2000 Pishon, Curtis, 07/04/00, Hampton

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5-4-2006





Family continues search for man who vanished

By Patrick Cronin
pcronin@seacoastonline.com


HAMPTON - Four years ago, Curtis Pishon, a security guard at Venture Corp., went to work on July 4 and has not been seen since.
The mystery surrounding his disappearance and what happened that night still baffles the Seabrook Police Department and Pishon’s family members.

Pishon’s family members have their suspicions, but nothing to back them up.

Pishon, of 9 Highland Ave., Hampton, would turn 45 this month.

"I believe he was abducted and murdered," said Nicholas John Pishon, Curtis’ younger brother.

Little is known.

The last time family members saw Curtis was July 3, 2000. On that day, Curtis paid his father $200 to buy a gun he had sold to his father several years earlier when Curtis was low on cash.

On July 4, Curtis, who worked for Reliable Security Guard Agency, reported to work at Venture Corp.

Curtis’ supervisor called him at midnight July 5 to see if everything was OK. At that time, Curtis told the supervisor nothing was wrong at the plant.

Two hours later, Curtis called the Fire Department to report that his car was engulfed in flames.

The Fire Department put out the fire, but the car was a total loss. Police said a firefighter who spoke with Curtis at the scene reported that he seemed calm despite the condition of his car.

The last time Curtis was seen again was at 3:15 a.m. Several coworkers told police they saw him walking around the building.

Then he disappeared, according to a report from The Associated Press. The last entry in the guard log was at 2 a.m., when Curtis reported the fire.

The first person to notice he was missing was a worker who arrived at 3:45 a.m. Curtis’ burned-out car was still parked at the gate, and his cigarettes and contact lens solution were inside the guard shack, according to the AP report.

A nightshift foreman reported to police that he saw two vehicles racing out of the driveway around that time but wasn’t able to give police a description of the vehicles.

When police searched the scene, they found a few vending machines had been vandalized and a door was kicked in.

The fire that destroyed Curtis’ car was labeled "suspicious," but investigators didn’t find any accelerant in the car nor could they find any accidental cause for the fire.

Family members said they believe Curtis was murdered, but they don’t know by whom.

They said they don’t believe that Curtis would have committed suicide (in searching his hotel room, police found the gun, still wrapped in the paper bag his father sold it to him in) or that he would have picked up and left the area for good to start a new life.

If he committed suicide, a body would have been found.

No activity has been recorded on any of Pishon’s bank accounts or credit cards.

The Seabrook Police Department said the case is still under investigation although there haven’t been any leads in a while.

Nicholas Pishon said in the months before Curtis’ disappearance, he told them that he was concerned about his safety at work and that he suspected that illegal activities were going on in the parking lot.

Curtis also told his parents that he worried about working unarmed and said a worker at the plant had threatened to kill him over a parking ticket Curtis had given him.

The family also said Curtis could have been murdered in retaliation from his days as a police officer at the Concord Police Department.

But there is no evidence to back up any of the theories.

Family members refuse to rest until they find out what happened to Curtis.

Each year, the family puts advertisements in local newspapers asking for information about what happened the night of Curtis’ disappearance.

The case was also featured on the TV show "Unsolved Mysteries."

But no new information has surfaced.

The Pishon family is offering a reward for any information concerning the disappearance of Curtis Pishon. Anyone with information is asked to call 746-6568, or the Seabrook police at 474-5200.

At the time of his disappearance, Pishon, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was described as a 5-foot-9-inch white male, weighing 165 pounds, having slightly graying brown hair, with brown eyes and a mustache.


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[PorchlightUSA]

July 4 time of sadness for family

By Julien Vernet
hamptonunion@seacoastonline.com


Seacoastonline.com
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SEABROOK - While most Fourth of July revelers associate the holiday with fireworks, barbecues and conspicuous displays of patriotism, this time of year has a far more somber significance for the Pishon family.

Curtis Pishon, whose 44th birthday is this Friday, has been missing since July 5, 2000. A retired police officer, Pishon was last seen at Venture Corp. in Seabrook, where he worked as a security guard.

Though the circumstances of Pishon’s disappearance are unknown, his father, Nicholas Pishon, said he has always believed his son was abducted and murdered.

He said his son would not have left willingly during his shift, especially since his lunch, glasses and cigarettes were left at the scene.

"He was a smoker, and smokers don’t just walk off and leave their cigarettes," said Nicholas Pishon. "We knew at the time that he was abducted, but we don’t know what the rationale was."

Forced to retire from the Concord Police Department because of his multiple sclerosis, Pishon received a pension that he drew on regularly. Since early July 2000, there have been no pension collections and no activity on any of Pishon’s bank accounts and credit cards, said his father.

"Curtis would not just disappear like that," Nicholas Pishon said. "He has multiple sclerosis and couldn’t just walk away. He would have contacted us."

The Pishon family has had little contact with the Seabrook Police Department since an inconclusive meeting with the department and the attorney general in August 2000.

"Nobody could come up with anything," Nicholas Pishon said of the parties’ attempt to determine what happened.

Sgt. Robert Granlund, an officer with the Seabrook Police Department, said his department was still conducting an active investigation of Pishon’s disappearance and that it follows up on every lead received.

"Unfortunately, as of late, we’ve had no leads," said Granlund.

Granlund said Pishon’s case was "out of the norm," and he had not seen anything like it in his 15 years with the department.

"Usually, we are dealing with juvenile runaways, and he is one of the first who has never been located in some form or fashion," he said.

In the weeks following Pishon’s disappearance, a search of the area surrounding Venture Corp. came up with nothing. Despite the Seabrook Police Department’s ongoing investigation and several airings of the case on the television show, "Unsolved Mysteries," no information as to what happened the morning of Pishon’s disappearance has surfaced.

"They say they don’t have anything to go on, so there’s nothing to tell us, I guess," said Nicholas Pishon.

Nicholas John Pishon, Curtis’ younger brother by a year, is certain his brother’s disappearance was not voluntary.

