On April 28, 1973, 12-year-old Delvacchio Lanier and his 64-year-old grandfather, Isley McCullough, vanished from Gadsden County, Florida, under suspicious circumstances that suggest foul play. The two were last seen at approximately 3:00 p.m. in a taxicab operated by McCullough. They were accompanied by two unidentified African American men in their early twenties. This sighting would be the last time anyone reported seeing the boy and his grandfather.
Three hours later, at around 6:00 p.m., McCullough's 1973 Chevrolet taxi was discovered abandoned behind the Old Bethel AME Church on High Bridge Road in Gadsden County. The vehicle presented a grim scene, with smears of human blood inside and a spent bullet embedded in the front seat. The taxi's money box, which was supposed to contain $450, was found in the trunk, but it was empty. There was no trace of Delvacchio or his grandfather at the scene.
The search for the missing pair intensified two days later when a small collection of items was found neatly piled under a tree on the old Belyeu property, near a bridge and adjacent to what would become Niagara Wires. The pile consisted of Delvacchio's undershirt, a small wooden club, and a ball-peen hammer. Following this discovery, an extensive search was launched for the boy and his grandfather, but they have never been located. An unconfirmed report from a witness mentioned seeing two white men in the vicinity of where the car was found.
Investigators have long suspected foul play in the disappearance of Delvacchio and McCullough, and the case is being investigated as a homicide. One theory that has persisted, though unconfirmed, is a possible connection to local moonshine bootleggers. It has been suggested that McCullough may have been transporting sugar for these illegal operations. According to this theory, an argument erupted between McCullough and a moonshiner, during which McCullough allegedly threatened to go to the police. In response, the moonshiner reportedly threatened McCullough's life. Notably, a moonshiner's still was raided on April 27, 1973, the day before Delvacchio and his grandfather disappeared. However, a definitive link between this raid and the disappearances has never been established. Over the years, the investigation has been hampered by the deaths of many potential witnesses and the misplacement of some evidence. The case remains unsolved.
Last Seen: Apr 28, 1973
