FL FL - Porter Taylor Albert, 78, Fort Myers, 15 Jan 2020

[YaYa_521]

18 Mar 2020
Porter Taylor Albert: Fort Myers Police continue to search for a missing 78-year-old man

Published:June 23, 2020 1:40 PM EDT
FMPD still searching for 78-year-old Porter Albert, missing since January

• last seen in the Big Lots department store at 13970 N. Cleveland Avenue in North Fort Myers
• known to frequent the 3000 block of Cleveland Avenue
• known for helping others in need
• lives alone and has no local relatives who can confirm when he was last seen
• On Jan. 26, 2020, ... someone else driving his car, who was arrested. The suspect said she was looking for Albert.
• no new developments in the search since the end of January
• looking for any new information on the case

 

[Luckyzmom]

Where are you Albert ?????

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Just wondering out loud...
Why did Mr. Albert go to that Big Lots in North Ft Myers when there is one closer to his house?

My understanding is, that he traveled at night, (which older people rarely do) north on US41 from his home. He made a quick stop at Big Lots and bought among other things, toothpaste, and potato chips.

He would've seen a million places along US41 to pick up toothpaste and chips, but he stopped there because he knew this is was the last one before he got to his destination. So he was not going as far north as Punta Gorda.

He wasn't meeting someone at their house, because everyone has toothpaste in their homes. He needed the toothpaste, because where he was going may not have had it. So therefore, he was meeting someone at a motel or at a covert meeting place north of the Big Lots at the intersection of US41 and Pondella Road.

When the Lee County Sheriff's Office stated that Mr. Albert enjoyed going to the beaches in Sarasota County. It made me think of Caspersen Beach, located in Sarasota County, where often men alone will hook up. There are numerous one night stay motels north of Pondella Road on Business 41 just a short distance from the Big Lots. He could've also met someone at a parking lot or picnic bench at Prairie Pines Preserve, Yucca Pens or Babcock Ranch.

It's my understanding that "both" cars belonging to Mr. Albert were recovered. Now, I wonder if the car that he used that night was not the Lexus but another one, perhaps he had a pickup truck. LCSO hasn't stated where the car was found. Please correct me, if I'm wrong.

Pure speculation, but this man didn't get himself lost while out driving around.

It's my understanding that "both" cars belonging to Mr. Albert were recovered. Now, I wonder if the car that he used that night was not the Lexus but another one,

Where was his other car located?
That is probably where he went missing from. Not from his home where his Lexus was that the girl “borrowed”.
Where was his phone? I haven’t seen his phone mentioned at all?

 

[mlhenn]

Investigators renew search for missing man in Fort Myers cold case

There is a renewed push to find a missing Southwest Florida man who was last seen 287 days ago.

 

[Sunrisenow]

Unfortunately still no news

It's been a year since friends last saw 78-year-old Porter Albert, and Fort Myers Police detectives continue to hope that new leads come to light.

Porter Albert missing for one year: Detective hopes for new leads

Where was his other car located?
That is probably where he went missing from. Not from his home where his Lexus was that the girl “borrowed”.
Where was his phone? I haven’t seen his phone mentioned at all?

His cellphone was inside his home. A second vehicle of Albert's was also found at his home.

 

[PommyMommy]

Map w/points of interest.

Big Lots, Albert's home, known to frequent, Tiffany's arrest - Google Maps

1. Last seen @ Big Lots, N. Cleveland Ave, Fort Myers
2. Albert's home, Linhart Ave, Fort Myers
3. Known to frequent, 3000 blk of Cleveland Ave, Fort Myers
4. Tiffany arrested driving Albert's vehicle, Cape Coral Pkwy, Cape Coral

 

[BulletproofBetty]

That Big Lots is on the way from his home to Suncoast Estates ( trailer park) where the 18 year old girl who was caught driving his car lived. Maybe he was on his way to her house?

 

[iulia]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Porter Taylor Albert

Sex Male
Height 5' 5" (65 Inches)
Weight 160 - 170 lbs
Race/Ethnicity White/Caucasian

Hair Color Gray or Partially Gray
Left Eye Color Blue
Right Eye Color Blue

Circumstances of Disappearance Porter Albert was last seen on surveillance inside the Big Lots store at 13970 N. Cleveland Avenue in North Fort Myers on January 15, 2020, at 6:45 PM. A surveillance photograph shows him shopping and wearing light-colored shorts with a two-tone long sleeve shirt that appears to be orange and black. If anyone has any information regarding Albert's current location and who he may have been with, please contact the Fort Myers Police Department at (239) 321-7700. Tips can also be submitted on the new TRUEBLUE app that is free and available for download on the iOS App Store and Google Play Marketplace or submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477.)

 

[cbeagle]

Cape police release full bodycam video with person of interest in Porter Albert disappearance

Cape police release full bodycam video with person of interest in Porter Albert disappearance

 

[PommyMommy]

Cape police release full bodycam video with person of interest in Porter Albert disappearance

Cape police release full bodycam video with person of interest in Porter Albert disappearance

From the article:

[...]

