Missing James Amabile was found dead in Darby Creek

Divers found a missing Pennsylvania man underwater in his SUV nearly two decades after he disappeared. The Delaware County Medical Examiner’s Office said they used dental records to provide positive identification James “Jimmy” Amabile38, after kyw.

The last apparently anyone heard from Amabile was on the afternoon of December 4, 2003. He called his babysitter after oversleeping to let her know he was going to be late to pick up his two young daughters. He disappeared without a trace. His wife reported him missing. Police have not located his 2002 Ford Explorer over the years.

“From Morton Avenue to Bullens Lane, he’s disappearing off the face of the earth,” said Lt. Scott Willoughby told The Delco times in a 2012 report. “So did his 2002 green Explorer.”

To this day, there have been no leads, he said. Personal items such as Amabile’s bank account, credit cards and cell phone were not used. No sign of his diabetes prescription being filled.

The family dismissed the idea that he had left them. He loved his daughters too much to ever willingly leave them.

“He loved those girls more than anything,” said his older brother Michael Amable. “He didn’t leave those girls. You were his life.”

James Amabile, who has been missing since 2003, was found in an SUV submerged in a Pennsylvania creek. The SUV and body were discovered in early March by a group of volunteer YouTube divers who have been helping solve cold cases across the country. https://t.co/EZ1RgrIOi0

— WJZ | CBS Baltimore (@wjz) March 30, 2022

Crews used sonar technology to find the Ford Explorer 24 feet underwater in Darby Creek at the Ridley Township Marina, according to KYW.

Volunteer organization Adventurers with Purpose Underwater Dive and Recovery said in video March 20 that after following cellphone ping from Amabile’s last call to a nearby tower, they believed they had found the vehicle, indicating bodies of water as possible locations eliminated because they were too shallow.

The group described the dive as rough, with a lot of debris in the water.

Jacob’s brother Stephen Amabel told The Philadelphia investigator in a March 19 report – while authorities were still identifying the remains – he believes James went into diabetic shock on a hectic day, took a wrong turn and drove into the creek.

“No matter what anyone ever says, you don’t have peace until you get more answers,” he said.

[Screenshot via KYW]

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