On April 28, 1973, Isley McCullough, a 64-year-old taxi service operator, and his 12-year-old grandson, Delvacchio Lanier, vanished in Gadsden County, Florida. They were last seen at 3:00 p.m. in McCullough's 1973 Chevrolet taxi with two unidentified African American men in their early twenties. Three hours later, McCullough's abandoned car was discovered behind the Old Bethel AME Church on High Bridge Road. The vehicle showed signs of a violent struggle, with human blood smears inside and a spent bullet lodged in the front seat. The taxi's money box, which was supposed to contain $450, was found empty in the trunk.
Two days after the disappearance, a few of Delvacchio's belongings, including his undershirt, a small wooden club, and a ball-peen hammer, were found neatly piled under a tree on the old Belyeu property near a bridge. This property was located next to the future site of Niagara Wires. The discovery of these items prompted an extensive search for the missing grandfather and grandson. A witness reported seeing two Caucasian men in the vicinity of where the car was found, but this sighting was never confirmed.
Authorities suspect foul play in the disappearances of McCullough and Lanier and are investigating their cases as homicides. One theory suggests a connection to local moonshine operations. It is believed that McCullough may have been transporting sugar for bootleggers in the area. An unconfirmed report indicates that McCullough had an argument with a moonshiner and threatened to expose his illegal activities to the police, which resulted in a death threat against McCullough. Notably, a moonshiner's still was raided on April 27, 1973, just one day before McCullough and his grandson went missing. However, a definitive link between the raid and their disappearance has not been established.
The investigation into the double disappearance has been hindered over the decades by the deaths of many potential witnesses and the loss of crucial evidence. As a result, the cases of Isley McCullough and Delvacchio Lanier remain unsolved.
Last Seen: Apr 28, 1973