"There was an abduction and a murder," said Nicholas John Pishon, who turned 43 on Sunday. Asked whether he had any theories on how or why this would happen, he said the possibilities were endless.

"It could have been anything from some sort of operation gone awry at the site to something much more random," he said.

The Pishon family is offering a reward for any information concerning the disappearance of Curtis Pishon. Anyone with information is asked to call the Pishon family, at 746-6568, or the Seabrook Police, at 474-5200.

[PorchlightUSA]

Friday, July 14, 2000
Ex-officer mysteriously disappears

By Lara Bricker, Hampton Union Staff Writer



HAMPTON — Police have few clues in the disappearance of a former Concord police officer who was last seen two weeks ago when his car caught fire in Seabrook, where he was working as a security officer.

Curtis Pishon, 41, of 9 Highland Ave., Hampton, was working an overnight shift as a security officer at Venture Corporation on July 5 when his car caught on fire in the parking lot, according to Seabrook police. He alerted the Seabrook Fire Department just after 2 a.m., and the fire was quickly extinguished. The car was destroyed by the fire and was not able to be driven, Seabrook Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Brown said.

"We have no idea how it started," Brown said of the fire.

The Seabrook firefighters were the last to see Pishon. The next morning, someone at Venture noticed the burned car still sitting in the parking lot and called Seabrook Police to have it towed, Seabrook Police Chief Paul Cronin said Wednesday afternoon. Cronin said the car fire is being treated as suspicious and samples have been sent to the lab where they will be tested for evidence of accelerants.

Police searched the grounds of Venture and the area with no results, the chief said.

"We're looking into everything," he said. "The investigation is ongoing."

At this point, Pishon's disappearance is not being considered suspicious Cronin said, but police are asking anyone who may have seen something during the early morning hours of July 5 to contact them. Pishon was wearing a light blue security shirt.

Pishon had lived in an apartment in the Highland Inn for the past year and a half, but kept to himself, according to Sean O'Brien, the inn's owner.

"He was pretty much a loner," O'Brien said. "Everybody liked him."

O'Brien said Pishon's story is a sad one as he suffered from multiple sclerosis, which made it necessary for him to quit his job with the Concord Police Department. He knew the disease caused Pishon a lot of pain, but he never complained. O'Brien suspected he was depressed.

"I'm surprised, that's all I can say," O'Brien said. "He paid his rent on time."

He didn't have many visitors, but occasionally his parents who live about an hour away would come to see him. His brother, who lives somewhere in the Midwest, also visited sometimes.

"I hope he's okay," O'Brien said.

Pishon's parents came and cleared his belongings out of his room at the inn. Both Hampton and Seabrook police had searched the room previously but found nothing indicating Pishon's whereabouts.

If anyone has information regarding Pishon's whereabouts, they are urged to call Seabrook police at 474-5200.

[PorchlightUSA]

RELEASED BY: Attorney General Philip T. McLaughlin
CONTACT: Kelly A. Ayotte, Senior Assistant Attorney General
SUBJECT: Disappearance of Curtis Pishon in Seabrook, N.H.
DATE: August 31, 2000
RELEASE TIME: 9:00 a.m.

Attorney General Philip T. McLaughlin and Seabrook Chief of Police Paul J. Cronin announce that the Seabrook Police Department is seeking information concerning the disappearance of Hampton resident, Curtis Pishon (d/o/b 7/11/59).
Mr. Pishon was last seen during the early morning hours of July 5, 2000 when he disappeared from the premises of Venture Corporation in Seabrook, N.H. Mr. Pishon was employed as a security guard at Venture Corporation at the time of his disappearance.

Mr. Pishon is a retired police officer. He retired from the Concord Police Department due to a medical disability. Mr. Pishon suffers from multiple sclerosis.

Mr. Pishon is described as a 5'9", white male, weighing 165 lbs., having slightly graying brown hair, brown eyes, and a mustache. When Mr. Pishon was last seen, he was wearing a Reliable Security Uniform (light blue over dark) and new boots.

Anyone having any information concerning Mr. Pishon's disappearance, should contact: Seabrook N.H. Police Crime Line (603) 474-2640 or the Seabrook Police Department (603) 474-5200.

[PorchlightUSA]

Thursday, July 13, 2000
Man's whereabouts remains a mystery

By Lara Bricker, Portsmouth Herald Staff Writer




HAMPTON - Police here have few clues in the disappearance of a former Concord police officer who was last seen two weeks ago when his car caught fire in Seabrook, where he was working as a security officer.

Curtis Pishon, 41, of 9 Highland Ave., Hampton, was working an overnight shift as a security officer at Venture Corp. on July 5, when his car caught fire in the parking lot, according to Seabrook police. He alerted the Seabrook Fire Department just after 2 a.m., and the fire was quickly extinguished. The car was destroyed and unable to be driven, Seabrook Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Brown said.

"We have no idea how it started," Brown said of the fire.

Seabrook firefighters were the last to see Pishon. The next morning, someone at Venture noticed the burned car still sitting in the parking lot and called police to have it towed. Seabrook Chief of Police Paul Cronin said the car fire is being treated as suspicious and samples have been sent to the lab to be tested for evidence of accelerants.

Police searched the grounds of Venture and the surrounding area with no results.

"We're looking into everything," the chief said. "The investigation is ongoing."

At this point, Pishon's disappearance is not being treated as suspicious. Police are asking anyone who may have seen something during the early morning hours of July 5 to contact them. When he was last seen Pishon was wearing a light-blue security shirt.

At the time the officer disappeared, he was living in an apartment in the Highland Inn, where he had been for the past year and a half. The inn's owner, Sean O'Brien, said Pishon kept to himself.

"He was pretty much a loner. Everybody liked him," O'Brien said.

According to O'Brien, Pishon suffers from multiple sclerosis, which caused him a lot of pain.

The inn's owner said he suspected Pishon was depressed.

"I'm surprised, that's all I can say," O'Brien said. "He paid his rent on time."

O'Brien said the officer didn't have many visitors, but occasionally his parents who live about an hour away would come to see him. His brother, who lives somewhere in the Midwest, also had visited.

