Foul play suspected in disappearances of 4 men in Pennsylvania

Photos courtesy Bucks County District Attorney

By Madison Park

(CNN) -- Four young men in Pennsylvania disappeared last week in a baffling series of events that have authorities suspecting foul play.

Local and state investigators as well as the FBI are involved in a massive search for the four missing men in an area north of Philadelphia.

Jimi Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township went missing Wednesday. The remaining three -- Tom Meo, 21, of Plumstead Township, Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg and Dean Finnochiaro, 18, of Middletown Township -- were last seen Friday.

Patrick was last seen at 6 p.m. Wednesday and was reported missing the next day after he had no contact with friends or family and didn't show up to work, according to Newtown Township police.

Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said Tuesday that they were in an "all hands on deck" investigation of a 90-acre property in Solebury Township. About 40 to 50 people were helping in the search, Weintraub said.

"We need the public's help right now," he said. "Keep those tips coming. We are running down every single tip you give us."

Meo and Sturgis were last seen together Friday night near the Doylestown area in Bucks County, CNN affiliate KYW-TV in Philadelphia reported. Sturgis' father had said the two are friends, according to the station.

Finocchiaro got into a vehicle around 6:30 p.m. Friday and hasn't been seen or heard from since, according to the Middletown Township police.

Authorities said the four men may know each other, Weintraub said, but are working to confirm that information.

When asked if foul play was involved, he said, "It sure would seem so."

"We've been treating this from the outset as a criminal investigation, and nothing has deterred that from this point," he said at a press conference Monday. But he said he couldn't share more information at this time.

Search and rescue dogs, and backhoes arrived at the Solebury Township property Monday, according to KYW.

"The leads are incredibly hot, they're fruitful. We're making great progress. But there's so much more work to do," Weintraub said.

When asked whether he thought the missing men were alive, the district attorney replied, "I hope and I pray that would be the best outcome. I just have to go wherever the evidence takes me. I don't know the answer to that."

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2017 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.  

 

Share this article: