In February 1996, Frank Lee Black Jr., a 58-year-old owner of a school bus company from Andover, New Jersey, was looking forward to retirement. Before he could do so, he received a business proposition that was too good to pass up. A woman identifying herself as Mia Giordano reached out to him about purchasing sixty conversion vans for an export business. Intrigued by this final lucrative deal, Black made plans to fly to West Palm Beach, Florida, to meet with her.
On February 24, 1996, he was last seen boarding a Kiwi Airlines plane at Newark International Airport. His family grew concerned when he failed to make his usual check-in calls and missed a scheduled meeting to discuss the sale of his business. This uncharacteristic silence prompted his daughters, one of whom was married to a New Jersey state police detective, to report him missing.
The investigation into Frank Black's disappearance soon uncovered a sinister plot born from a bitter business rivalry. Authorities discovered that the calls from 'Mia Giordano' were a ruse, traced back to Lisa Costello, the mistress of Alan Mackerley, a former friend and business competitor of Black. Mackerley, who owned the Byram Bus Line, had once been close with Black, but their friendship had soured as they became rivals in the school bus industry. The tension between them escalated in 1995 when Black secured a major contract that Mackerley had sought, leading Mackerley to reportedly vow to 'bury him.' The mysterious business trip to Florida was, in fact, an elaborate trap. Investigators believe that upon his arrival, Black was met by Costello and taken to Mackerley, who then shot and killed him.
The case against Alan Mackerley and Lisa Costello unfolded over several years, marked by a series of complex legal battles. Despite the absence of Frank Black's body, which authorities believe was disposed of in the Atlantic Ocean, prosecutors built a case on circumstantial evidence. A key witness, a friend of Mackerley's, testified that Mackerley had confessed to the murder. In 1998, Mackerley was convicted of kidnapping and murder, and Costello pleaded no contest to lesser charges. However, Mackerley's conviction was later overturned on appeal, leading to further trials. In a subsequent trial, Mackerley tried to shift the blame to Costello. Ultimately, in 2003, Alan Mackerley was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He later died in prison. The disappearance of Frank Lee Black Jr. is a tragic story of a life cut short by greed and betrayal. Though his body was never recovered, the conviction of his killer brought a measure of justice to his family, closing a painful chapter in their lives.Last Seen: Feb 24, 1996