"I hope he's OK," O'Brien said.

Pishon's parents have cleared his belongings out of his room at the inn. Both Hampton and Seabrook police had searched the room previously but found nothing indicating where Pishon might

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[PorchlightUSA]

No information on an investigation of the disappearance of Curtis Pishon will be released, according to the attorney general's office, unless there is an arrest in the case.

No arrests had been made by Thursday afternoon, said Senior Assistant Attorney General Jeff Strelzin, chief of the homicide unit in Concord.

Unless an arrest is made, Strelzin said results of the Wednesday, Aug. 15 investigation in Seabrook will not be made public. Asked if the case was considered a homicide, Strelzin said it was a "law enforcement investigation."

"Obviously, this individual has never been found," Strelzin said. "One result is that he is missing due to criminal involvement."

This past July 4 marked the seventh anniversary of Pishon's disappearance.

Pishon, who would be 48, worked for the Reliable Security Guard Agency at Venture Seabrook, a manufacturer of automobile parts.

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound security guard went to work at 11 p.m. on July 4, 2000. He was last seen by a supervisor around 3:15 a.m. By the time Pishon's relief reported for duty between 4 and 6 a.m., he had disappeared.

The case has remained opened, with little new information released by authorities.

On Aug. 15, Seabrook, N.H. State Police and the K-9 unit and Connecticut State Police went to Veterans Memorial Field off South Main Street in Seabrook to follow leads in an investigation later confirmed to be related to Pishon's disappearance.

Police are not saying what, if anything, was found at the ballfield or the nature of their leads.

"What they're doing is following up on an old case," N.H. State Police Field Area Commander Mike Hambrook said last week. "Seabrook and state police received information they wanted to follow up on. We have some new leads, the investigation is still ongoing. It's still a missing person's case and is still being taken seriously."

Hambrook declined to elaborate on why Connecticut police were involved.

Seabrook Sgt. Mike Gallagher confirmed this week police had received information from "a few sources." But, police are not commenting on whether there is a suspect in the case.

Seabrook police, the N.H. State Police Major Crimes Unit and the New Hampshire attorney general's office are involved in the investigation.

Pishon's parents, Astrid and Nicholas Pishon, who live in Hopkinton, recently said they live with "a constant heartache" seven years after their son disappeared.

Nicholas Pishon said this week he was not informed of the new leads regarding his son's disappearance.

"We hope they'll be able to bring this to a successful conclusion," he said.

Seven years ago, Seabrook police searched Venture and found only a vandalized vending machine and a kicked-in door. Inside the guard shack were Pishon's personal belongings: His lunch, contact lens case and solution, cigarettes and lighter.

But there were no clues as to what happened to Pishon, a former Army soldier and 10-year Concord Police Department officer whose diagnosis of multiple sclerosis ended that career in 1994.
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NH family offers reward to locate son's remains
June 27, 2008

SEABROOK, N.H.—The family of a Seabrook, New Hampshire, security guard who disappeared eight years ago is offering a $5,000 reward for information locating his remains.

Curtis Pishon's family believes he was murdered and his remains are somewhere within an hour's drive of the seacoast town.

Pishon disappeared from his post at the former Venture Corp. in Seabrook early on July 5, 2000.

Last year, his parents had him declared legally dead. This year, they are launching a campaign called Bring Curt Home with a web site http://www.findcurt.com. They are hoping someone will step forward so they can give him a proper burial.

Each year on the anniversary of his disappearance, the family has reached out to Seabrook residents for help.

"As far as having a big push now -- there is never a timeline for finding a son," said his mother Astrid Pishon. "In my heart, I know someone will come forward because it is the right thing to do, and such actions are what truly distinguishes us from the uncivilized."

The Pishon family has ties to Seabrook dating back three generations and believes someone in town knows what happened.

Though the family believes he was murdered, Seabrook police consider the disappearance a missing persons case. There were hints of foul play, but no evidence. He was last seen about 2 a.m. after reporting his car had been torched.

Pishon, an Army veteran, left the Concord Police Department after 10 years following a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 1994. He worked as a security guard for Reliable Security Guard Agency and was on duty on the third shift at Venture Corp., a now-defunct company which manufactured plastic parts for automobiles, when he disappeared.

"We have placed signs in the Seacoast area and have bought advertisements in the local papers to help spread the word," said Nicholas Pishon Jr., Curt's brother, who organized the campaign.

"We again mark this sad time with hopes and prayers that someone will help us discover what happened to Curt and help us bring him home," said his mother, Astrid Pishon.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hamps...e_sons_remains/

[PorchlightUSA]

Seabrook Police Department
Seabrook Police Department Supports and Endorses ‘Bring Curt Home’ Campaign

(Seabrook, NH) - The Seabrook Police Department declares its support for the Pishon family's efforts to bring home the remains of their son and brother, Curtis Pishon.

On the morning of July 5, 2000, Curtis Pishon disappeared from Venture Corporation where he worked as a security guard. While still technically a "missing person" case, the Seabrook Police Department feels that there was foul-play involved, and believes that there are people in the community who have the information needed to solve the case and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Seabrook police Department continues to actively investigate the case. Although there has been a frustratingly small amount of information received by this Department over the years, there has been information trickling in and those data points have been corroborated by other sources. The Seabrook Police Department has every confidence that this case will be solved, and not only will the Pishon family be able to give Curtis a proper burial, they will see the apprehension of those responsible for Curtis' disappearance.

Some months ago, Curtis' brother; Nicholas Pishon, Jr., met with lead investigator Detective Sergeant Mike Gallagher to introduce the Pishon family's "Bring Curt Home" campaign. The campaign was well-planned and comprehensive. The Seabrook Police Department applauds the efforts of the Pishon family and their refusal to give up until they bring home one of their own.

