That was the last time I saw them.. They also bring out his regrets: Right before we were getting married, I kinda said, Youve gotta quit the band., He felt they had no weekends together. Their friends stated that both of them behaved normally and seemed happy that evening. But today, the wind off the beach bears a frosty little snap, and the place is mostly empty when Joe Imbo enters, a few minutes early for our 10 a.m. breakfast. He was mulling going to Abilienes later to see a band. He detours through parking lots when he spots one from the road. That sounds like a perfectly innocent statement to some, a nasty insinuation to others that Danielle was the target, through some unspoken fault of her own, and she got Richard killed, too. Before long, they told Richards daughter, Angela, that her father wasnt coming home. Pincus, fearing a second tragedy, ordered a search. By Tuesday, he, too, was sure his son was dead. Five years ago, at the relatively young age of 37, he suffered a heart attack. It's like you're in this awful dream, and you're caught in quicksand.". She wasnt all that serious about him, but he treated her well. Again, the killer is involving other people in the plot when there is a simpler way to accomplish his evil deeds. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Anthony Valentino and his wife Michelle McLaughlin were the last people to see Danielle and Richard. He put on dad weight, clocking in at five-foot-nine and 200 pounds. But in the end, they all found nothing no truck off the road, no hulking shadow flickering beneath the water. Petrone was going to drive Imbo to her condo in Mount Laurel, NJ, and then return to his own home. He doesnt cry like the Petrones passionately and unstoppably. 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. Accessed 24 May 2022. And so, on a night when the temperature was about 27 degrees and the crowd at 4th and South was probably a little thinner than usual, Danielle and Richard walked out of Abilenes toward Richards truck. I learn this from John Ottobre, who finds talking about his sisters disappearance so painful that he often neglects to return my calls. Since she was separated, though, and seeking a divorce, he took his shot. Laurel Woman, 34, missing since Feb. 19. Camden Courier-Post, 26 02 2005, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102465632/. The best detectives will tell you, they consider all options. He even learned how to do her hair. 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. At the time, Danielle was married to her husband Joe Imbo, but they were estranged, and Danielle was in the process of separating from him. The restaurant is popular among locals, who have jammed the walls with pictures of their dogs. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. Just days before he vanished, Petrone told his father he had angry words with Joe Imbo over the phone. Their case was episode 11 of season 8 of the TV show Disappeared with the episode named "A Bridge Too Far". Petrone's friends, Anthony Valentino and his wifeMichelle McLaughlin, joined Imbo and Petrone at the restaurant. In the absence of any discovery by Adventures with Purpose, would you consider it more likely the disappearance of Danielle and Richard was foul play? On the night of February 19th, 2005, an unseasonably cold night, even for Philly, Danielle had been socializing with family over dinner and asked to be dropped off at a taproom where Richard was having a drink. Although several theories have been proposed,the case remains cold, and thefamilies are still searching for closure. I dont talk about this a lot, he says. Unfortunately, as is so common with cold cases, the flow of information in Danielle and Richards disappearance has dwindled to a trickle. Imagine its cold. 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. Not likely. 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. His memories of Richard arent quite so gauzy. "You feel like you're trapped," [said] Petrone's father, Richard. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. He reached his sister, Christine, and found her enjoying a ladies night out with their mother, Marge, and two longtime friends, Felice Ottobre and her daughter. At one point, Ottobre even paid a Camden police officer $1,200 to take him up in a helicopter and try to locate the truck. He has told little Joe that his mother disappeared. "We're not going to be able to go into great detail, but we thought it would be significant for the public to understand that this hasn't gone away. When asked if their son could still be alive somewhere, Marge waved a hand. Still no leads in couple's mysterious disappearance 5 yrs ago. Philadelphia Daily News, 19 02 2010, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102534940/still-no-leads-in-couples-mysterious-di/. Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania authorities are investigating their disappearances, which remain unsolved. And while talking about Richard and Danielle seems to cast a great weight on their families, Imbo, as we wrap up our conversation, looks lighter. He relates to Ottobres feeling of being stuck in the center of that big white circle of trackless snow. Maybe theres a totally different explanation for the disappearance; an alternate chain of events that we havent even considered. Danielle and Richard met with friends and watched a live band, then said their goodbyes at about 11:45 PM. She could tear through three books in a week, especially murder mysteries. Marge Petrone had actually been on record since 2005, about 6 months after the disappearance, that she believed Richard was dead. 