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Unsolved August 9, 1989 Missing Person

Johnny Giordano

Status Unsolved
Type Missing Person
Date August 9, 1989
Location Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Victim Age 7
Gender Male

Seven-year-old Johnny Giordano vanished from his neighborhood in Woonsocket, Rhode Island while playing outside. Despite an immediate search and investigation, he was never found. The case remains Rhode Island's most prominent missing child case.

On the evening of August 9, 1989, seven-year-old Johnny Giordano was playing outside near his home on Rebekah Street in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, a small city in the northern part of the state near the Massachusetts border. His mother last saw him at approximately 6:30 p.m. When she called him in for dinner, he was gone.

The Woonsocket Police Department launched an immediate search of the neighborhood and surrounding areas. Hundreds of volunteers joined the effort over the following days. Rivers, ponds, and wooded areas were searched. Bloodhounds tracked Johnny's scent to a nearby street, where it ended—suggesting he had been picked up by a vehicle.

The investigation identified several persons of interest, including individuals known to frequent the neighborhood, but no arrests were made. The case was featured on missing children posters and databases. Age-progression images were created showing what Johnny might look like as he grew older.

Johnny Giordano's disappearance remains the most prominent unsolved missing child case in Rhode Island. His family has continued to seek answers, and the case is periodically reviewed by Woonsocket police and state investigators.

missing person Rhode Island child 1980s
1989-08-09
Johnny Giordano disappears from his Woonsocket, Rhode Island neighborhood.
1989-08-09
Immediate search; bloodhounds track scent to a road.
1989-08-10
Hundreds of volunteers join the search.

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Have Information About This Case?

Cold cases are solved when someone comes forward. Even a detail that seems minor can matter. If you have any information about this case, contact law enforcement through one of these channels:

  • FBI Tips (tips.fbi.gov) — submit a tip online to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • FBI Tip Line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
  • NamUs (namus.nij.ojp.gov) — the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System accepts information on missing persons cases
  • National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
  • The local police department or sheriff's office in Rhode Island, or the state bureau of investigation

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