VA VA - Benjamin Coffey, 27, Gloucester, 31 Dec 2012

milkymama

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On New Year’s Day (Jan. 1, 2013), Tappahannock Police responded to a report of a disabled vehicle on Route 698, also known as Hobbs Hole Drive, in the Town of Tappahannock. Police found a 1998 Dodge full-size van abandoned on the side of the road. The vehicle was registered to Coffey.

There were numerous personal items belonging to Coffey still inside the van, along with a dog.

Coffey is 5 feet 6 inches in height and weighs approximately 150 pounds.

He has short, brown hair, hazel eyes, and ”COHEED CAMBRA” tattooed on his right arm.

Coffey was last seen wearing a tan Carhartt brand jacket, jeans and leather boots.


http://wtkr.com/2013/04/10/virginia-man-missing-since-christmas-day/
 
Coffey was in the company of a unique looking dog due to its great Pyrenees/border collie mix

"but despite the fact it's a unique mutt, and he was with the dog, we aren't going to show you what it looks like."

Surely people might remember the dog, if not the man?
 
Still missing

Reward offered in case of missing Gloucester man

This New Year's Eve will mark three years since anyone has heard from Benjamin or seen him.

"It's just such a mystery," Terry said. "We are hopeful but I do suspect foul play."

Benjamin was reported missing after his van was found abandoned in Tappahannock on Jan. 1, 2013. He lived in Gloucester County at the time.

The family announced this week that they are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts.

Charley Project

coffey_benjamin.jpg
 
I did a Google search from 01 January 2015 to present and only 2 articles:

http://www.dailypress.com/news/glou...id-missing-gloucester-man-20151202-story.html

http://wtkr.com/2015/12/01/virginia-state-police-still-investigating-mans-2012-disappearance/

Nothing new in either. This is less than an hour and half from me and this is the first I've heard of this case. There are a few businesses besides the Holiday Inn Express where the van was parked but I would imagine most - except the Holiday Inn and 2 or 3 fast food places - would be closed in the early evening of New Years Eve.

The dogs traced his scent to a 'swamp'? I wonder if that is the marshy area around Hoskins Creek on the other side of Hwy 17?

It is strange that his van would be in Tappahannock. If he left Richmond (he called someone and said he was in Richmond and going home) and drove to Gloucester he would be going southeast. Tappahannock is to the northeast - WAY out of his way.
 
I wonder if his tattoo really said "coheed cambra" as the description says, or if it actually said "Coheed and Cambria", which is a band name... They've been around since mid 90s, but maybe had a radio hit around mid 2000s if I remember correctly. I suppose if they haven't found him, then that subtlety is neither here nor there, but just an FYI, I'd suspect his tattoo is the latter.
 
I wonder if his tattoo really said "coheed cambra" as the description says, or if it actually said "Coheed and Cambria", which is a band name... They've been around since mid 90s, but maybe had a radio hit around mid 2000s if I remember correctly. I suppose if they haven't found him, then that subtlety is neither here nor there, but just an FYI, I'd suspect his tattoo is the latter.

I've been going through the media reports and this isn't the only thing I see. They mention him living in his van, a house in Gloucester, a house in Ware Neck and on a boat in Deltaville (next county north). According to this article the van was about out of gas and his cell phone and some cash was inside.

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/article_58c585a3-af4c-5566-ba94-583fff12936e.html

Tappahannock PD saw the van twice on 01 January, but didn't take any action till 03 January. I wonder how LE knew who to contact his family in Richmond, unless the van was in his father's name.

http://wtvr.com/2013/01/06/man-missing-in-tappahannock/
 
A very good summary of Benjamin Coffey's case:
[video=youtube;V9HlRjSJ4xU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9HlRjSJ4xU&list=PLtQTG_o0WfAdFPoySN1ukePSWurycYDd4&index=51[/video]
 
Searching the internet for any updates there weren't even any in December 4 years after he went missing. I can't believe this case seems to be going nowhere.
 
There has been nothing in the press on all of this. I can't see it as a suicide as it can be difficult for such a person to hide their body. I'm starting to question that scent tracked to the nearby marsh. SAR dogs are fabulous members of LE, but even they have made mistakes. Was this Benjamin's trail they followed? And it suddenly ended there without a body?
 
I was in the general area last month. No missing posters anywhere. No updates in the news either and we are coming up on 5 years. I hope LE is still looking at this case and actively investigating.
 
I'll be in that area sometime this month. MAYBE there will be some missing posters. But I don't hold out much hope on even that action. This case is cold enough to liquefy oxygen.
 
30 November. Ben would be 34 years old today if he were still here. Unfortunately, I don't believe that is the case. Seven years. Time for something from LE.
 

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