Seabrook Cold Case Still Haunts Family

It may have happened over a decade ago, but the emotional scars caused by the sudden disappearance of Curtis Pishon are just as fresh as that fateful day on July 5, 2000.

Pishon was last seen in the early morning hours on July 5, 2000, while working as a security guard in Seabrook.

Despite strong theories about Pishon being murdered by someone at the property which he was guarding, there has been no closure for Pishon's family because no eye witnesses have come forward and no confessions have been made.

"That's what we're looking for," said Nick Pishon, Curtis' father. "It’s very frustrating. We miss him every day. There are ups and downs and we're still hopeful that we'll find his remains... [or] someone will come forward to give authorities what need to close the case and make an arrest."

The case, which is still being investigated by the Seabrook Police Department and the state Attorney General's Cold Case Team, has been dormant since the last failed lead in 2010, although that hasn't stopped family members and police from continuing to spread word about Pishon's presumed murder.

The case has garnered national media coverage along the way, and has even appeared on the popular syndicated TV show "Unsolved Mysteries."

Seabrook Police Lt. Mike Gallagher said all of that still hasn't been enough, though, to conjure the piece or pieces of evidence authorities need in order to finally pull Pishon's name off a list of 118 New Hampshire cold cases.

"I’ve had so many sleepless nights over this," said Gallagher, a 22-year veteran of the department who was in charge of the case for five years. "What we’re really waiting for right now is some firsthand knowledge to help us out. We have a pretty good picture of what happened, but it will not get us a search warrant or an arrest warrant for that matter."

Senior Assistant Attorney General Jeff Strelzin, who is the head of the state's homicide unit, said authorities firmly believe "foul play" was involved based on the "circumstances" leading to Pishon's disappearance.

Pishon was guarding the now-defunct Venture Corporation while 12 workers were inside the facility in the early morning hours of July 5, 2000 -- six days before Pishon's 41st birthday.

It was around 1 a.m. when Pishon's car suspiciously burst into flames, which Gallagher said he believes was caused by two of the workers as a "diversion" while they attempted to use forklifts to break into vending machines inside Venture.

Pishon was at the scene of the fire when firefighters arrived, and was near the guard shack when firefighters cleared the area.

A worker then saw Pishon around 3:15 a.m. walking in or around the building -- which Gallagher said Pishon didn't do often because the man suffered from multiple sclerosis.

That was the last time Pishon was seen, as a worker later noticed Pishon, who would've turned 52 on Monday, was missing from his post around 3:45 a.m.

Gallagher said Pishon's burned car was still in the lot, though, and the man's lighter, cigarettes and contact lens solution were all in still in the guard shack.

Nick Pishon said he feels these details alone point to foul play because his son would've taken his cigarettes had he decided to "wander off" or run away.

"Smokers don’t leave their cigarettes behind," said Nick Pishon. "We knew [foul play was involved] anyway because we know who he was, but this is clear evidence of that to other people."

Gallagher said he believes Pishon may have "gone to get a Coke" from one of the vending machines around 3:15 a.m. after standing by the fire, at which point he may have walked in on individuals trying to steal money out of the machines.

Gallagher said a worker noticed two vehicles speeding out of the parking lot around the time Pishon disappeared, which may have been the workers taking Pishon or his body off the premises.

Every worker but Pishon was accounted for the next day, though, and police didn't get a description of the vehicles or get enough evidence to connect several damaged vending machines to Pishon's disappearance.

Still, Gallagher said he has identified a suspect -- he said he just lacks probable cause as well anything other than "third-person accounts" about what happened, preventing him from making an arrest.

"I think the community knows what happened," he said. "Everyone knows that we know. The people who did it know that we know they did it. He’s a local. I think he stays in his trailer, maybe on a self-imposed prison term, so maybe there's a little justice there."

Members of the community have come forward with third-party leads, the most recent of which lead to an unsuccessful, two-day excavation of a cement slab behind a South Main Street home in April 2010.

None have broken the case wide open as hoped, and regardless of whether the suspect is serving a self-imposed sentence, Pishon's family and police said they haven't lost hope that the suspect or someone else will come forward to bring true justice for Pishon.

"I just want them to come forward and help us end this thing," said Gallagher. "Just think of the family. Help them bury their son and get their son back and their brother. This has gone on long enough.

"I think this is an accident. I don't think they meant to kill them, and that will be taken into account. Sooner or later I will get them -- I just ask them to come forward."

There is a monetary reward for anyone providing information that leads to the discovery of Pishon's body. 

Nick Pishon and authorities asked anyone with information to call the New Hampshire Crimeline at 474-2640, the Seabrook Police Department at 474-5200, or 877-51-FINDCURT to leave an anonymous voicemail for the family.

Additional information about Pishon and his life are available at a website created by his family called FindCurt.com.

For stories on cold cases in other New Hampshire Patch communities, click on the links below: