Thomas Privitera Missing Person Case

On a cold evening in December of 1981, 79-year-old Thomas Privitera was last seen in Westhampton, New York. It was approximately 7:30 p.m. on December 13th when he was spotted on Stewart Avenue, behind the wheel of his 1971 bronze Oldsmobile, which had the New York license plate number 487-IOJ. He was on his way to his home on Doris Drive in Mastic Beach, but he never made it to his destination. At the time of his disappearance, Privitera was described as a White male, standing at 5'2' and weighing 140 pounds, with gray, balding hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing blue pants, a blue and black flannel shirt, work shoes, and a blue coat.

The night Thomas Privitera vanished was cold, raising the possibility of icy road conditions. This has led to speculation over the decades that his disappearance might have been the result of a tragic car accident, where his vehicle could have slid off the road and into one of the many bodies of water along his potential routes home. He had two primary ways he could have traveled: a main highway with no significant water hazards, or a series of back roads dotted with six or seven bodies of water. Despite searches by his family and others over the years, no sign of his bronze Oldsmobile has ever been found. The lack of any physical evidence, including his vehicle, has left his loved ones without answers.

The complete absence of clues has made Thomas Privitera's case a lingering mystery for over four decades. With no confirmed sightings, no discovery of his car, and no physical evidence, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unknown. His family has been left to wonder whether he was in a fatal accident, became disoriented, or met with foul play. The case is still open, and authorities continue to ask for anyone with information to come forward. The enduring question of what happened to Thomas Privitera on that December night in 1981 is a somber narrative, representing the profound and lasting uncertainty that accompanies a long-term missing person case.
Last Seen: Dec 13, 1981

Thomas Privitera - The Charley Project