The bodycam video is more than two hours long and shows the view of two different officers.

[...]

The officers asked her if the car belonged to Albert, and Contestable told them it did. When they asked where he went missing, “Uh, I don’t know how he went missing,” said Contestable.

During their interaction with Contestable, police learned she didn’t have a license. They asked her, “How did you end up at Porter’s house and driving his car.” “Um, I originally rode there on my bike,” Contestable said.

Cape Coral police continued to question Contestable why she had the car, which was registered to an address in Port Charlotte. “Because I heard from a couple people that he was seen around here,” Contestable told officers.

After more questions, police told her, “Would you agree that some of your story some of your version of what’s going on seems odd?” Contestable agreed that her version of events was odd.

[...]

Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers believe Contestable, a person of interest in Porter Albert’s disappearance, could be in Arkansas now. ...

 

[YaYa_521]

This article explains the nature of Mr. Albert's relationship with Tiffany (and her mother, who is not a POI).

Police searching for person of interest in Porter Albert case
2 Feb 2022
SBM

• Contestable and her mother were homeless at the time of Albert’s disappearance. He helped them before he disappeared.
• “He was helping her and her mother for a couple years as far as I know,” D. said.
• Albert helped the pair get on their feet and established...
• “This is a man who was kinda like a grandfather to her,” R. said. “He pulled her and her mother out of the woods they were living in … this is a guy who really extended himself for them and then he goes missing and all of a sudden you don’t care.”

#more at link

 

[YaYa_521]

ETA - Tiffany Contestabile - Twitter

Tiffany Contestabile - 2016 last post (nothing much except picture)

SWFL Crime Stoppers
It’s been just over two years since Porter Albert went missing from Fort Myers. If you know anything about Porter’s disappearance or have information that Tiffany Contestable may have shared either before or after he went missing, you can call us 24/7 at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000.

What you didn't know about the disappearance of Porter Albert

 

[YaYa_521]

Tiffany Zora Rachel Contestabile Arrested - Cape Coral, FL Mugshots and Arrest Reports - 2020-01-21
Tiffany Zora Rachel Contestabile was booked on Tuesday January, 21st, 2020 .

• 5 foot 2 inch
• white female
• weighing approximately 100 lbs pounds

 

[ClaireNC]

Ft Myers PD is still working on the case.

https://www.facebook.com/fmpolice/posts/551298603712174

 

[PommyMommy]

Porter Taylor Albert – The Charley Project

Porter Taylor Albert​

Albert, circa 2020; Albert on the day of his disappearance

• Missing Since 01/15/2020
• Missing From North Fort Myers, Florida
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 07/11/1942 (80)
• Age 77 years old
• Height and Weight 5'5, 144 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A two-tone long-sleeved red or orange shirt with black sleeves, khaki cargo shorts and dark-colored Croc-type clog shoes. A photo of Albert in those clothes is posted with this case summary.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes.

Details of Disappearance​

Albert was last seen in the parking lot of a Big Lots store in the 13900 block of North Cleveland Avenue in North Fort Myers, Florida on 6:45 p.m. on January 15, 2020. An image of him from the store's surveillance videos, shopping inside, is posted with this case summary. He has never been heard from again.

His home, where he lived alone, was left unlocked, with no indications of forced entry. His second vehicle was parked there and all his belongings, including his cellular phone, were present. Since he was last seen his retirement account, bank accounts and credit cards have not been touched.

A local friend contacted police about his disappearance on January 19, saying they'd been in touch daily and it was uncharacteristic of Albert to go for four straight days without contact. He also contacted Albert's out-of-state relatives, who filed a missing persons report on January 21.

The day before the missing persons report was filed, January 20, Albert's car was found in Cape Coral, Florida. It was being driven by an eighteen-year-old woman named Tiffany Zora Rachel Contestabile.

When she was stopped, she said the car was Albert's, that he had been missing for a few days and that she had driven to Cape Coral to try to find him. She admitted she had never been issued a driver's license, so she was arrested for unlicensed driving and Albert's car was towed. There was nothing suspicious inside it.

A photo of Contestabile is posted with this case summary. Albert knew her: Contestabile and her mother had been homeless and living in the woods, and Albert had reached out with assistance. He arranged for them to be housed in a North Fort Myers trailer and was also trying to get Contestabile enrolled in school.

Authorities stated Contestabile is a person of interest in Albert's disappearance, although her mother is not. She may currently be residing in Arkansas.

Albert's case remains unsolved. He is described as a kindly man who frequently visited the beaches in the Sarasota and Venice areas, and tried to help needy individuals, such as recovering alcoholics. He has two adult children by his ex-wife.

He is considered missing under suspicious circumstances.

Last updated February 9, 2023; casefile added.