Josephine Frenna, 51, FL,Missing 8/21/08 Feared for her Life (BODY FOUND)

[bleachedblack]

Police search for missing Fort Lauderdale mom

5:29 PM EDT, August 22, 2008
FORT LAUDERDALE - A mother missing under suspicious circumstances had told a Broward judge that her husband was violent and once threatened to throw her off a balcony. The mother said she and her teen son feared for their lives, court records show.

Josephine Frenna, 51, has been missing since Thursday, and a judge this morning, in her absence, extended the expiration date of a temporary restraining order against her husband that she received last month.

The court records cast a dark cloud over her disappearance. Though police can't yet say what they think happened to Frenna, the case is suspicious enough that it has been turned over to homicide detectives. The case remains a missing person investigation, and no one has been named a suspect in the disappearance, said Detective Katherine Collins, police spokeswoman.

Police say Frenna's 14-year-old son came home from school Thursday afternoon expecting his mother would be waiting at their apartment in the 4000 block of Galt Ocean Dr., but she wasn't. She dropped him off outside the building that morning so that he could catch a bus to school. Police don't know exactly when Frenna went missing.

Frenna's relatives haven't seen her since, and detectives find it troubling that Frenna's purse, keys and car were left at her apartment and that she was scheduled to be in court today for a hearing on the restraining order, officials said.

Frenna's husband, Gerardo DiMarco, is cooperating with the investigation and said he doesn't know what happened to his wife, Collins said.

Frenna moved to Fort Lauderdale from Montreal about a month ago with her husband and son and doesn't know many people in the area, said Steve Stabile, a family friend. Frenna and her husband, of about 15 years, do not live together, and she did not have a job here, Stabile said.

"She calls her mother and father at least five times a day," he said, but the parents haven't heard from her. Detectives have searched the area around her condo building and also checked local hospitals, jails and airline rosters but found no clues that point to Frenna's whereabouts.

Frenna was scheduled to meet with her Fort Lauderdale lawyer, Caryn Carvo, on Thursday, but never showed up, Carvo said. Frenna had been served with divorce papers on Wednesday.

"Her primary concern was her 14-year-old boy," Carvo said. "Hopefully we will find her, and we will find her in good physical condition."

Anyone with information is asked to call Fort Lauderdale police at 954-828-5700 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-0822missingwoman,0,5765312.story

[Red]

51 Year Old Fort Lauderdale, FL Woman Josephine Frenna Missing Since 8/21/2008

http://missingexploited.com/2008/08/24/51-year-old-fort-lauderdale-fl-woman-josephine-frenna-missing-since-8212008/

51 year old Josephine Frenna from Fort Lauderdale, FL has been missing since Thursday, August 21, 2008. Josephine Frenna had sought a restraining order from her estranged husband, 58 year old Gerardo Di Marco. Not again, looks like another case of a divorce going terrible wrong. Why can’t people just allow the other to walk away?

Another case of a divorce with a restraining order and a missing person. Are we going to go out on a limb here?

[bleachedblack]

Cops probe whether body is missing Lauderdale woman

 Mon, Aug. 25, 2008
Fort Lauderdale police detectives are on their way to St. Lucie County to determine if a body found Sunday is that of a missing Fort Lauderdale woman.

Josephine Frenna, 51, was last seen Thursday morning as she dropped off her 14-year-old son at a bus stop in Fort Lauderdale.

Since Frenna's disappearance, her family has rallied together, handing out missing persons fliers and pleading with the public for help.

Police have not confirmed if the body found 20 miles east of the Sebastian Inlet is Frenna. The U.S. Coast Guard discovered the body of a woman, dressed in a blue bathing suit, at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, officials said.

The body was taken to the U.S. Coast Guard's Fort Pierce Station. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office is assisting in the investigation.

An autopsy will be done Monday to determine the cause of death.

Meanwhile, Monday morning Frenna's family gathered near her apartment on Galt Ocean Mile.

''We're all very distraught,'' said her brother, Pat Frenna. ``This is a very close family and we're grieving.''

Last month, Frenna went before a judge, saying she was fearful of her estranged husband, Gerardo DiMarco.

Frenna told the court, ``Me and my son are afraid for our life.''

She called DiMarco ''violent'' and ``dangerous.''

Last week, DiMarco, 58, filed for divorce.

On Friday, a day after she disappeared, Frenna was set to appear in court for a hearing to consider her request for a restraining order against him.

Police said last week that DiMarco was being cooperative in their investigation.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/656693.html

[bleachedblack]

Woman found in St. Lucie County drowned; Still no ID

Mon, Aug. 25, 2008
Authorities late Monday had still not identified the body that surfaced in the waters off St. Lucie County, but an autopsy revealed the woman had drowned.

Speculation lasted throughout the day whether the body was that of Josephine Frenna, the 51-year-old Fort Lauderdale woman who vanished Thursday morning.

