries to talk about his son, he breaks down, sobbing, hiding his face behind his hands until he can regain his composure. At the time, Danielle was married to her husband JoeImbo, but they were estranged, and Danielle was in the process of separating from him. Roselli looked hard, after a tip, at Anthony Rodesky, a thick-bodied killer with a swastika tattoo on his bald head. Danielle's estranged husband has been questionedbut never considered a suspect. gold label distribution bud man. Danielles ex-husband, Joe Imbo, had a rock-solid alibi for February 19th, one that placed him 50 miles away at a kids party with his stepfather, an ex-NYPD officer, and multiple active police. There are the obvious reasons, things weve seen before. They were single parents: Danielle had her 18-month-old son; Petrone, a 14-year-old daughter. He preferred his Crown Royal straight, his beer Yuengling, and his clothes casual sweatpants and t-shirts. Danielle was going through a divorce from Joe Imbo in 2005, her husband of 3 years, and had returned to using her maiden name, Ottobre. Thats change your life money for a person who has the right tip. FBI Agent Vito Roselli has worked the case since day one, and he told ABC 7 in an interview Im confident that it was a murder. Missing Memories. Philadelphia Daily News, 10 02 2015, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102526697/missing-memories/. The restaurant is popular among locals, who have jammed the walls with pictures of their dogs. FBI Seeks Information on Disappearance, 15 Years Ago Today, of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone, Jr. FBI. FBI, 19 February 2020, https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/philadelphia/news/press-releases/fbi-seeks-information-on-disappearance-15-years-ago-today-of-danielle-imbo-and-richard-petrone-jr. Accessed 24 May 2022. Marge Petrone has said if it was murder-for-hire, she does not believe Richard was the target of the hit. Youd have to make sure the fire completely erased anything identifiable about the truck the distinctive black over silver paint scheme for example and youd have to clip the VIN number from the dash, take the license plates, and even those measures would only buy time. You come out here, Lovers Lane, you know late at night and then you accidentally put it into drive instead of reverse you know, theres a lot of possibilities as to what could happen out here. In the fall of 2021 they took on 36 missing persons cases and actually found 11 missing people. At present, total reward money is well over six figures for information that leads to Danielle and Richard Petrone or the person or persons responsible for their disappearance. When asked for comment, the authorities said they dont comment on lie detector tests but that nobody had been cleared in the investigation. The Scope of the Problem: Intimate Partner Homicide Statistics. VAWnet.org, https://vawnet.org/sc/scope-problem-intimate-partner-homicide-statistics. Accessed 24 May 2022. Richards camp pointed to Danielles estranged husband, Joe Imbo, and their rough divorce. Danielle Finlay Jones, 31, was found dead in December Pair had just started dating after meeting on the app, Bumble Court hears neighbours heard 'loud, violent sex' He wants to get this out there again in the hopes that someone, somewhere, will come forward with new information. Their case remains unsolved. The former covergirl, 39, detailed her troubled past and battle with mental health . Just days before he vanished, Petrone told his father he had angry words with Joe Imbo over the phone. Unfortunately, their search did not find Richard Petrones 2001 Dodge Dakota.. Weve covered everything now from Dave & Busters all the way down from Ben Franklin Bridge down to the Whitman Bridge. Thats what the FBI said, and it was a bombshell. The two, family friends. Joe Imbo has dealt with a lot of pressure in the past nine years. It is clear that this is a murder, right? Both the families and investigators now believe that Imbo and Petrone are deceased. Imbo had a 2-year-old son and Petrone had a teenage daughter. She has worked as a loan mortgage processor. It might not give us the identity of those responsible, but at least the families could finally grieve and rest. Joe Imbo - Danielle's former husband John Ottobre - Danielle's brother Robert Carey - arrested in pill ring investigation in Kensington; hanged himself in prison Anthony Rodesky -. Danielles family were worried, yes, but they were not expecting the worst. [1] Petrone, age 35, resided in Philadelphia and worked at his family's bakery. She'd begun dating Richard during a long separation from her husband a separation she was intending to. 856-225-5470. I dont have evidence to arrest Joe is all he says. The case, as a disappearance, had been handled by Philadelphia South Detectives, but was now due to be transferred to the homicide unit. I dont talk about this a lot, he says. But two people who read the note told me that rumor is false. Last updated February 14, 2008; details of disappearance updated. He just cant find the trail leading from the crime back to its perpetrators. The visits, he says, are both amazing and awful, because the boy sings like his mother, and his face is so much like hers that he seems to project her like a hologram back out into the world. The place was called Abilene at 429 South Street a skinny little single-lane one-way street; historic, pedestrian-friendly, and lined with souvenir shops and places to grab a bite and a brew. On the night of February 19, 2005, on-again, off-again couple Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone left a South Philadelphia bar and were never seen again. As for the Ottobres, Felice wakes up, and before she gets out of bed, she cries, her grief bubbling up in wracking sobs. A murder-for-hire scenario also remains in play. Just days before he vanished, Petrone told his father he had angry words with Joe Imbo over the phone. Not what is it but what could it be? They saw each other sporadically. Angela now works in the bakery. As John