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. She has worked as a loan mortgage processor. What it was like to speak to John Ottobre, Danielle's brother (29:30). You know and theyre labeled now as private property, no trespassing, they have some, you know, fencing up there. Danielle's estranged husband has been questionedbut never considered a suspect. Laurel, New Jersey home, all in the hope of shedding some light on the situation through a visual representation. Danielle's 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. 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. Shortly before she disappeared, Imbo told her husband and Petrone that she wanted "space" from both of them; she was reportedly considering ending her relationship with Petrone altogether. How the FBI thinks the truck was disposed of (28:10). 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. If youre an amateur sleuth like me, you immediately wanna pull up Google Earth and plot the location of the truck on South Street, the path Danielle and Richard walked from Abilene to get to the truck, the driving route they would take to get to Danielles Mt. This would be the last time anyone saw them. The sun set hours ago. She spent a lot of time in bars, performing or listening to bands, but wasnt a big drinker. Richards daughter, Angela, was 14, and Danielle had a son who was still a toddler. Through chance or planning, a criminal pulls off a crime with no witnesses and no evidence. Imbo, circa 2005; Petrone's truck; Petrone's truck's license plate. Sure, there are other ways to dispose of a vehicle. The relationship between them was fractured. On the one hand, Danielle and Richard had a few drinks that night. Nobody could say. He orders egg whites. 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. When he asks about his mom, we tell him she is an angel in heaven, says John. Nevertheless, their search got results. At the time, Danielle was married to her husband JoeImbo, but they were estranged, and Danielle was in the process of separating from him. Friends also swarmed into the picture. I have a conscience. Richard Petrone was described as 59 and about 150 pounds. "[11], In March 22, 2022, a private search and recovery dive team, Adventures with Purpose, announced they were actively working on the case. At an early press conference after the couple went missing, Marge Petrone even tried to confront Imbo the short Italian mom stepping right into the lean, raven-haired mans face? And two hours later, the reunited couple looked happy together. Danielle and Richard both had children from previous relationships. There are the obvious reasons, things weve seen before. In the fall of 2021 they took on 36 missing persons cases and actually found 11 missing people. In February 2005, Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone walked out of a South Street bar and disappeared. But several days later, he pulled a gray hoodie on against sub-freezing temperatures, walked the two blocks from his apartment to the South Philly Tap Room, and ate dinner alone. That there was foul play. He also believes multiple people know. He sees numerous possible culprits, motives and scenarios. 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. To most anyone watching, they were just another couple, out on a Saturday night at Abilenes on South Street, drinking a few beers and watching a band. Richard Jr. had just scored Springsteen tickets and was going to take his dad. by Anna Orso February 17, 2015 When Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone left a South Street bar 10 years ago Thursday, they left no trace. It could also be a car accident that ended in the same way, at the bottom of the river, with Richard and Danielle trapped inside. Photographs of the truck and license plate are posted with this case summary. You have to act. 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. 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. The piece relates the known facts of the case and gives a physical description of Danielle: She is described as a fair-skinned white woman, about 5 foot 5 and 120 pounds, with hazel eyes and brown hair. On the night they vanished, Danielle and Richard had met some Friends at a bar named Abilene's on the 400 Block of South Street in Philadelphia. Imbo at the time was in the process of separating from her husband, who according to reports is not considered a person of interest. John would later tell ABC7 Joe Imbo seemed surprised to find a bunch of Danielles family at her place, but she wasnt there. Police often wait as long as 48 hours to consider adults missing. The next morning members of both families were making phone calls, looking for Danielle and Richard. Its not hard to imagine South Street in February of 2005. If I was them, I wouldnt want to be around me either.. So when Danielle disappeared, I felt like I was the man of the family, the younger Ottobre says. Laurel, New Jersey, and was separated from her husband at the time of her disappearance. 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. [2] The couple had been involved in what family and friends describe as an "on again, off again" romantic relationship. He watches the games alone. That such a complicated future awaits an innocent 10-year-old boy seems particularly cruel. