Mabel Pugliese, an 82-year-old woman from Lakeland, Florida, was last seen on July 13, 2008. Mabel had early-stage Alzheimer's disease and required a walker or wheelchair due to a hip replacement. On the day of her disappearance, she called out for help, and her neighbor contacted the police. When officers arrived, Mabel seemed disoriented but lucid. She accused her live-in caregiver, Edward Lee Caldwell, of hosting wild parties at her home, though there was no evidence of such events.
Despite this, no immediate action was taken, and Mabel was never heard from again.
Caldwell, a convicted sex offender who had moved in with Mabel after his release from prison in 2007, had gained control of her finances and estate. Over time, he drained significant sums of money from her accounts and became the primary beneficiary of her will, pushing her daughter out. When Mabel was reported missing in December 2008 by her estranged daughter, it was discovered that all of her belongings were gone, and there were no signs she had lived in the home.
Caldwell gave conflicting stories about Mabel’s whereabouts, eventually admitting he did not know where she was. Investigations into the case led to his arrest in 2009 on charges including manslaughter, neglect, and exploitation of an elderly person. Although Caldwell was charged, Mabel’s body has never been found. In 2012, Caldwell pleaded no contest to the charges. Despite his conviction, many details about what happened to Mabel remain unclear.Last Seen: Jul 13, 2008