Ottobre tells it, Joe left Danielle with a sick infant and a cold of her own to attend the 2004 Super Bowl, only to return and announce that hed met someone else on the plane to New Orleans. Also, he didnt need to incur a capital murder charge when drug dealing provided so much of what he dearly wanted: money. But the truth is, we dont know what happened.. Maybe theres a totally different explanation for the disappearance; an alternate chain of events that we havent even considered. Today would be [Richard] Petrone's 36th birthday, according to a family website. What is known about Anthony Rodesky, a convicted murderer who has not been ruled out in this case (24:50). She fronted a rock band around New Jersey and boasted a singers outgoing personality, and after the trouble shed had with her estranged husband, shed responded to Richards gentler approach. Accessed 24 May 2022. The disappearance of Imbo and Petrone: FBI says people know who did it. ABC7, 19 February 2020, https://abc7.com/true-crime-6abc-cold-case-philadelphia-police-department/5948803/. "He said "I got, like . Neither of them have been heard from again. Thecomplete lack of evidence has even led the FBI to speculate that they may have been targets of a professional hit. And two hours later, the reunited couple looked happy together. But then I wouldnt know what happened to my son. But behind the scenes, his mother insisted he stay on message: Until some evidence directly indicated that Danielle and Richard were dead, there was no reason to think they werent alive. John immediately called Mount Laurel detective Ed Pincus, who was still working on the case. She was the daughter of John Ottobre, a Philly lounge singer who went by Johnny October and gained national fame in the 50s doo-wop group The Four Dates. Did someone follow him in another vehicle? Later, the two moved their festivities to the bar and restaurant where they were last seen. I am a bitter, bitter man, he says. But it could be. In April, police said publicly they did not believe the couple simply ran away, which eliminated one possibility. Their relationship was going well when Danielle's ex-husband began attempting to rekindle their romance. That night, Ottobre and Petrone's father, Richard Petrone Sr., begansearching for the missing couple and combed the streets of Philadelphia until the next morning. Based on everything Ive read, no. Everyone loves their sister, he says, but we went out together on Saturday nights, and she was close with my wife.. From the inside out, with guilt and suspicion and shame and resentment. That there was foul play. He also believes multiple people know. The Petrones, [Danielles] family and one dogged FBI special agent continue to hope for a break, something that can lift the fog and let them ultimately know where the road took the two. In 2008, the FBI would issue a press release to this effect, suggesting that Imbo and Petrone were victims of a murder for hire scheme. You know, he says, theres only one person in the world that knows I didnt do it, and its me.. Police often wait as long as 48 hours to consider adults missing. The feds, he says, put out that release to shake the tree. They got nothing. A devious murderer could arrange to scrap a truck piece-by-piece, but that would involve other people in the plot people who helped dismantle the truck, people who bought the parts and would also run a strong risk that someone who was not part of the plot would see the truck while they had it stored in a garage somewhere as they parted it out. Never much for dressing up, Richard Petrone wore a gray hoodie, jeans and sneakers. But that is the legacy of this case: We have yet to learn why Richard Petrone will never see his grandson, or why Danielle Imbo isnt alive to care for her son. After host Andy Cohen mentioned a Deux Moi report that claimed a . Petrone and Imbo have one child each; Imbo has a toddler son and Petrone has a teenage daughter. Its easy to see why the couple might have been a good match. The two were family friends who had dated as teenagers before they began an on-again, off-again relationship as adults. "They walked out of Abilene and from the minute they got out the door, no one knows if they turned left or right. Its possible a perpetrator could just get lucky, Roselli says today, but its more likely just what it looks like: Someone behind this knew what they were doing., JOHN OTTOBRES FATHER, John Sr., a former boxer and doo-wop singer, died in 1999, at age 62. At this point in time, he says, if you havent ruled me out, then youre not good at your job. She lived on Dunbarton Road in Mount Laurel in southern New Jersey in 2005; Petrone lived in South Philadelphia. They were looking for vehicles, they just didnt want people to think they were looking for Richard and Danielle specifically. Danielle Lloyd has revealed that she considered taking her own life during the height of her modelling career.. When Danielle got pregnant, she had put her own music dreams to rest and left her position as the lead singer for a pop rock band called the Schoolboys. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Both were single parents - Richard's daughter was 14 at the time, and Danielle's son was oneyear old. Imbo took a lie-detector test, but Roselli won't discuss the results. Richard Jr. had just scored Springsteen tickets and was going to take his dad. The murder-for-hire scenario, he admits, was only one possibility among many. Were missing couple victims of a hit? Philadelphia Daily News, 07 02 2008, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102527418/were-missing-couple-victims-of-a-hit/. Many people have been suspicious of Danielle's soon-to-be ex-husband Joe Imbo but he appeared to have a solid alibi. Richard, a NASCAR fan, planned to watch the Daytona 500. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Anthony Valentino and his wife Michelle McLaughlin were the last people to see Danielle and Richard. At last report, Danielles family had a strained relationship with Joe, but they do occasionally get to see little Joe.