In the autumn of 2021, concern grew for 42-year-old Rocco Joseph Rinella after his family was unable to reach him. The last contact they had was a telephone conversation on November 1, 2021, during which he reportedly seemed to be in emotional distress. Two days later, his vehicle was found abandoned and still running at the junction of State Routes 156 and 158, near the Mount Charleston area northwest of Las Vegas.
His keys and cell phone were discovered inside the vehicle, adding to the unsettling circumstances of his disappearance. Authorities believe he may have been hitchhiking in the area around the time he went missing.
Rocco is described as a Caucasian male, standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He has distinctive tribal tattoos on both of his arms and a condition known as 'cauliflower ear.' At the time he was last seen, he was believed to be wearing a gray or black long-sleeve shirt and tight-fitting jeans with designs on the back pockets. His mother, Caroline Rinella, described him as a kind and compassionate person who had dedicatedly cared for his younger brother, Michael, who battled Muscular Dystrophy before his passing. In the wake of his disappearance, she initiated a fundraising campaign to travel to Las Vegas from her home in Staten Island, New York, to organize and fund a professional search for her son.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has been investigating Rocco's case and has urged the public to come forward with any information. They have noted that he may have been experiencing severe emotional distress and could be in need of medical attention. Hospitals in the vicinity were asked to be on alert for anyone matching his description. Despite these efforts and the support of the community, no significant leads have emerged, and his whereabouts remain unknown. The case is now considered a cold case, and in 2024, it became one of the cases being handled by the newly formed Missing Persons Cold Case Unit of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which continues to seek answers for his loved ones.Last Seen: Nov 1, 2021