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious disappearance of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone. Friends, family search for missing couple. Allentown Morning Call, 09 04 2005, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102491020/friends-family-search-for-missing-coupl/. If, as the FBI maintained, this was a murder-for-hire, the person who hired the hitman likely furnished him with a description of Richards Dakota. The website for the Federal Bureau of Investigation holds listings for Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone Jr under the heading Kidnappings/Missing Persons. The listing reads simply: Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone were last seen leaving a bar/restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the late evening hours of February 19, 2005. Like maybe it was even up to me to find my sister., The family received lots of calls from psychics. Sometimes a family witness might be less-than-forthcoming with information in a criminal case due to a feeling of shame. The feds, he says, put out that release to shake the tree. They got nothing. 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. She had an appointment with a hair salon at 11:00 a.m. the day after she vanished, but never arrived. It is clear that this is a murder, right? His hair was once coal-black, but hes 42 now, and big patches of gray sprout at the sides of his head. Their case was also recapped on the podcast "Obsessed With Disappeared" in August 2022 in an episode titled "A Bridge Too Far: The Disappearance of Danielle Imbo & Richard Petrone". Really naive. The truck must be in a body of water somewhere. ABC 6 said Joe Imbo, the estranged husband, shared angry words with Petrone over the phone only days prior to his disappearance. It was, perhaps, a lost opportunity for the family to, at the very least, get a gauge for Joe Imbos body language. But the evidence, or lack of it, suggested a very particular kind of crime. 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. He went in and found the place dark, still and undisturbed. It only causes more problems.. He appears worn down the dark good looks he bore when he met Danielle beginning to whiten and wrinkle. She could tear through three books in a week, especially murder mysteries. Through her best friend, Christine, she reconnected with her high school crush, Christine's older brother, thirty-five year old, single father Richard Petrone. Unfortunately, none of them had their heads in that place. Their loved ones believe foul play was involved in their cases, and both families have accused members of the other family of causing their disappearances. Joseph Imbo as well as relatives of Petrone and friends of Danielle Imbo all said that she told both men she did not want to spend her life with either of them not long before she and Petrone disappeared. "It was somewhat of a surprise," Petrone Sr. said. That is our setting, because thats where Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone disappeared. She was wearing a jacket, cream colored sweater, blue jeans and carrying a black purse. As I told you earlier, Danielles brother, John Ottobre, showed up looking for her at her condo that morning when he heard she had missed her hair appointment. Accessed 24 May 2022. Marge, the talker, keeps going, her eyes always wet with tears that roll slowly down her cheeks, like blood pumping from a wound. They were even overheard making plans for the next day. But the night no doubt meant something special to him, because she was there. The best detectives will tell you, they consider all options. Based on everything Ive read, no. By Tuesday, he, too, was sure his son was dead. 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. But the gulf left by Richards passing sits between them and the rest of the world, enormous and untraversable. Nobody could imagine a scenario in which they would abandon their kids willingly. It was not a willful disappearance. 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. He reportedly didnt date much until he reconnected with Danielle. The case, as a disappearance, had been handled by Philadelphia South Detectives, but was now due to be transferred to the homicide unit. Once, the footsteps came very fast, almost tumbling down the stairs. The person who suffers the most is my son. Listen to "Danielle Imbo & Richard Petrone Jr." on Spreaker. Their relationship was going well when Danielle's ex-husband began attempting to rekindle their romance. Cold case. Do you have information that could bring resolution to this case? If the person driving the truck was consumed with homicidal and suicidal intent, he or she could have easily driven the truck into the icy February waters of the Delaware River in a spot where we havent found it yet. Both were single parents - Richard's daughter was 14 at the time, and Danielle's son was oneyear old. What if Richard and Danielle decided to go park down on the piers and make out a bit? 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. Imbo, age 34, was a resident of Mt. NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN FOUND not a bolt, not a screw, not a purse or a hair, no clue at all to explain what happened that night more than nine years ago. Authorities have questioned associates of both people. Listen to the FBI: Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to call the Citizens Crime Commission tip line at 215-546-TIPS (215-546-8477). 