A fire at the home of a Florida man who has been missing for two years could offer investigators clues
A recent fire destroyed the home of a Florida man who was reported missing almost two years agodeepening the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
John Henry Mallouk, 78, was reported missing in January 2023 by a “concerned” relative, according to police. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division began investigating the case since Mallouk had not been seen or heard from since August 2022.
A fire broke out Friday night at Mallouk’s home in Okeechobee, Florida, and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
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John Henry Mallouk, 78, was reported missing in January 2023 by a “concerned” relative, according to police. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
Firefighters at the scene were unable to save the house or two cars in the garage, including a red 1955 Ford Thunderbird.
Authorities said the fire raised new questions about Mallouk’s fate as detectives look for any connection to his disappearance.
“When detectives first searched Mallouk’s home, they found no signs of a struggle or foul play,” The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
A fire broke out Friday night at the home of John Mallouk in Okeechobee, Florida, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
“The premises appeared untouched, with the door unlocked, food still in the fridge and a cell phone left on the counter,” the statement continued.
In light of Friday’s fire, detectives revisited the site in search of any “additional clues” that could help in the investigation of Mallouk’s disappearance and to “investigate whether there may be a correlation between the fire and his case,” police said.
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A fire broke out Friday night at the home of John Mallouk in Okeechobee, Florida. The police are conducting an investigation. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
Detectives are urging anyone with information about the fire or Mallouk’s whereabouts to contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.
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“Our detectives put so much time into this,” Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said WPBF.
“We’re just looking for closure wherever the answer takes us,” he added. “He has family who are concerned about him and his whereabouts.”
