Law enforcement officials across the Treasure Coast report four active missing person cases dating back to 2018.
The nationwide spotlight on North Port, Florida, residents Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie reported missing over the summer sparked renewed interest in local missing person cases.
Petito stopped communicating with family in late August during her travels with Laundrie aross the United States. Her remains were found in a remote part of Wyoming on Sept. 19. Laundrie was named a “person of interest” in her death. His remains were found at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Florida, a month later. Police officials have said they suspect he killed himself.
Active missing person cases in the Treasure Coast
On the Treasure Coast, people deemed missing for a lengthy time period by law enforcement officials range in age from 17 to 73. They were reported missing to either the Fort Pierce Police Department or to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office between 2018 and 2021.
Sheriff’s offices in Martin and St. Lucie counties, as well as police in Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach, Fellsmere and Sebastian reported no active missing person cases.
A Port St. Lucie police official said the department routinely deals with what are considered runaway juveniles, as other area law enforcement officials also reported. Those cases are either resolved by a safe return home or are ongoing with contact made with the runaway.
The only reported active missing person case of 2021 emerged out of Fort Pierce.
Jamarria James
The 17-year-old was reported missing May 18, according to the Fort Pierce Police Department, which, on Oct. 7, posted on social media seeking help from the public.
The Facebook post contained no identifying information about Jamarria and stated her whereabouts were unknown.
Police spokesperson Curtis Jennings said officers are “still reaching out to the public.
“She is still considered (missing).”
According to police, she was last seen walking north on North Second Street in Fort Pierce toward Avenue A.
She was wearing a red shirt with black dots; blue jean pants and a gray jacket. She’s described as being just over 5 feet tall and weighing roughly 140 pounds.
Restaurants, bars and offices make up most of the businesses along the busy storefront-lined street. Police searched the area but did not find her.
Police state she was reported missing by Communities Connected for Kids, a child welfare social services organization in the 100 block of North Second Street.
Anyone with information about Jamarria James is asked to call Fort Pierce police Detective Alexander Quiles at 772-979-1462 or email him at Aquiles@fppd.org.
Rusty Meye
Meye, 59, was reported missing by his landlord on Oct. 17, 2020.
Indian River County sheriff’s detectives learned he was last seen six days earlier at a trailer he’d rented since 2018 at 6355 69th Street, which is a tree farm in northwest Indian River County.
Meye did not have a valid driver’s license and walked with a limp because of back problems and injuries caused by a motorcycle crash a year earlier, according to a Sheriff’s Office case report.
The report shows Meye’s cell phone and three vehicles were all at his home and detectives found no information inside that would hint at where he might be.
They also reported finding no prescription bottles inside the mobile home, despite Meye’s known need for pain medication for his injuries, according to a case report.
Meye’s brother told detectives he had not spoken with him since Oct. 3 when Meye called him asking for help with rent and groceries.
At the one-year mark of his disappearance the Sheriff’s Office produced a video seeking help from the public. Sheriff’s Detective Phil Daugherty said he considered foul play a factor in Meye’s disappearance.
He said Meye has several siblings and relatives but none in the area and asked for the public to call 772-978-6163 with any information about Meye.
Amanda Towne
April 27, 2020: IRCSO recovers items linked to missing woman
The 27-year-old was last said to be seen at a home just outside Fellsmere city limits on March 2, 2020, according to Indian River County Sheriff’s Office records.
Detectives said they believe her disappearance to be the result of crime.
Case records show Towne was reported missing by a family member March 5, 2020.
Sheriff’s detectives learned she was last seen by someone at a home in the 13400 block of 99th St. three days earlier in the early morning hours of March 2.
In the months to follow, searches by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office deputies and nonprofit groups led to the discovery of several items considered as evidence, including her purse which was found along a canal bank blocks from the home.
In a video published June 30 on Facebook, Sheriff Eric Flowers and detectives discussed the case and said there were multiple people they were interested in as suspects, but asked the public — especially Fellsmere residents — to report anything they know about the case or remember from the time of her disappearance.
The agency asked anyone with information about Towne to call Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-8477 or go to tcwatch.org.
Assunta Susy Tomassi
March 12, 2020: 2 years later, Susy Tomassi family still seeks answers in disappearance
Assunta “Susy” Tomassi will be missing four years in March. She disappeared from her family-owned restaurant in early 2018.
Family members said the then 73-year-old was in the first stages of dementia when she went to the back porch of The Quilted Giraffe, at 500 U.S. 1, on March 16 around 5:15 p.m. according to a sheriff’s report.
She and her husband Patrizio Tomassi, now 60, co-owned the restaurant and lived in Lakewood Park in St. Lucie County at the time, records show. The restaurant has since been demolished and the land sold. There’s an emergency medical facility on the site.
Patrizio Tomassi reported his wife missing around 6:45 p.m. telling deputies he looked for her for 1 ½ hours in a nearby plaza off U.S. 1 and Oslo Road where she frequently shopped, but couldn’t find her.
Searches in nearby swampy conservation land had no results. In 2019, detectives released surveillance footage enhanced by the FBI.
New Video Shows White Truck Picking up Pedestrian (1)
Officials said it showed for the first time what is thought to be the last known sighting of Tomassi.
In footage from what appears to be a camera near a generator behind Publix in South Vero Square, a large white pickup pulls up to Oslo Road and stops as a figure similar in build to Tomassi passes behind its tailgate walking west.
The person returns to the truck and gets in the passenger side before the truck pulls away appearing to go east on Oslo Road, which ends at a boat ramp and conservation area.
Anyone with information about Tommassi’s whereabouts is asked to call detectives at 772-321-0784 in reference to case number 2018-47014 for a $30,000 reward.
Donald Waters
The Vero Beach man, 42, disappeared after setting out overnight in an inflatable kayak in early August from Sexton Plaza beach.
Waters was last heard from Aug. 3 around 10:30 a.m. by friends he’d called from the water where he’d been since at least 2:30 a.m. that morning.
More:Missing kayaker’s brother says Donald Waters ‘could make anybody laugh … ‘
Vero Beach police investigated Waters’ disappearance as a missing person case, but it is no longer active.
Police and family members said they believe heavy storms and strong windsg likely capsized his kayak after carrying him out to sea. His body has not been found.
Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.