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. "They vanished," John Ottobre [told the Philadelphia Daily News.] Maybe theres a totally different explanation for the disappearance; an alternate chain of events that we havent even considered. THE DEATH OF A SIBLING or child felled short of a natural lifespan is always tragic. Then he called his sister, who was with Danielle. We're looking very closely at a murder-for-hire scenario," said FBI spokeswoman Jerri Williams. We dont say anything about her being missing. Richard and Danielle six months before they vanished. Imbo was employed as a loan processor for a mortgage company at the time of her disappearance, working out of her home. The statement reiterated the facts of the case, then mentioned a reward. Less-than-perfect families are sometimes shamed by investigators or regarded with skepticism in a way that causes them to stop communicating helpfully. Even four months later, at a concert to benefit Danielles son, John told reporters the family still hoped she would turn up alive. Its awful. I dont blame people for not wanting to be around us, says Marge. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. Now I know what real love is, she told friends. Their moms enjoyed a friendship of their own. The Kings Speech: What Kids Should Know About MLKs Dream, Your Guide to This Weeks Eagles-Giants Playoff Game. Accessed 24 May 2022. [8] Media accounts state that both had close relationships with their children and families and were unlikely to have voluntarily disappeared. Richard and Danielles relationship always bore this extra wrinkle: Danielle was his sisters best friend, dating back to high school. [6][7], Imbo, Petrone, and their vehicle were not seen again after the night of February 19, 2005. DANIELLE IMBO. FBI.gov, https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/danielle-imbo. Laurel, New Jersey, and was separated from her husband at the time of her disappearance. Volunteers fanned out a hundred miles in every direction. Police usually wait 48 hours to begin amissing person search, but the families started immediately. Today would be [Richard] Petrone's 36th birthday, according to a family website. Danielle Imbo is known for Vanished with Beth Holloway (2011), The Vanished Podcast (2016) and Crime Junkie (2017). We don't even know if they made it to New Jersey.". Danielle was estranged from her husband, Joseph Imbo, who has a solid alibi for the night of the couple's disappearance. But what will stay with me is something he said about his son. 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. Laurel home looking for her. Want to come have a drink? Richard asked. I also have not ruled him out.. She lives her entire day with a sick feeling in her stomach, like something is wrong. To find out what happened, and to see justice done.. Two years after that, their son, little Joe, grounded her. Laurel Woman, 34, missing since Feb. 19. Camden Courier-Post, 26 02 2005, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102465632/. Imbo took a lie-detector test, but Roselli wont discuss the results. By early-March, a reward fund had already grown to $12,000 for information on the whereabouts of Danielle and Richard. . Unfortunately, in this case, we cant do that because nobody has any idea where Richard was parked. Chimneys all over the city belch hot gasses into the frigid indigo sky. 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. When a song his son loved floods the vehicle, his loss arrives with every line. Richard loved music, and never missed a Springsteen show. 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. Their case was featured on the podcast Crime Junkie on May 11, 2020. In April, police said publicly they did not believe the couple simply ran away, which eliminated one possibility. Their friends stated that both of them behaved normally and seemed happy that evening. Richard Petrones best friend, Rick Bellezzi, would tell a reporter They left the club happy at about 11:45.. Details: Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone were last seen leaving a. Danielle was stymied. Dani's ex-husband, Joe Imbo, was due to drop off their son at Dani's house at 5:00 pm, and it looked like she wasn't going to be there to meet him. He is married, the father of 11-year-old twin boys, and describes himself as bitter. Before she went missing, during football season he and Danielle would watch the Eagles, and if the team needed a score, hed hide his face until his sister gave my head a squeeze so Id know it was safe to look. Now, Sunday is just Sunday. Danielle Imbo, 34, worked from home for a mortgage company andwas the lead singer ofa New Jersey rock band. If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. [2] The couple had been involved in what family and friends describe as an "on again, off again" romantic relationship. Imbo and her boyfriend,Richard Petrone, were last seen at Abilene's (sometime's spelled "Abeline's" or "Abiline's"), a bar and restaurant in the 400 block of South Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 2005. You cant imagine outliving your child.. The two clicked instantly. Shes my sister, he says. 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. Their cellular phones have stayed turned off. A police dredging operation rumored to be related. Three to five remained in the murky water after the search was stalled by bad weather, but police said none was known to be a Dodge Dakota. 