OLD FORGE – Investigators have found the car of a Lackawanna County man missing since last week, and search warrants reveal new information about the case.
Robert Baron, a restaurant owner in Old Forge, has been missing since last week.
Family members of Robert Baron were emotional five days after his disappearance. Friends organized a search effort in the Old Forge area hoping to find some sign that Baron is safe or at the very least give the family some closure.
Dozens of volunteers then headed out looking for anything that could help track down the owner of Ghigiarelli's, a restaurant where court documents indicate a bloody attack took place before Baron went missing. That search wrapped up around 4 p.m. with no word on if anything was found.
"We're going on our fifth day of no one having contact with Mr. Baron, and we're concerned with his safety," said Lackawanna County District Attorney Shane Scanlon.
Police searched the restaurant and found traces of blood, some that had been removed with cleaning supplies. They also found a tooth in a sink as well as a bloody afghan.
Then Sunday, authorities found the car Baron was driving on Howard Street in Old Forge. Blood was also found on a door and inside the vehicle.
"To find out they even found the car is a troubling thing. If they didn't find the car, then we could assume he took a long vacation," said Robert Gaughan.
Police told searchers if they do come across anything, to make sure they leave it alone not to taint any potential evidence in this missing persons case.
"I know it's been days. We have cold weather. With the negative things we've been hearing, it doesn't look good. But we have to have high hopes. But Bobby's a fighter," said family friend Jason Thomas.
According to the search warrant, an employee at Baron's restaurant saw him get multiple phone calls one day last week. Then Baron said, "Don't answer the phone anymore."
Baron is now missing five days and the search for him continues.
"Find Bobby, just got to find him," said Thomas. "A lot of days have gone by, no results, no information, just got to find him."
Baron's family offered a $5,000 reward over the weekend to help find the missing man.