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Richard Petrone, Danielle Imbo: ‘Disappeared’ Focuses On Missing Philadelphia Couple Who Vanished From Bar

By Traciy Reyes
Published on: 12:08 PST, Jun 10, 2017

Richard Petrone and Danielle Imbo, two lovers, vanished into thin air from a Philadelphia bar in 2005. Their bodies have never been found. Disappeared will chronicle the missing persons case on Investigation Discovery. The victim’s family members and law enforcement officials will provide details for the story.

Danielle Imbo, 34, and Richard Petrone, 35, were last seen having drinks in the Abilene bar in Philadelphia. Friends at the bar said they saw the couple leave. They also told detectives that Richard Petrone stated they were headed to Danielle’s home in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey reported.

From there, the couple disappeared and hasn’t been heard from since. Police have also been unable to locate Richard Petrone’s car. Loved ones have struggled to find answers as to how both the couple and Petrone’s truck could vanish into thin air.

The investigation in 2005 revealed few clues. The couple’s cell phones had gone unanswered, and their credit cards had not been used. All activity seemed to cease right after Richard and Danielle left the club. Police were hopeful that bridge toll video footage could offer more clues. However, those efforts have failed to turn up any evidence. Relatives on both sides of the investigation say that Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone would never walk off and leave their children.

Weeks after Richard and Danielle’s disappearance, friends, family, and police agencies organized searches to find them. A hefty reward was also offered to anyone with information. FBI investigators and local detectives believe that someone was after only one of them. Those who are familiar with the case believe that Danielle Imbo was most likely the target due to her complicated love life, which involved her estranged husband and her recent re-connection to Richard Petrone.

Danielle Imbo wanted to take a step back from her relationship with her husband, Joseph Imbo, and her current lover, Richard. Distancing herself would give her the time she needed to be alone. Dealing with them both had gotten to be too much for the single mother.

Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone had known each other since they were teens in high school. They had also dated previously, records show. When Danielle finally separated from her husband, Richard Petrone began dating her. They brought two children into the relationship with them. Danielle was a single mom to a child, and Richard was a single father.

During the early years of the investigation, the case was profiled on Nancy Grace and America’s Most Wanted.

Local residents have not been shy about discussing several theories. Speculation regarding what could have happened to Danielle and Richard includes a possible robbery motive, and most recently, according to Big Trial, some involvement with the Pagans. Others believe that Danielle Imbo’s estranged husband knows more than he has revealed. However, it has been said that Danielle’s family doesn’t believe that he was ever involved.

What Are They Saying On YouTube About This Case?

“This still gets to me after aw these yrs they still haven’t been found i pray that someone can come forward and help there family.

“The ‘perfect’ crime was committed, ex hubby dubby ran off to North Carolina. I remember this case well. Hubby was in Tom’s River New Jersey when they disappeared supposedly! HMMM!!”

Danielle Imbo’s husband has never been named as a suspect. Still, with so many unanswered questions after more than a decade, there has been a lot of finger-pointing and blame, as Disappeared‘s documentary will show.

Richard Petrone was last seen driving his black 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup truck. The license plate number is YFH-2319. According to ABC-6 Action News, Petrone and Imbo are described below.

“Petrone is 5’9” tall, 200 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He had a tattoo that read ‘Angela’ on his left arm and one with clowns on his right arm. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers.

“Imbo was described as 5’5? tall, 117 pounds, with hazel eyes, fair skin and brown hair. She had a tattoo of flowers on her lower back. She was wearing a black jacket, cream-colored sweater and blue jeans.”

Disappeared airs every Sunday at 8/7 p.m. Central on Investigation Discovery. The episode that will cover the Richard Petrone case is called “A Bridge Too Far.”

[Featured Image by Joseph Kaczmarek/AP Images]

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