One of the stumbling blocks the investigators have seen is the reluctance of those with information to come forward, either through fear of the ‘People of Interest’ in the case, or the ‘Code of Silence’ inherent in the Seabrook community. Detective Sergeant Gallagher states: “To those in the community with information about Curtis' disappearance, you have an ethical obligation to come forward. The people responsible for this crime are walking among you. To have information and withhold it for whatever reason amounts to moral cowardice.” The investigators of the Seabrook Police Department have done their best in this case and will continue to do so; however we need help from the public. This is not just a Law Enforcement issue, it is a Community issue, and it will only be solved by a community effort. Please help us work for a "safer Seabrook".

For those who are apprehensive about speaking with the police, there is the FINDCURT.COM website and the 1-866-97-FINDCURT phone number. These are not monitored by the police; they are the instrument of the Pishon family.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Seabrook Police Department at 603-474-5200, or the anonymous crime line at 603-474-2640.

[PorchlightUSA]

http://www.wmur.com/news/16737284/detail.html

Web Site, Hot Line Launch Years After Man Disappears
Overnight Security Officer Disappears Eight Years Ago

POSTED: 5:53 pm EDT June 28, 2008

SEABROOK, N.H. -- The family of a man who disappeared eight years ago have established a toll-free hot line and Web site in hopes of finding his body.

Curt Pishon disappeared from his overnight security job on July 5, 2000, and his family has since legally declared him dead, WMUR News 9's Aaron Kellogg reported.

Relatives continue to post hundreds of posters on Seacoast streets in an effort to gather tips to determine where he went or how he died.

"You know, it's not as if he had outright died. It's another feeling that eats away at you," said Pishon's sister, Crystle.

"We think there are people out there who have information and it's an ethical and moral obligation for them to come forward," Seabrook police detective Sgt. Mike Gallagher said.

Curt Pishon worked at the former Venture Corp. building, which has since been torn down to make way for a new mall.

Police said someone torched Pishon's car, which was parked at his former workplace, in the early hours of the day Pishon disappeared.

"We thought fairly early on that Curtis had been done in by somebody, that in the normal course of events that his body would turn up some place," said Nick Pishon, Curt Pishon's father.

After time passed, Curt Pishon's father, Nick, has no doubt about the death of his son. He wants his son's body, information about his disappearance and closure.

"Let us know where we can locate his remains so we can give him a proper burial," Nick Pishon said.

Investigators said they hope people open up with information.

"In Seabrook, there's some sort of code of silence that's really prevalent," Gallagher said.

Authorities hope the family's posters will attract pieces of information to help complete the investigation. Police said just a few tips could solve this case.

How You Can Help

The Pishon family has posted pictures and information about Curt Pishon's case on the Web site FindCurt.com.
You can also call a toll-free tip line: 866-97-FINDCURT.

A $5,000 reward is available for information that leads to the discovery and return of Curt Pishon's remains.

[PorchlightUSA]

http://www.newburyportnews.com/punews/loca..._189002321.html

Missing security guard's family launches campaign to find his remains

By Angeljean Chiaramida
Staff writer

SEABROOK — After Multiple Sclerosis cut short Curt Pishon's dream career on the Concord Police Department 10 years after it started, the former Army military police officer eventually came to terms with his illness, taking a job as a security guard, assigned to Seabrook's former Venture Corporation.

But, early on July 5, 2000, 41-year old Pishon disappeared during his shift at Venture shortly after his car was burned to cinders. Since then, his family has prayed and the Seabrook Police Department has searched and investigated his disappearance, which his family believes resulted from his murder.

A $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Curt Pishon's remains is unclaimed, while his family still agonizes over their loss, the mystery surrounding his probable murder, and the injustice that allows those responsible to go undetected and unpunished.

Now, eight years later and a year after Curt Pishon was declared dead, the Pishon family is launching their campaign to "Bring Curt Home." The new push is an attempt to tap the knowledge of those they feel know what happened to their son but have so far refused to come forward.

"We again mark this sad time with hopes and prayers that someone will help us discover what happened to Curt and help us bring him home," said Curt Pishon's mother, Astrid Pishon.

The efforts of his parents, Astrid and Nicholas Pishon, Sr. are applauded by the Seabrook Police Department, which continues to actively investigate the case. Frustrating the investigation has been the "Code of Silence" that is ever present among some townspeople, either from fear of reprisal or misplaced loyalties, said Seabrook Detective Sergeant Michael Gallagher, .

"Trust me," Gallagher said in the past, "the Mafia's code of silence has nothing on the one you'll find in Seabrook."

According to family friend and spokeswoman Theresa Barbo, the Pishon family's ties to New Hampshire go back three generations. They've always believed their son was murdered and that residents within the greater Seabrook community know what happened, and that his remains are in a rural area within an hour's drive of Seabrook.

"It's time the Seabrook community resolves this," Barbo said yesterday. "If foul play is involved with Curt's disappearance and the people responsible are local, that means there is a killer or killers in the community. People need to wonder: Is Seabrook safe? It's time people come forward. It's time to bring Curt home."

Gallagher is also making a plea, urging those with even the smallest bit of knowledge to speak up.

"The people responsible for this crime are walking among you," Gallagher said. "To have information and withhold it for whatever reason amounts to moral cowardice."

A Web site, www.findcurt.com, and toll free phone number — 1-866-97-FINDCURT — were created by the Pishon family for public information and anonymous tips.

"We have placed signs in the Seacoast area and have bought advertisements in the local papers to help spread the word," said Nicholas Pishon, Jr., Curt's brother, who organized the campaign.

Over the years, the Pishon family and Seabrook Police Department have grown close as both worked to discover what happened to Curt Pishon and bring his body home. This latest push to find any and all possible information needed is a tandem effort of the family and local law enforcement, Barbo said.

"The Pishon family has every faith and hope that the Seabrook Police Department will resolve this case and bring the remains of their son home," Barbo said. "The family has always believed Curt was murdered. They believe that in the course of his job as a security job, he stumbled onto someone who was doing something they shouldn't have been doing."

ABOUT THE CASE

The following is a summary of Curtis Pishon's case taken from the North American Missing Persons Web site:

"On July 4th 2000 Curtis a retired police officer arrived at his job as a security guard at Venture Corporation around 9:30 p.m. and parked his car in the parking lot — about eight feet from the guard shack. He chatted briefly with the guard he was relieving — who later told police that Curtis did not appear depressed or upset. Around midnight, Curtis' supervisor checked on him and reported no problems. Then at 2 a.m. Curtis called the Fire Department to report that his car was on fire. The car was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived just a few minutes later. Firefighters told police that Curtis was remarkably calm despite what was happening to his car. The last entry in his guard log was at 2 a.m., when he reported the fire. A few plant workers taking a break saw him at approximately 3:15 a.m. The first person to notice that he was missing was a worker who arrived at the plant at 3:45 a.m. About the same time, a night-shift foreman reported seeing two vehicles racing out of the driveway, but he was unable to give a description of the cars to police. When Curtis' relief arrived the next morning Curtis was nowhere to be found.

If Curtis deliberately disappeared, his family and police are left with the mystery of where he went. There has been no activity on his bank accounts or credit cards. His family does not believe Curtis killed himself. His sister believes that her brother would have wanted his body found and would have left a note if he committed suicide. Moreover, Hampton Police found his pistol in his hotel room still wrapped in the bag that it was in when he bought it from his father."

Those with information about the disappearance of Curt Pishon, should contact FINDCURT.COM, or call toll free 1-866-97-FINDCURT. Both are created by the Pishon family for public information and anonymous tips.

[PorchlightUSA]

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dl...TPAGE/807100302

A family's search in darkness
Former police officer vanished 8 years ago

By ANNMARIE TIMMINS
Monitor staff

July 10, 2008 - 12:00 am

Curtis Pishon, a former Concord police officer, went missing from a Seabrook job site eight years ago to this month. Pishon's family and the Seabrook police are certain Pishon was murdered - by locals. The police think they know who's responsible.

But so far, the police haven't cracked what one detective calls Seabrook's "code of silence" - a fear or unwillingness among residents that keeps them from talking to the police. Still, the police and Pishon's family are determined to find Pishon's remains and the truth about his disappearance.

"There are two killers out there who are walking around people every day," said Detective Sgt. Michael Gallagher of the Seabrook police. "There are members of the community who can put them away. We need someone to stand up and say, 'I'm going to do the right thing.' "

Late last month the Pishon family members launched the "Bring Curt Home" campaign to renew interest - and hopefully tips -about Pishon's disappearance. They've created a website with information, findcurt.com, and established a tip hotline, 866-97-FIND-CURT. They are offering a $6,000 reward for information that leads to the return of Pishon's remains.

The family put all that information and more on postcards mailed to homes in Seabrook.

Pishon's brother, Nicholas Pishon Jr., 48, of Jaffrey, said the family stepped up its publicity efforts to coincide with the eighth anniversary of Pishon's disappearance, which the family marked on July 5. Nicholas Pishon hopes to find his brother's remains before his parents, Nicholas and Astrid of Hopkinton, die.

They are in their 70s. "Time is running out," he said.

His dream job

Curtis Pishon's story became a sad one even before he disappeared in 2000.

Pishon, who would be 49 tomorrow, started his police career in 1978 as an emergency dispatcher. Pishon would have become a police officer then, his brother said, had he been old enough. He followed dispatching with a stint in the Army, as a military police officer, and eventually came to Concord to join the police force.

"It was his dream job," Nicholas Pishon said. But he kept it for only 10 years, from 1984 to 1994.

Pishon learned he had multiple sclerosis and was forced to retire early because he was losing strength and dexterity, his brother said. He was 35. According to an Associated Press story written in 2001, Pishon became depressed and had trouble finding another job. He struggled with heavy drinking and lost work because of it, the story said.

In 1998, Pishon found a job as a security guard with a Salem security company. Pishon was assigned as a night guard at Venture Corp., a Seabrook manufacturing plant that no longer exists. He was living at the Hampton Inn, a residential motel on the Seacoast.

It was at that Seabrook job site that Pishon was last seen, the police said.

Burning car

Pishon arrived for work about 9:30 p.m. July 4. A supervisor checked on him about midnight and found him in good spirits, the Associated Press reported in 2001. But by 2 a.m., something had gone wrong. Pishon called the fire department to report that his car was burning.

When the fire department arrived, the car was engulfed in flames. The car was a total loss, and the fire was later ruled an arson by the insurance company, the Associated Press reported. Yet news accounts since have consistently reported that Pishon seemed oddly calm even though many of his favorite personal items were in the car and lost to the flames.

Pishon was last seen again about 3:15 a.m. by several co-workers who said Pishon was on duty, walking around the Seabrook plant. When another colleague reported for work at 3:45 a.m., Pishon was gone, according to news accounts. His cigarettes, lunch and contact lens solution was still in the guard hut, where he'd left it.

He's not been seen since, his brother said. Since that day, there's been no activity on Pishon's bank accounts. Nor has he collected his police pension. Pishon's family had him declared dead in 2008. Neither they nor the police believe that Pishon, who had at times been depressed by his medical condition, committed suicide.

A safety concern

They believe Pishon stumbled upon or interrupted some illegal activity at the Seabrook plant. Before his disappearance, Pishon had confided to his family that he was concerned for his safety at work and suspected that drug deals were going down in the parking lot at night. He was nervous, his family has said, about being unarmed at work.

Nicholas Pishon put it this way: "There is no doubt in my mind that Curt was murdered that night because he caught somebody or multiple people in the act of doing something wrong. We are not sure they intended to kill Curt, but they did. And we just want to bring him home."

Gallagher, the Seabrook detective leading the investigation in Pishon's disappearance, agrees but is not ready to make the specifics of his theory public. "He met with foul play while on the job," Gallagher said.

The police and the Pishons have received some information and some anonymous tips in the past eight years. They tend to corroborate what they already suspect happened, Gallagher said. He's glad for the help, but he is waiting for someone with first-hand knowledge to come forward.

Some of the people with that information have died, Gallagher said. Others have denied being involved or knowing details, claims that Gallagher doesn't believe. He's not sure the $6,000 reward will turn up the information he needs. But he's hopeful.

"Curt is in the Seacoast area, I feel that he is here," Gallagher said. "It would be good to have some hard evidence. We have some information but not as much as we'd like to have."