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. 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. 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. 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. And neither wanted to hear that their dearest had been the target. Ill admit, that part makes me a little nervous. They get on the phone with old friends from time to time. The two clicked instantly. She and Richard Sr. had long-since grieved their son. A police marine unit was searching the river at Cumberland because it was a "known dumping point" for stolen vehicles and cars involved in insurance fraud, a police spokesman said. The two were dating. 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 -. It was Joes weekend for visitation and he was scheduled to bring the boy back on Sunday morning. And thats why were out here scanning and searching each one of these, to make sure that we clear the entire area, to make sure theres no vehicles underwater that we need to clear. And if so, who and why? John immediately called Mount Laurel detective Ed Pincus, who was still working on the case. He slides into the drivers seat of the family car and with a flick of his wrist flips the engine over and the radio on. Searching for Richard Petrone, Jr. and Danielle Imbo, South Philadelphia Police Department It's like you're in this awful dream, and you're caught in quicksand.". There are a million Hollywood reasons like that. Thirty-four year old Danielle Imbo was going through a divorce and raising her eighteen month old son. And of the victims who knew their offenders, 62% were wives, common-law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. He was with his dad, Joe Imbo. 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. 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. Imbo took a lie-detector test, but Roselli won't discuss the results. But I felt like I had to do it for my mother.. Danielles brother, also John Ottobre, named after their father, arrived at her Mt. Neither of them have been heard from again. Richard was in the wrong place at the wrong time, she said. The details offered by the Philadelphia Daily News, however, were not good. They had drinks with friends at the establishment before leaving between 11:30 and 11:45 p.m.; they stated they were going to Imbo's home in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Unfortunately, as is so common with cold cases, the flow of information in Danielle and Richards disappearance has dwindled to a trickle. No bloodstains. [1] Petrone, age 35, resided in Philadelphia and worked at his family's bakery. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Richard Petrone Sr. considered the admission from the FBI a small victory. Accessed 24 May 2022. But panic didnt really set in until 3 p.m., when Danielles son, little Joe, was due to be dropped back home by his father. They dont make the papers every day. It could be, but most agree its unlikely. Missing Memories. Philadelphia Daily News, 10 02 2015, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102526697/missing-memories/. The former covergirl, 39, detailed her troubled past and battle with mental health . In Philly, they give it a while, to see how it shakes out. At around 11:45 p.m., they got up to leave. It never goes away, Marge Petrone said. The message was that he needed to be civil, says Ottobre. 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/. [3] [4] [5] We used to be fun, and now were always sad. Originally published in the April 2014 issue of Philadelphia magazine. From the inside out, with guilt and suspicion and shame and resentment. I wait till hes nearly finished, just moving bits of egg around with his fork, before I ask, flat out: You had nothing to do with the disappearance of your wife? Imbo also said he tried to win his estranged wife back. Imbo's purse and wallet have not been located. Danielle and Richards names appeared in the local print media a little less frequently as time went by, but even when it did, you and I both know it didnt amount to much, because Richard and Danielle are still missing. This is how murder and disappearances destroy families. So if we just take Agent Rosellis word for it (he is the expert after all) and assume it is foul play, my personal reflex, not just in this case but in almost every case, is to suspect the ex-spouse first. When his son lived upstairs, he would hear slow footsteps before Richard Jr. came down to start his own workday. 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. From every perspective. In the spring of 2022, a privately-funded dive research team from Oregon, Adventures with Purpose, announced they were taking an interest in the case and they were riding high with a surprising success rate considering the cold case nature of the disappearances theyd recently investigated. After host Andy Cohen mentioned a Deux Moi report that claimed a . Many people have been suspicious of Danielle's soon-to-be ex-husband Joe Imbo but he appeared to have a solid alibi. Petrone's friends, Anthony Valentino and his wifeMichelle McLaughlin, joined Imbo and Petrone at the restaurant. "Tips throughout time have indicated logically that this is not a kidnapping case.

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