Retired Teacher Left Home And Vanished: New Details Into South Jersey Man's Disappearance

LOGAN TOWNSHIP, NJ — An initial helicopter search for a retired Gloucester County educator who went missing last week was unsuccessful, authorities said.

The search for Stephen Iannotti, who authorities described as endangered, remains ongoing after he drove away from his Logan Township home Friday afternoon and never returned.

Family members told police they last heard from him the night before, which was Christmas.

Efforts to find Iannotti, 72, have included search-and-rescue efforts on land and by air.

A helicopter first flew Tuesday over parts of Gloucester County that Iannotti is known to frequent, but authorities did not find him or his Jeep. A second flight using a smaller helicopter with lower-flying capabilities is scheduled for Friday, police said.

Iannotti, 72, formerly taught math and coached football in the Kingsway Regional School District, according to Gloucester County Commissioner Christopher Konawel Jr.

• Read more: Search-And-Rescue Team Deployed For Missing Retired Teacher In South Jersey

Investigation into his disappearance remains underway, but there's no indication of foul play at this time, according to Logan Township police.

Iannotti's Disappearance

The former educator was reported missing on Sunday. Iannotti's vehicle — a black 1997 Jeep Wrangler — wasn't at his home. Police entered the house, but Iannotti wasn't inside.

His cell phone was on the couch, but family members told police that Iannotti often left his phone at home.

Location Tracking

Surveillance footage shows Iannotti's Jeep leaving his driveway around 12:45 p.m. Friday. Automated License Plate Readers last pinged his license plate eight minutes later at the intersection of Center Square Road and Heron Drive in Logan Township, police said.

The mapping apps on his phone have only shown Iannotti in Gloucester and Salem counties, police said. Police didn't share specific locations or when his apps last tracked his location changing.

His vehicle has not crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge or the Delaware River Port Authority's Bridges — the access points to cross into Delaware and Pennsylvania from Gloucester or Salem counties.

Iannotti doesn't use credit or debit cards, and his bank account's last transaction was before Christmas, police said.

What's Next

Logan Township police continue to search for Iannotti, with help from the Gloucester County LandSAR Unit (land search-and-rescue), State Police aviation teams and other agencies.

Iannotti is frequently in the Mount Royal section of East Greenwich Township and the Borough of Pitman, police said. The helicopter searches are focusing on the areas he's known to frequent.

He and his vehicle registration have been entered into the National Crime Information Center database of missing persons.

Police say the circumstances around the investigation don't meet the criteria for a Silver Alert — a tool for finding people with dementia or other mental disabilities.

Facts About Iannotti

Police provided the following description of Iannotti:

• age: 72
• race: white
• hair: gray/white
• height: 5 feet, 3 inches
• weight: about 130 pounds
• last seen wearing: gray hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, green sweat jacket, and gray beanie
• vehicle: a black 1997 Jeep Wrangler with NJ registration "RUNT 61"

Anyone who sees Iannotti or his Jeep is urged to call 911 or the Logan Township Police Department at 856-589-0911.