[PorchlightUSA]

http://www.newburyportnews.com/punews/loca..._308230347.html

Published: November 04, 2008 03:55 am
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Charges reduced in threatening case

By Angeljean Chiaramida
Staff writer


SEABROOK — The Seabrook man accused of threatening to kill a local family over an unpaid debt had his charges reduced to misdemeanor level and may now face trial at Hampton District Court in Seabrook.

Robert E. April, 40, of 6 Janvrin Drive, was arraigned two weeks ago on charges of threatening to kill a 17-year-old boy and his family because the boy's brother owed April $30. Originally charged with felony level charges, police reduced the charges to a misdemeanor because of legal issues, Seabrook police Lt. Michael Gallagher said recently.

"The crime as described by the witnesses didn't fit all the elements of felony criminal threatening as required by state law," Gallagher said yesterday.

April has been out on $1,000 cash and $4,000 personal recognizance bail for about a week. Unless he violates his bail conditions, he will remain out of jail until his trial.

Although arrested on criminal threatening charges recently, it was comments April allegedly made to the 17-year-old victim about his involvement in the 8-year-old Curt Pishon missing person case that drew swift attention from police.

According to the Oct. 14, 2008, criminal threatening arrest affidavit filed by Seabrook Officer Mark Richardson and Officer Frank Brown, April approached his 17-year-old victim about 6:30 p.m. that evening and said: "When I see your brother boy, I'm gonna slice his throat and nobody will find his body just like the missing person from Seabrook, ya that's right I (expletive) killed him and your brother is next and nobody will find ... an ounce of blood. I buried him in my yard, and your brother's next."

April has been a person of interest in the 8-year-old disappearance case of Curt Pishon for some time, Gallagher said. April's alleged admission to killing Pishon two weeks ago, however, gave police a new lead on the case, Gallagher said.

Yesterday, Gallagher said Seabrook investigators are looking closely at the new information, trying to obtain a search warrant. The investigation into Pishon's disappearance was renewed within past months and is still ongoing, Gallagher said.

Gallagher said there is more than one person of interest in the Pishon case.

In July, police and the Pishon's family launched a new initiative in that case to try to find Pishon's body for family burial. The new campaign to find Pishon includes a $6,000 reward for anyone coming forward with information leading to the conviction of those responsible for his disappearance.

Pishon, 41, a security guard at the former Seabrook-based Venture Corp., disappeared during the early morning hours of his shift on July 5, 2000. Gallagher confirmed earlier this year leads point to Pishon being killed by "persons of interest," after Pishon stumbled across criminal activity during his shift at Venture.

Gallagher urges those with information to contact the Pishon family Web site www.findcurt.com, or call the police at 603-474-5200 or its anonymous Crime Line at 603-474-2640.

[PorchlightUSA]

http://www.findcurt.com/

[PorchlightUSA]

Family of missing Seabrook worker remain hopeful
Reward offered for information


Curtis Pishon has been missing since July 5, 2000.By Patrick Cronin
pcronin@seacoastonline.com
July 17, 2009 6:00 AMSEABROOK — The family of Curtis Pishon, the security guard who disappeared July 5, 2000 from a manufacturing facility in Seabrook, wants to see the man responsible for his murder behind bars.

Pishon's parents and family have once again made a public plea on the anniversary of his disappearance for information that will lead to the arrest of their son's killer.

The family believes that he didn't just vanish that night he was working as a security shift at Venture but instead was "murdered."

Seabrook Police Lt. Michael Gallagher, they said, has essentially solved the case but without probable cause and tipsters willing to go on the record no arrests can be made.

In the past Seabrook police have publicly admitted frustrations with the culture and "code of silence" in which potential credible witnesses within the Seabrook community have been threatened and intimidated about coming forward with information necessary to resolve the case.

Gallagher previously said he believes Pishon's disappearance was due to "foul play" and he was most likely killed.

He believes Pishon stumbled upon crime while he was guarding Venture and was killed by those he caught in the act.

A theory that has since been backed up by anonymous tips given to the family through their Web site www.findcurt.com.

The site was established last year on the 8th anniversary of Pishon's disappearance.

"We now know not only that he was murdered but how, where, why and by whom," said Curt's sister Crystle. "Much of the information confirmed what the police said they already knew."

"The knowledge has given us a strange comfort- we no longer catch a glimpse of his face in a passing car and wonder if it might be him, hear is voice in a crowd and look to see him."

While the family wants justice, more important to them is finding Pishon's remains so they can give him a proper Christian burial.

Pishon was declared legally dead in 2008 and while there is a gravestone at his burial plot at a Veteran's Cemetery his body does not lie there.

With near certainty, through tips confirmed by numerous sources, the family believes Curt's remains were unceremoniously dumped and buried on a private property in the Seabrook area.

Pishon's parents, Astrid and Nicholas Pishon, said they have a message for those responsible for his murder.

"You will live everyday knowing what you did, look into the eyes of your children as they realize what you did; know that everyone around you knows what you did. You cannot hide from your conscience or from God forever," said Astrid and Nicholas Pishon.

The family is offering a $6,000 reward for information that leads directly to the discovery and return of Pishon's remains. For more information visit www.findcurt.com.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/200...-NEWS-907170351

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[PorchlightUSA]

Victim recants story, Seabrook man walks
Police report: Victim was grabbed and threatened

By Patrick Cronin
February 27, 2009 6:00 AM

SEABROOK— A Seabrook man was found not guilty Monday, Feb. 24 on charges of grabbing a local teenager and threatening to kill his family over an unpaid debt.

Hampton District Court Judge Laurence Cullen found Robert E. April III, 40, of 6 Javrin Drive, not guilty of misdemeanor counts of criminal threatening and simple assault.

Cullen said he had no other option but to rule the way he did based on the testimony during the two-hour trial.

The 17-year-old, who told police that on Oct. 14, April allegedly grabbed him and threatened to kill his family, recanted his story on the witness stand.

"He never grabbed me," said David Horvitz. "... stuff was just said that shouldn't have been said."