The St. Lucie sheriff's office released a description of the deceased -- and it closely matches Frenna's appearance.

''It has not been determined whether the body is that of the woman whose name has been released by the Fort Lauderdale police as a missing person,'' said St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken J. Mascara. ``The body had no obvious signs of trauma.''

Frenna, 51, was last seen Thursday morning walking home from a Fort Lauderdale bus stop where she left her 14-year-old son.

On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard discovered a woman in a blue bathing suit in the ocean, 24 miles east of Sebastian Inlet. The sheriff's office said Monday that the body was that of 5-foot, 6-inch woman, 160-pounds with black shoulder-length hair pulled back. Her toenails were painted red and she wore a dark-blue, floral print bathing suit. She also wore two large diamond and gold stud earrings.

Earlier in the day, Fort Lauderdale police released a Be-On-The-Lookout flier with a description of Frenna's appearance -- listing her as 5-foot-6 with a medium build and brown, shoulder-length hair.

In searching for Frenna, police scoured the area near her Fort Lauderdale condo. They also checked jails, hospitals and airline rosters. But no luck.

Her family -- some from as far away as Canada and New York -- gathered near her condo at Galt Ocean Mile Monday morning, handing out missing persons fliers.

Soon after Frenna was reported missing, police tracked down her estranged husband, Gerardo DiMarco, who lives in Pompano Beach.

The couple, which moved to South Florida from Canada, had a tumultuous relationship.

Last month, Frenna went before a judge, saying she was fearful of DiMarco.

Frenna told the court, ``Me and my son are afraid for our life.''

She called DiMarco ''violent'' and ``dangerous.''

Last week, DiMarco, 58, filed for divorce.

On Friday, a day after she disappeared, Frenna was set to appear in court for a hearing to consider her request for a restraining order against him.

Police said last week that DiMarco was being cooperative in their investigation.

http://www.miamiherald.com/846/story/656693.html

[sharon]

I've been watching local news for updates bb.

One of the family members (maybe her brother) was interviewed -- and he said that she never went swimming. She didn't like -- or was afraid -- of the water. That she would gather with the family around the pool, but would never go in.

They are so praying that the St Lucie find is not her 

[bleachedblack]

Hmmmm it sure doesn't sound good. Thanks for the info sharon.

[MumInOhio]

OFFICIALS CHECK TO SEE IF BODY IS MISSING FLORIDA MOM
Monday, August 25, 2008
·   
Josephine Frenna
Fort Lauderdale authorities are checking the dental records of a body found Sunday afternoon to see if it is a South Florida woman who disappeared Thursday after seeking a restraining order against her husband.
Josephine Frenna, 51, vanished a day before she was scheduled to be in court for a hearing on the restraining order and a week after filing for divorce.
U.S. Coast Guard officials found the body of a woman clad in a blue bathing suit about 20 miles east of the Sebastian Inlet early Sunday afternoon, the Miami Herald reports.
Sgt. Frank Sousa of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department told FOXNews.com that they expected results of the dental records check to be completed on Tuesday.
Frenna, who recently moved from Canada, had told a Broward County judge that she and her son were "afraid for our life" because her estranged husband, Gerardo Di Marco, is "violent" and "dangerous," according to reports.
Frenna’s 14-year-old son became suspicious Thursday when he returned from school to find his mother’s car, purse and cell phone, but no trace of her. Police have searched nearby apartments, hospitals, jails and airlines with no luck.
·   
Frenna’s family and friends have been interviewed as well. Di Marco was located Friday by Fort Lauderdale police and has been cooperative, police told the Herald.
Frenna’s restraining order request claimed her husband had broken through doors with an ax and changed the locks on their home, as well as threatened to throw her off the couple’s balcony.
Di Marco had indicated he planned to leave Florida and was seeking joint custody of the couple’s son. He tried to get a court order barring Frenna from selling their assets and was named the beneficiary of her life insurance policy.
Di Marco’s attorney, Marc Shelowitz, told the Miami Herald on Friday he was shocked to hear Frenna was missing.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,410163,00.html

[bleachedblack]

Ocean drowning victim resembles missing Lauderdale woman
The body of a woman found dead in the Atlantic Ocean off St. Lucie County bears some resemblance to a Fort Lauderdale woman missing since last week.

Posted Tuesday Aug 26, 2008
Authorities late Monday had still not identified the body that surfaced in the waters off St. Lucie County, but an autopsy revealed the woman had drowned.

There had been speculation throughout the day whether the body was that of Josephine Frenna, the 51-year-old Fort Lauderdale woman who vanished Thursday morning.

''It has not been determined whether the body is that of the woman whose name has been released by the Fort Lauderdale police as a missing person,'' said St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken J. Mascara. ``The body had no obvious signs of trauma.''