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. It was a crowded spot, though. She lived on Dunbarton Road in Mount Laurel in southern New Jersey in 2005; Petrone lived in South Philadelphia. I wish I could say someone saw them walk to Richards truck and get in it and drive away, but we cant even say that. Afterward, John Ottobre changed Danielles locks and held a sit-down with Joe. As reported by the Philadelphia Daily News: Danielle's estranged husband, Joe Imbo, says he believes he'll see her again. Police seek help finding couple last seen at bar. Philadelphia Inquirer, 03 03 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102466236/police-seek-help-finding-couple-last-see/. She was wearing a black jacket, a cream-colored sweater, blue jeans and carrying a two-handle black purse. A grand jury convened at least 6 years ago, interviewing people close to Joe, but took no action. No clues. On the one hand, Danielle and Richard had a few drinks that night. The two were dating. Imbo was employed as a loan processor for a mortgage company at the time of her disappearance, working out of her home. Imbo-Petrone Disappearance May Be Linked To Pagans Danielles family believed the bad blood between the Petrones and Joe Imbo was counterproductive. There is a saying in law enforcement circles: Its always the ex-husband. So sitting down with Imbo is portentous a journey to the one man who might possibly hold an answer. Danielle and Richard were not the type to abandon their kids, and nobody had any reason to suspect either of them were depressed or considering suicide in any way. After 10 years, still no sign of Richard Petrone and Danielle Imbo We were sitting by the bar, and when they left we just hugged and said goodbye. Depending on where the truck was parked, an attacker would risk losing control of the situation or being witnessed by a reveler on South Street if he attacked at that moment. Their cellular phones have stayed turned off. The couple knew each other in high school and began dating ten months before their disappearances after they separated from their respective partners. 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. Ottobre drove to the scene, and as the police scoured the train, moving from car to car, he felt flush first with the adrenaline of the moment, then with embarrassment. Somewhere in the city of brotherly love there had been a dark conspiracy. If that person has the piece of information that would break the case but never shares it, shame wins, and the case goes cold. No way.. They have not been seen nor heard from since this last sighting. Something was wrong. I cant help but feel the answer is the truck. We talk for close to two hours, enough time for the restaurant to get busy. At about 11:45 pm, Imboand Petroneleft Abilene's. Rodesky was convicted of murdering two men in the course of separate robberies, and Roselli marshaled federal resources to search his house, dig up his basement, even pore through his septic tank. But inside, he hurt. They hadnt spoken since she broke things off, blowing right through Valentines Day without even a text message. Danielle Imbo, Self: Vanished with Beth Holloway. Your sister, she told him, is being held in the boxcar of a train in Philadelphia. Petrone channels his pain into writing, posting poetry, prose and song lyrics, liberally referencing Springsteen, on the memorial website Richardpetrone.com: Nothing to sayEven less to feelTheres no more leftFor this sorrow to steal. At 23, she has moved past the fear, which dogged her as a teenager, that whatever evil took her dad will come back for his family. The message was that he needed to be civil, says Ottobre. Youve got to stop this, Pincus warned him. This would be the last time anyone saw them. And of the victims who knew their offenders, 62% were wives, common-law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Their relationship was going well when Danielle's ex-husband began attempting to rekindle their romance . Many people have been suspicious of Danielle's soon-to-be ex-husband Joe Imbo but he appeared to have a solid alibi. Imbo, circa 2005; Petrone's truck; Petrone's truck's license plate. Thetwo were family friends who had dated as teenagers before they began an on-again, off-again relationship as adults. Later, the two moved their festivities to the bar and restaurant where they were last seen. She and Richard Sr. had long-since grieved their son. Want to come have a drink? Richard asked. The person who suffers the most is my son. It was Joes weekend for visitation and he was scheduled to bring the boy back on Sunday morning. I have a conscience. She lived on Dunbarton Road in Mount Laurel in southern New Jersey in 2005; Petrone lived in South Philadelphia. Friends and volunteers canvassed neighborhoods for 100 miles in every direction, distributing pictures of Petrone's truck. Because it was nice to remember the good times.. The Mysterious Disappearance of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone Jr: A No bloodstains. We' re aggressively pursuing a scenario that's based on leads and tips we've received.". Laurel, New Jersey, and was separated from her husband at the time of her disappearance. Kimberly Riley & Jeremy Britt-Bayinthavong, Paul Skiba, Sarah Skiba, and Lorenzo Chivers, June & Jennifer Gibbons (The Silent Twins). The two clicked instantly. They were last seen at Abilene's bar and restaurant on South Street in Philadelphia, and Richard's best friend Rick Bellezzi told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the couple "left the club happy at about 11:45." But that was the last time they were seen. We don't even know if they made it to New Jersey.". Friends also swarmed into the picture. 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. What if Richard and Danielle decided to go park down on the piers and make out a bit? Joe Imbo, on the surface, seemed to be saying the right things, though. Danielle (Ottobre) Imbo and Richard Petrone Jr.: Missing or Found? Are That first Sunday Richard Jr. went missing, Marge Petrone felt her sons death lodge, as a certainty, in her gut, even as Richard Sr. sat down and called every hospital and police station in the region. Some even believe that it was the mob that carried it out. It is clear that this is a murder, right? Is that how it went down? So, maybe this case is cold because the police have been investigating murder-for-hire since 2008 and overlooking other explanations. The authorities have since come out and expressed suspicion of their own. Accessed 24 May 2022. Just days before he vanished, Petrone told his father he had angry words with Joe Imbo over the phone. Did the transfer take place on someone elses property? The feds, he says, put out that release to shake the tree. They got nothing. Through her best friend, Christine, she reconnected with her high school crush, Christine's older brother, thirty-five year old, single father Richard Petrone. Shed started dating another man, Richard Petrone. danielle imbo husband, joeare you required to disclose you were fired. THE DEATH OF A SIBLING or child felled short of a natural lifespan is always tragic. Nine vehicles were pulled out of the river yesterday, police said. I also have not ruled him out.. 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. Danielle was estranged from her husband, Joseph Imbo, who has a solid alibi for the night of the couple's disappearance.