Police Probe Disappearance Of Hudson County Man 5 Decades Ago

KEARNY, NJ — Police in Kearny are taking a "renewed look" at the case of a man who disappeared from North Jersey more than five decades ago.

Police said they want to find out more about Nicholas James Maschuchi, 60, who drove away from his Kearny home on Sept. 18, 1974 and was never seen again.

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He said he was heading to a business meeting in Brooklyn, police said. He was driving a white 1974 Mercury Grand Marquis.

"After more than five decades, Nicholas Maschuci's family still does not have answers, and this department has not closed the book on his case," said Kearny Police Sgt. John Fabula. "We've been back through this case, and we believe there are people who remember more than they realize."

He added, "A conversation, a name, something that seemed unimportant in 1974 could matter now. We're asking anyone with a memory of Nicholas or that time to reach out. Let us decide what's useful."

Police noted that tips can be shared anonymously.

Maschuci's NAMUS case file says he had blue eyes, but his right eye was glass. He stood around 5-foot-9 with gray hair. He was also wearing bray pants, a white shirt, and bifocals.

He was wearing a four-karat diamond pinkie ring and a white gold watch, his file says. He also wore a silver Blessed Mother medal around his neck.

A person identifying herself as Maschuci's child wrote on a citizen sleuth's website in 2021, "I have never stop searching for my dad."

Police gave these identifying details:

Personal Details

At the time he went missing, Maschuci was described as:

• White male, born Dec. 3, 1913
• Approximately 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall, roughly 210 pounds
• Gray hair, balding, with blue eyes; he wore gold-rimmed bifocal eyeglasses and had an artificial right eye
• Known to use the nickname "Nicky"

"Given the passage of time, individuals who knew Maschuci, witnessed events surrounding his disappearance, or later learned relevant information may now be willing to speak," police said. "Even decades-old recollections may be valuable."

How to Submit a Tip

Tips may be passed along via 201-283-5656, tips@kearnynjpd.org, and by mail to the Kearny Police Department, Attn: Sgt. John Fabula, 237 Laurel Avenue, Kearny, NJ 07032.

Patch reached out to find out why police decided to give the case a new look now, and will update this story if more information is received.