According to the affidavit filed by Seabrook Officer Mark Richardson, Horvitz claimed April approached him about $30 his brother owed and said, "When I see your brother boy, I'm gonna slice his throat and nobody will find his body just like the missing person from Seabrook. Yah, that's right, I (expletive) killed him and your brother's is next."

At the time, police believed April was referring to the 8-year-old disappearance of Curtis Pishon, a security guard at the former Seabrook-based Venture Corp. Pishon disappeared during the early morning hours of his shift on July 5, 2000.

Horvitz also claimed in the report to police that April spoke about how many guns he owned and how easy it would be to kill Horvitz's family.

But when pressed by Seabrook Prosecutor Scott Mendes to tell the court what April said that night, the teenager said he couldn't recall the exact words.

"I don't remember," he said.

When asked to read the statement that he gave to police to in order to refresh his memory, Horvitz said "I'm not sure if those are the identical words (April) used. I was so caught up in the moment."

Horvitz later admitted on the stand to speaking with April before the trial.

"He asked for forgiveness, and said he was sorry for what he did and wished it never happened," Horvitz said. "That's why I wanted to drop the case."

Prior to the trial, Horvitz could be heard in the hallway yelling that he didn't want to go through with the trial.

Testifying on behalf of April was Donald Welch, who witnessed the incident.

He disputed the majority of what was written in the police report.

"There was no harsh words or threats of slicing of the throat said," Welch said.

Welch said after April left the scene of the alleged incident, the teenager threatened that he was going to get him by calling the police.

When Mendes asked Welch why he didn't give his statement to police earlier, Welch said nobody contacted him.

Originally charged with felony level charges, police reduced the charge against April to a misdemeanor.

Source:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/200...-NEWS-902270390

[PorchlightUSA]

Search goes on for Pishon
Anonymous tips impede investigation

By Angeljean Chiaramida
Staff writer

SEABROOK — A year after they revived the hunt for answers in the disappearance of Curtis Pishon, the missing man's family remains hopeful for a resolution to the 9-year-old case. But as anonymous tips pour in presenting plausible versions of how Pishon was killed and by whom, the reluctance of those witnesses to come forward in an open fashion is keeping the case from being resolved.

Pishon, 41 at the time and a retired Concord, N.H., police officer, disappeared during his night shift at Venture Corporation sometime after 3 a.m. on July 5, 2000. Rumors about what happened that night have swirled in town for years, and Seabrook police have pieced together the "foul play" scenario they believe led to Pishon's death.

However, Seabrook's well-known "code of silence," along with fear of retribution by Pishon's alleged killers, have prevented witnesses from testifying, police say. Without such evidence, police have been unable to obtain search warrants or bring formal charges against individuals they believe are responsible for Pishon's death, said Seabrook Lt. Michael Gallagher.

Pishon's siblings launched a campaign last July in hopes of finding the truth about what happened to and finding justice for their brother, as well as finding his body so the family could give him a Christian burial and have closure. The Find Curt campaign offers an anonymous telephone tip line and Web site, as well as a $6,000 reward to anyone who could provide evidence leading to the discovery of Pishon's body and his killers.

In December, the family came forward with the numerous similar and specific tips the campaign received, tips which point to Pishon's death at the hands of named suspects. Pishon's brother Nick said that based on that information, the family believes Curt was murdered on July 5, his body dismembered and buried in Seabrook by those who killed him.

"As time went on, a clear picture of what happened to Curt formed," said Pishon's sister Crystal Pishon in a recently released family statement. "Many consistent tips reported that he was indeed murdered in the early morning of July 5, 2000. Thanks to the brave individuals who contacted us, we now know not only that he was murdered but how, where, why and by whom. Much of the information confirmed what the police said they already knew."

Gallagher said information the Pishon family brought to police as a result of their Find Curt campaign is consistent with the theory police developed from their own investigation and interviews with past Venture employees. The individuals who called the Pishon family's hot line were helpful, Gallagher said, but the individuals still refused to identify themselves, and that kind of anonymous information wouldn't get the search and arrest warrants police need.

One graphic tip given to the family's hot line on Sept. 1 was told by a caller who reported on a story passed down through two others who had spoken with the alleged perpetrator of Pishon's death.

"(Name withheld) was caught stealing at Venture on the night of Curt's disappearance," the caller explained on the tip line recording tape. "Curt caught him stealing, and (name withheld) hit him ... hit him or beat him, but eventually he was dead. (Name withheld) took care of the body by dismembering it and hiding it and burying it in the back of his yard. From what I was told, the body was decapitated and dismembered and spread all about. I hope this information helps you."

The family feels that despite having to work within the legal requirements, over the years Seabrook police have kept the case high priority and active, developing a short list of suspects from the Seabrook area.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's office, however, has continued to list this as a missing person's case, and not a homicide, according to the family's recent statement.

Gallagher has said three suspicious incidents took place at Venture on the morning Curt Pishon disappeared, which he believes were related to the disappearance. They relate closely to the statement offered on Sept. 1 by the anonymous caller.

First, Pishon's car was set on fire. Then, there was an attempt to break in and steal the money in vending machines at the plant, and finally, the padlocked door of a union office was kicked in. Gallagher believes the fire was a diversion to draw attention away from a criminal act — the robbery of the vending machines — and Pishon was killed when he came across the crime during his rounds.

Initially hidden in the union office on the Venture site, Pishon's body was then removed from the site and buried somewhere, Gallagher believes.

Thanking those who have come forward, the family is continuing its effort to find information about Pishon, still hoping people will come forward openly with information that will find his body and bring it home.

The family also has a message to those responsible for Pishon's death: "You will live every day knowing what you did, look into the eyes of your children as they realize what you did, know that everyone around you knows what you did. You cannot hide from your conscience or from God forever."

For more information about the Pishon case, visit findcurt.com.

Source:
http://www.newburyportnews.com/punews/loca..._190230423.html

[PorchlightUSA]

Family of missing Seabrook worker remain hopeful
Reward offered for information

By Patrick Cronin

July 17, 2009 6:00 AM

SEABROOK — The family of Curtis Pishon, the security guard who disappeared July 5, 2000 from a manufacturing facility in Seabrook, wants to see the man responsible for his murder behind bars.