The St. Lucie sheriff's office Monday afternoon released a description of the deceased -- and it closely matched Frenna's appearance.

If authorities ultimately determine Frenna's body was the one discovered, a theory is that she went for a swim in the ocean, drowned outside of her Galt Ocean Mile condo and currents carried her far to the north.

Meanwhile, the attorney representing Frenna's estranged husband, Gerardo DiMarco, said his client has been ''fully cooperative with police,'' and ``has no idea where [Frenna] is.'

The couple, who moved to South Florida from Canada, had a tumultuous -- and at times, violent -- relationship, according to court records.

While he insists his client had nothing to do with her disappearance, attorney Marc Shelowitz acknowledges how the situation looks from the outside.

''Right now, he's getting hammered,'' Shelowitz said.

DiMarco agreed to be questioned by police for six hours after Frenna went missing, said Shelowitz, who is representing DiMarco in the divorce proceedings.

Frenna, 51, was last seen Thursday morning walking home from a Fort Lauderdale bus stop where she left her 14-year-old son.

FOUND FLOATING

On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard discovered a woman floating in the ocean, 24 miles east of Sebastian Inlet. The sheriff's office said Monday that the body was that of a 5-foot 6-inch, 160-pound woman with black shoulder-length hair pulled back. Her toenails were painted red and she wore a dark-blue, floral print bathing suit. She also wore two large diamond and gold stud earrings.

Earlier in the day, Fort Lauderdale police released a flier with a description of Frenna -- listing her as 5-foot-6, a medium build with brown, shoulder-length hair.

Still, Frenna's family was skeptical Monday that she would be out in the ocean, saying she did not like to swim and ``wouldn't even dip her toe in the ocean.''

In searching for Frenna, police scoured the area near her Fort Lauderdale condo. They also checked jails, hospitals and airline rosters. But no luck.

Her family -- some from as far away as Canada and New York -- gathered near her condo at Galt Ocean Mile Monday morning, handing out missing persons fliers.

>>>>the complete article
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/657895.html

[bleachedblack]

Family of missing Fort Lauderdale woman fears foul play
Body found in ocean matches description of missing 51-year-old Fort Lauderdale woman

 August 26, 2008
FORT LAUDERDALE - A family's suspicions that foul play is involved in the disappearance of a 51-year-old woman intensified Monday when a body matching her description was discovered in the ocean.

Authorities could not determine Monday whether the body found off the Sebastian Inlet was that of Josephine Frenna, who was last seen Thursday.

"We're very concerned, and very worried," family friend Steve Stabile said. "And as time goes on, we're getting more and more concerned. Josephine wasn't the type of person to go out there by herself. ... We believe there is foul play involved."

The stay-at-home mom was reported missing Thursday, after her teenage son came home and discovered she was not at their beachfront condo, at 4020 Galt Ocean Drive. Frenna left behind her car, purse, cell phone, credit cards and other personal belongings — prompting police to assign homicide detectives.

Frenna also failed to show up in court Friday for a hearing regarding a temporary restraining order she was seeking against her husband, Gerardo DiMarco.

Sunday afternoon, U.S. Coast Guardsmen found the body of a woman about 24 miles east of the Sebastian Inlet, Sheriff Ken J. Mascara said in a news release. .

An autopsy determined that the woman drowned, Mascara said, but authorities still could not say whether she is Frenna.

Police and the family distributed fliers to residents and businesses near Frenna's home.

Among those detectives have questioned is Frenna's husband. Fort Lauderdale police spokesman Sgt. Frank Sousa said he is not a suspect at this time.

The couple moved to Broward County from Montreal about a month ago, then separated. DiMarco filed for divorce earlier this month. Frenna sought the restraining order Aug. 7, saying in court papers DiMarco threatened to throw her off the balcony.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbmissingmom0826sbaug26,0,593637.story

[Nut44x4]

 
"If authorities ultimately determine Frenna's body was the one discovered, a theory is that she went for a swim in the ocean, drowned outside of her Galt Ocean Mile condo and currents carried her far to the north."   

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/657895.html

[klaasend]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,411061,00.html

Body Found in Atlantic Is Missing Florida Mom
Tuesday , August 26, 2008

 The body of a woman found in the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend has been identified as that of a South Florida mother missing since last Thursday.

Fort Lauderdale officials tell the Miami Herald that the body of a woman found by Coast Guard officials about 20 miles east of the Sebastian Inlet is Josephine Frenna, 51, who disappeared a day before a court hearing on a restraining order against her husband.

The St. Lucie County medical examiner used dental records to identify the body, the paper said.

Frenna, who recently moved from Canada, had told a Broward County judge that she and her son were "afraid for our life" because her estranged husband, Gerardo Di Marco, is "violent" and "dangerous," according to reports.

