Missing Man Entered Home In Hamden, Wasn’t Detained: Police

HAMDEN, CT — A missing Middletown man had a recent encounter with police after entering a home in Hamden during the overnight hours, but wasn’t taken into custody. Peter Recchia, 59, has been missing from Middletown for nearly two weeks but the Silver Alert hadn’t yet been issued when he came into contact with Hamden Police, according to Capt. Ronald Smith.

Police responded to a home on State Street at about 4:15 a.m. on Oct. 3 on the report of an “unwanted person,” according to Smith. A 76-year-old resident told police that she “heard heavy footsteps downstairs” and heard a man talking aloud, Smith said.

The resident went downstairs and saw the man, later identified as Recchia, sitting at her kitchen table. The resident “convinced” Recchia to leave her home, Smith said. Recchia apparently entered the home through an unlocked door, according to Smith.

Moments later, police found Recchia walking southbound on State Street. The officer determined that Recchia wasn’t a danger to himself or others and was told he could leave, Smith said.

While at the scene, police conducted a computer check and there were no active warrants and Recchia hadn’t yet been reported missing, according to Smith. The Silver Alert was issued for Recchia sometime after 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 3, Smith said.

Smith said the Hamden Police Department Ethics and Integrity Division has launched an internal investigation.

Recchia is described by police as a white male with gray hair, green eyes, glasses and a mustache. He is 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 150 pounds.

Recchia’s family believes he may have walked from Durham around 7 p.m. on Oct. 2 through to Hamden and continued on to New Haven. He was last seen on State Street in New Haven at 4:56 a.m. on Oct. 3, according to his family.

The family is asking for any Ring doorbell, car video or business video with him walking southbound in New Haven on that morning.

Hamden Police are also asking anyone who may have seen Recchia, to call them at 203-230-4030. Anyone with information is asked to call Middletown Det. Lecasse at Middletown Police 860-638-4134.

The family has also set up a Facebook page to help with the search, visit it here.