Pishon's parents and family have once again made a public plea on the anniversary of his disappearance for information that will lead to the arrest of their son's killer.

The family believes that he didn't just vanish that night he was working as a security shift at Venture but instead was "murdered."

Seabrook Police Lt. Michael Gallagher, they said, has essentially solved the case but without probable cause and tipsters willing to go on the record no arrests can be made.

In the past Seabrook police have publicly admitted frustrations with the culture and "code of silence" in which potential credible witnesses within the Seabrook community have been threatened and intimidated about coming forward with information necessary to resolve the case.

Gallagher previously said he believes Pishon's disappearance was due to "foul play" and he was most likely killed.

He believes Pishon stumbled upon crime while he was guarding Venture and was killed by those he caught in the act.

A theory that has since been backed up by anonymous tips given to the family through their Web site www.findcurt.com.

The site was established last year on the 8th anniversary of Pishon's disappearance.

"We now know not only that he was murdered but how, where, why and by whom," said Curt's sister Crystle. "Much of the information confirmed what the police said they already knew."

"The knowledge has given us a strange comfort- we no longer catch a glimpse of his face in a passing car and wonder if it might be him, hear is voice in a crowd and look to see him."

While the family wants justice, more important to them is finding Pishon's remains so they can give him a proper Christian burial.

Pishon was declared legally dead in 2008 and while there is a gravestone at his burial plot at a Veteran's Cemetery his body does not lie there.

With near certainty, through tips confirmed by numerous sources, the family believes Curt's remains were unceremoniously dumped and buried on a private property in the Seabrook area.

Pishon's parents, Astrid and Nicholas Pishon, said they have a message for those responsible for his murder.

"You will live everyday knowing what you did, look into the eyes of your children as they realize what you did; know that everyone around you knows what you did. You cannot hide from your conscience or from God forever," said Astrid and Nicholas Pishon.

The family is offering a $6,000 reward for information that leads directly to the discovery and return of Pishon's remains. For more information visit www.findcurt.com.

Source:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/200...-NEWS-907170351

[PorchlightUSA]

Cold case unit to take over probe: Disappearance of Seabrook security guard stymies police
Tue. December 15, 2009; Posted: 10:47 AM


SEABROOK, Dec 15, 2009 (The Daily News of Newburyport - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- VEMLF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Curt Pishon disappeared on July 5, 2000, during his night shift as a security guard at the former Venture Corp. in Seabrook.
The unsolved case haunts Pishon's family and many in Seabrook, including police Lt. Michael Gallagher, who believes foul play resulted in Pishon's death and disappearance. Now, with the creation of New Hampshire's new Cold Case Unit, Gallagher hopes the case will finally be resolved and Pishon's remains found and returned to his family.

Pishon's name, along with the names of victims of more than 100 other unsolved cases, make up New Hampshire Cold Case Unit's Victims List. Consisting of decades worth of unsolved murders, suspicious deaths and suspicious missing persons, the cases on the list will have the undivided attention of a unit that will use resources few local police departments have at their disposal. That includes the state crime labs, new forensic science and high-ranking law enforcement professionals with extensive experiences.

The unit was created in July. A team of four law enforcement professionals make up the unit, headed by Senior Assistant Attorney General William Delker, a prosecutor with more than a decade of experience prosecuting high-profile homicides in the Granite State.

Also involved are Robert Freitas, a retired Manchester Police Department investigator, and state police Trooper John Encarnacao, a detective with the Major Crime Unit of the New Hampshire State Police. Finishing up the team is Sgt. Scott Gilbert, a detective on the State Police Major Crime Unit who has overseen the investigation of numerous homicide cases in his more than two decade police career.

"Each of the four of us will take four or so cases to work on at a time, and we'll work on them until we solve the case or hit a dead end," Gilbert said. "We will use what we call a solvability factor (in prioritizing the cases). We'll look at things like, is there a suspect, is there new evidence -- because there have been a lot of technical changes in forensics -- and are there witnesses and suspects who are still alive?"

Gallagher said with those criteria, the Pishon case should bode well.

"We have good solvability factors on this case," Gallagher said yesterday.

Gilbert said although murder cases are by state law under the jurisdiction of the attorney general, because Pishon's case is listed as a suspicious missing person case, it's still under Seabrook purview. But that doesn't mean the Cold Case Unit won't focus on it.

"We're not here to take cases away from agencies who are investigating cases, and many of the names on the list are cases that are being investigated by other agencies," Gilbert said. "But, if we get a call from an agency that says, 'We have reasons to believe A, B, and C about this case and we want your help,' then we'd be happy to get involved."

Gallagher said that call is something Seabrook police Chief Patrick Manthorn will make soon.

Gilbert is familiar with the Pishon case and actually served beside Curt Pishon on the Concord Police Department for about three years before muscular dystrophy terminated Pishon's 10-year law enforcement career. Gilbert's been brought in to help with the Pishon investigation in recent years when Seabrook police called for resources the State Police Major Case Unit could provide.

Gallagher said Seabrook police have followed leads for the almost 10 years since 41-year-old Pishon disappeared. That information -- reinforced by calls to the Pishon family's "Find Curt" tip line -- lead Gallagher to believe people who worked with Pishon at Venture killed Pishon when he came across criminal activity during his shift at Venture in the early morning hours of July 5, 2000.

The lack of a body and suicide note put an end to the suicide theory some put forward at the time, Gallagher said.

But with an entire town to patrol and other crimes to solve, Gallagher and Seabrook's detectives don't have the time or money to focus extensively on the Pishon case. Gallagher believes the Cold Case Unit has what it takes to bring an end to the mystery and peace to the Pishon family.

For more on N.H.'s Cold Case Unit, visit www:doj.nh.gov/coldcaseunit. To contact the Cold Case Unit, call 603-271-2663 or 271-1255, fax 603-223-6270 or e-mail coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov.

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