Frenna’s 14-year-old son became suspicious Thursday when he returned from school to find his mother’s car, purse and cell phone, but no trace of her. Police searched nearby apartments, hospitals, jails and airlines with no luck.

Police are still investigating the cause of her death.

Frenna’s family and friends have been interviewed as well. Di Marco was located Friday by Fort Lauderdale police and has been cooperative, police told the Herald.

Frenna’s restraining order request claimed her husband had broken through doors with an ax and changed the locks on their home, as well as threatened to throw her off the couple’s balcony.

Di Marco had indicated he planned to leave Florida and was seeking joint custody of the couple’s son. He tried to get a court order barring Frenna from selling their assets and was named the beneficiary of her life insurance policy.

Di Marco’s attorney, Marc Shelowitz, told the Miami Herald on Friday he was shocked to hear Frenna was missing.

[Nut44x4]

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
 
August 28, 2008 Thursday
 
FRENNA'S FAMILY LOOKS FOR ANSWERS ABOUT DEATH
 
Questions continue to swirl around the death of Josephine Frenna. On Wednesday, her estranged husband's lawyer said his client is as desperate as anyone for answers.

A day after police identified a body found drifting in the ocean as hers, Frenna's relatives, friends and police said they did not know how she ended up in the water.

The 51-year-old stay-at-home mom was wearing a blue bathing suit, but police have not yet determined whether her death, ruled a drowning, was accidental, officials said.

Frenna's husband, whom she had a temporary restraining order against, is devastated and continues to cooperate with detectives, his attorney Marc Shelowitz said Wednesday.

"He reiterated he had nothing to do with her disappearance," Shelowitz said. He said the husband, Gerardo DiMarco, told him he had passed several lie detector tests police had administered since Frenna was reported missing a week ago.

Shelowitz handled Di- Marco's divorce filing against Frenna earlier this month and said he is trying to help reunite DiMarco with his son, 13, who is currently being cared for by Frenna's relatives.

Frenna's relatives did not want to say much Wednesday but were planning a news conference this afternoon outside the Galt Ocean Mile condo where Frenna lived with her son.

The teenager was the last person to report seeing Frenna alive. He came home from school Aug. 21 expecting to find his mother at the apartment, but she wasn?t there.

Police, relatives and neighbors searched the area but found no sign of her. Frenna's cell phone, credit cards and other personal items were left inside the condo, police said.

On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard found a body floating in the Atlantic east of Sebastian Inlet, more than 100 miles north of Fort Lauderdale. The Gulf Stream current likely carried the body there, police said.

Frenna's relatives were stunned to learn the body was hers. They said she was afraid of the water and wouldn't have gone swimming alone.
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020825&docId=l:843200283&start=2

[Nut44x4]

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
 
August 29, 2008 Friday
 
NEW DETAILS EMERGE IN DROWNING

New details in Josephine Frenna's mysterious drowning suggest she went to the beach the day she went missing, but relatives continue to suspect foul play.

Police said Thursday a woman came forward a day earlier to turn in a bag she found at the beach along Galt Ocean Mile. Inside were keys to Frenna's nearby oceanfront condo.

When Frenna's body was found in the open Atlantic more than 100 miles to the north over the weekend, she was wearing a bathing suit and had her hair fastened in a pony tail.

The discovery of the bag, however, did nothing to quell suspicions among Frenna's relatives and friends that she did not die accidentally while swimming.

"There is no way that Josephine went into the water of her own volition," family friend Steve Stabile said.

The relatives said Frenna, 51, feared her estranged husband, who had filed for divorce, but according to police, he has been cooperating with the investigation into her disappearance and death.

Detectives have not determined whether the drowning was an accident, or even how and where Frenna got into the water. They're awaiting surveillance video footage from buildings near her condo at 4020 Galt Ocean Drive, and toxicology results from an autopsy, said Sgt. Frank Sousa, Fort Lauderdale police spokesman.

Frenna went missing Aug. 21, a day before she was due in court for a hearing on a temporary restraining order she had against her husband, Gerardo DiMarco. The couple separated after moving here from Montreal with their 13-year-old son this summer.

On Sunday, Frenna's body was found floating in the ocean about 24 miles east of Sebastian Inlet. Investigators identified the remains Tuesday.

According to oceanographers, it would not be unusual for the Gulf Stream to have carried Frenna's body so far north if she somehow drowned near her condo. But one did find it unusual that the body made it far enough from shore to enter the strong northbound current, that flows about three miles off Fort Lauderdale.

Ned Smith, a Fort Pierce-based oceanographer, said Tropical Storm Fay likely was producing rip currents at the time Frenna went missing, but that it was unlikely they were powerful enough to take her out to sea.

"They usually don't carry anything more than a couple hundred yards," said Smith, but added it's possible Fay's winds also were a factor.

Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477. 
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020825&docId=l:843803508&start=8