FREMONT, Mich. – A family from Fremont, Michigan has been missing for five days following “paranoid” behavior from the father.
Fremont is in Newaygo County, north of Grand Rapids. The Fremont Police Department put out an alert for the missing family on Wednesday night.
Police said the Cirigliano family is “very concerned” about their missing family members Anthony (Tony), 51, Suzette, 51, Brandon, 19, and Noah, 15. Other family last had contact with them on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022.
Suzette Cirigliano’s mother, who has dementia and needs full-time care, was found walking around the neighborhood around 9 p.m. on Monday, according to News 8. Neighbors called police and that’s when the search for the family began.
According to the report, the home’s doors were locked and the family’s minivan, a 2005 Toyota Sienna with the license plate DJL1982, was missing. Pets were left at the home.
Relatives told News 8 that Suzette Cirigliano’s cell phone was still in the house, but Tony Cirigliano’s cell phone is missing. Police said the family’s phones were off.
Brandon and Noah both have autism, according to police. The two sons were homeschooled and the family kept to themselves, relatives told News 8.
Previous: Police look for missing Michigan family of 4; Father was exhibiting ‘paranoid’ behaviors
Listen to the 911 call Tony Cirigliano made on Sunday: ‘People want to erase me from the face of the Earth’
Police told News 8 that Tony Cirigliano was “exhibiting some signs of paranoia” before the family vanished.
Tony Cirigliano called 911 just after midnight on Sunday and two officers went to his home.
“Tony was talking about issues or information that he had regarding the Sept. 11 attacks. But, really, what my officers were spending a great deal of time doing was talking to everyone making sure everybody was safe and trying to make sure that mental illness wasn’t putting anybody in jeopardy,” Fremont Police Chief Tim Rodwell told News 8.
According to the report, officers spent around 45 minutes to an hour talking to Tony Cirigliano and his wife. Family told News 8 that they do not believe Tony Cirigliano would hurt his family, and believe that he may be trying to protect him.
They said he was troubled over the weekend and believed “bad things” were going to happen.
You can read a transcript of the 911 call below:
Operator: Newaygo County 911.
Tony Cirigliano: Yes, hello. This is Anthony John Cirigliano. (Says address).
Operator: OK, what’s going on tonight?
*30 seconds of silence in the recording*
Tony Cirigliano: Yes. Everyone is OK. But I need the Fremont Police Department and I believe he is Captain Jon Geeting. I need some police protection immediately.
Operator: (Intelligible).
Tony Cirigliano: It is of vital national interest. It is related to Sept. 11 and people want to erase me from the face of the Earth. I’m not crazy. Mr. Geeting knows me. I’m a Christian. I just need some help and then the U.S. government will take it from here. I know this sounds crazy. You don’t have instructions for this. Please send someone that knows Geeting and can talk to U.S. authorities, please.
Operator: OK, And do you have any weapons there?
Tony Cirigliano: No weapons at all. Not even a BB gun.
Operator: Alright, and how do we spell your last name?
Tony Cirigliano: Sure, it’s C-I-R-I-G-L-I-A-N-O.
Operator: And your phone number?
Tony Cirigliano: We have no landline.
Operator: OK, alright, we’ll get him over there for you. (Address).
Tony Cirigliano: Can they come with their lights off not to frighten my children, please.
Operator: Yep. Definitely.
Cirigliano: OK. I’ll look for them and knock on the door. Please try to send Mr. Geeting even if he has to be awoke from his sleep. It’s that important, please.
Operator: Yep. He’s on right now.
Cirigliano: OK, thank you.
Operator: Yep, bye.
Family is concerned: ‘We definitely just want to let him know there’s nothing to be scared of’
Tony’s brother, Paul Cirigliano, told Local 4 it’s unlike them to be out of touch.
“They usually wouldn’t even go so far as like Walmart without letting somebody know, so it’s very unlike them,” said Paul Cirigliano. “It’s certainly not an abrupt vacation by any means.”
Paul Cirigliano found the 911 call made by his brother concerning.
“We think maybe he might be having mental health sort of issue, and maybe he’s scared of something, but we definitely just want to let him know there’s nothing to be scared of, and he can reach out, and we’ll help him,” Paul Cirigliano said.
Family stopped at UP gas station Monday, report says
According to a report from News 8, the family was spotted at 10:48 a.m. Monday at a gas station in the Upper Peninsula.
The family was seen at the Blaney Park Quik Stop on US-2 near M-77, northeast of Manistique and about 70 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. News 8 said the Fremont Police Department says surveillance video confirmed it was the Ciriglianos.
News 8 spoke to the gas station manager, Heidi Bowler, who told them the mother and two sons came into the gas station to use the restroom. One of the sons asked to use a phone to make a call, but didn’t know how to use it.
“He was acting a little strange, so we were just watching him,” Bowler told News 8. “The only reason we paid attention to them is because the boys were a little different. I thought, ‘I wonder what’s wrong. Like, why is he using the phone? No one else is asking.’ It was just a little odd.”
According to the report, the family was only there for about 15 minutes. Police said they got gas and purchased some food.
Bowler said she was scrolling through Facebook when she saw a post about the missing family.
“I looked at it and I thought, ‘Oh my God, that lady looks very familiar,’ and then once I looked at the boys, I was like, ‘Wow, they look familiar, too,’” she told News 8.
She decided to watch the surveillance footage, checked the license plate and was sure it was them. She did contact the police.
Police continue searching for family
Police do not know if the family is still in Michigan, somewhere in the Midwest or somewhere else. They hope the family will see news reports and contact police or their family.
| Name | Height | Weight | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Cirigliano | 5′6′' | 180 lbs | Brown hair, clean-shaven |
| Suzette Cirigliano | 5′9′' | 120 lbs | Blonde hair, glasses |
| Brandon Cirigliano | 5′8′' | 120 lbs | Brown hair, brown eyes |
| Noah Cirigliano | 5′6′' | 120 lbs | Brown hair, brown eyes |
News 8 reported that police are going through the family’s financial information and trying to ping their cell phones.
Michigan State Police are now involved in the search. Suzette Cirigliano’s mother is in the care of other family members.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Fremont Police Department at 231-924-2400, Silent Observer at 231-652-1121 or 911.
Previous report: Michigan family of 4 vanishes after bizarre 911 call from father