The family of a New Jersey man missing in Breckenridge said they hold hope that he was able to find shelter, based on reports from the search and rescue units that have been looking for him since Friday morning.
Alphonse “Mike” Barbiere, 23, left Cecilia’s Martini Bar around 1:20 a.m. Friday, police said. The weather outside was termed “ghastly” by Assistant Police Chief Greg Morrison, with heavy snow, very cold temperatures and winds near 65 mph. Barbiere was wearing pants, a golf shirt and a shell jacket with no insulation or fleece. He had no gloves and only a small ski cap, which he wasn’t wearing, friends said.
His friends told police Barbiere had consumed 20 drinks that night. On CNN Headline News’ “Nancy Grace” show Tuesday night, Chris Barbiere said her son and his friends had drank at four bars in Breckinridge that night.
Over the weekend, 16 search teams comprised of 60 members looked for him. Dogs located his scent outside the bar but lost it within 100 yards. Experienced searchers said a person dressed like Barbiere could last only 40-45 minutes in those conditions before turning hypothermic.
“We’ve been given some hope by the fact that a very high-qualified search and rescue team searched for two full days and told us there is a high probability that he’s not here (in town),” said Barbiere’s older brother, Bob, 46.
At the time, Hoosier Pass to the south was closed, and both directions of I-70 were closed because of weather. So Barbiere would have to be somewhere in between, Bob said.
“Mike is a very smart, trusting person,” he continued. “Our feeling now, because they can’t locate him, is that he’s done something he’s done in the past like sticking his thumb out to get a ride. It leads us to believe he got into a car, either in good faith or in bad faith. He’s either in a safe place or potentially something very bad has happened to him, like a criminal act.
“People just don’t vanish. We’re going to stay at this,” he said.
Assistant Chief Morrison put two police officers on top of the city’s tallest plow Monday, in order to see over snow banks as it drove the area roads. They searched for five hours and found nothing, he said. Heavy snow was falling Monday.
Bob Barbiere said the family has posted a $10,000 reward for information leading to Mike. Persons with information are asked to call Summit County Crime Stoppers at (866) 453-7867. The call is toll-free and callers will remain anonymous.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
