18 Years Ago, This Couple Mysteriously Vanished From Philadelphia After Spending An Evening At A Bar With Their Friends
The mysterious and unexpecting vanishing of a Philadelphia-based couple has had the public and their loved ones puzzled for years, and the FBI and other search groups are still seeking information on what may have happened to them.
Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone Jr. went missing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after a pleasant evening in a bar with friends in 2005. A complicated relationship history brought them together, but no one expected them to disappear without contact.
Danielle and Richard were Philadelphia natives and had a passion for music. Danielle’s father was a singer, and she also loved singing and attending concerts. Prior to her disappearance, Danielle worked as a loan processor and was a dedicated mother to her 18-month-old son, Joe Jr., who she had with her ex-husband, Joe Imbo.
Richard was a hard-working, family-oriented man who was a single father to his teenage daughter, Angela, and worked at his family’s bakery, Viking Pastries. He and Danielle grew up in the same neighborhood and were childhood friends.
In 2004, Danielle and Joe allegedly filed for divorce after he was unfaithful. This led to Danielle and Richard reconnecting, and they started dating. However, Danielle and Richard allegedly would have to take breaks as she worked through her painful divorce with Joe, who some have said had an intense temper and would get aggressive during some of their arguments.
On February 19th, 2005, Danielle and Richard reunited for a night out, as Joe had Danielle’s son, and Richard allegedly wanted to see some live music. Richard drove them in his 2001 black Dodge Dakota, and they met up with his friends Michelle and Anthony at a bar named Abilene’s on Philadelphia’s South Street.
Danielle and Richard allegedly had a great time at the bar, and it was a pleasant evening. Then, they left around 11:45 pm, and it was believed that Richard would be driving Danielle back to her home in Mount Laurel, New Jersey before he returned home.
But unfortunately, the moment they walked out of the bar would be the last time anyone saw them.
When Danielle missed her hair appointment and wasn’t home to get her son during her ex-husband’s drop-off time, her family knew something was wrong. Richard’s family hadn’t heard from him either, which was unusual.
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After alerting the authorities, Danielle’s family drove around and searched for her. However, even after 18 years, no one has come up with any solid evidence that indicates what could’ve happened to them, and Richard’s car hasn’t been found.
Danielle’s ex-husband and Richard’s friends, who saw them last at the bar, were investigated and are not suspected of being involved in their vanishing. Earlier this year, the FBI stated that they were still actively investigating Danielle and Richard’s case but that despite getting some promising leads, they still haven’t been able to locate Danielle, Richard, or the vehicle.
In 2022, the internet-famous search and recovery dive team Adventures with Purpose announced they’d be looking into Danielle and Richard’s disappearance and began searching for any evidence they could find in the Delaware River.
Although over a decade has passed, Danielle and Richard’s family are still searching for closure.
At the time of Danielle’s disappearance, she was five foot five, weighed 118 pounds, and had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She also had a tattoo of flowers on her lower back and would have been 52 years old today.
At the time of Richard’s disappearance, he was five foot nine, weighed 200 pounds, and had brown hair and blue eyes. He also had the name ‘Angela’ tattooed on his left bicep and wore eyeglasses. He would have been 54 years old today.
If you have any information regarding their case, you are urged to contact the South Philadelphia Police Department at (215) 686-3013.
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