Officials say: Man's disappearance said to be suspicious by Eric Blaisdell, Rutland Daily Herald

BY By ERIC BLAISDELL STAFF WRITER BARRE — Officials say foul play is suspected after a man disappeared over two months ago. According to police, Ralph “Rizz” Jean-Marie, was last seen April 13 at about 1 a.m. Jean-Marie, 38, was reported missing April 15. He had been staying at the Hollow Inn on South Main Street when police said he had a dispute with his significant other and walked away. He is black, 5-feet 10-inches tall, weighs 140 lbs. and has brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing gray pajama pants, a gray Carhartt jacket, a black and gray hat that says “King” and black Adidas sneakers. Police said Jean-Marie has several under- lying health concerns. He also has ties to Massachusetts and New York. Police continue to investi- gate Jean-Marie’s disappear- ance and he had not been located as of Wednesday. Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault said Jean-Marie’s disappearance is “highly suspicious” because he left behind essential items like his eyeglasses, his wallet, med- ications and his identification. “It’s incredibly rare for someone to completely disap- pear and leave behind things like a phone and a wallet,” Thibault said. He encouraged anyone with first-hand information about what happened to Jean-Marie to contact police in Barre City. “Understanding what occurred and where he may be is critically important for his family members and friends in the community. … Mr. Jean-Marie was somebody who mattered and was important to many people in this com- munity and certainly his family, who are out of state,” he said, noting missing posters for Jean-Marie have been dis- played around the city. Police Chief Tim Bombar- dier said police have talked to dozens of people in an effort to locate Jean-Marie. The chief said the department has been told about potential sightings and places where he might be located, but so far none of them have panned out. “We’re suspecting that someone has harmed him and we’re proceeding along those lines,” he said. Bombardier said he didn’t know if Jean-Marie is alive or dead. While he hopes Jean-Marie is found alive and well, the longer he remains missing, the more those feel- ings diminish. “I’ve seen people just walk out the door and disappear for long periods of time. I’ve seen people walk out the door as a result of someone else doing them harm and it taking long periods of time to find that out. And then we’ve seen people who just don’t want to be found. And I don’t know what the case is (here). I mean, right now on face value I believe somebody has harmed him,” he said, echo- ing Thibault’s concerns about the essential items Jean-Marie left behind. He said Jean-Marie also has not been in contact with family members who say he would have reached out by now. The chief said he asked the Vermont State Police Crime Scene Search Team to assist in the investigation. The chief said police have searched sand pits, rivers and quarries based on leads where Jean-Marie’s body may be found. Officials say: Man’s disappearance said to be suspicious