PA PA - Mary Ann Verdecchia, 10, Bloomfield, 7 June 1962

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I want to know what other mysterious things went on in the Martinique-who was the woman that disappeared-did she live in the building? If there were bad things going on in that place, was it well known and if so, why was Mary Ann allowed to go there?
 
I bookmarked this article awhile back, but I guess I didn't post it. It broke my heart.

Missing girl wanted only to be loved
June 22, 1962

Mother still key to missing girl
June 15, 1962

Three tell of seeing Mary Ann
June 23, 1962
Part 2

Parents of missing girl cleared
June 21, 1962

This article mentions Becky Ann Triska

Missing girls pose police problem
July 5, 1962

Lost girls' dad admits theft
June 20, 1963

For distressed parents, the hardest part is not knowing
June 27, 1982

So many people saw her when she first arrived at the apartments. I don't believe she could have left without being seen. Whoever killed her planted the bracelet at the park, imo.
 
Where was the back entrance of the building? Is there a pic of the building at all and why was it torn down? Where there still tenants prior to it being torn down?
 
I wish more was out there about the Martinique. Even if only the exact location where it stood. It's hard to believe that searches weren't done during its demolition, especially considering there were two dissapearances there.

Add me to the group that feels neither girl left there alive. Someone had their sicko shop set up in there, and I guess in that day and age it was easy to get away with.
 
Where is the source for the demolition of the Martinique? I believe it's still there. It houses a Vocelli's Pizza and a bar at the front. The apartment building, now called Boulevard is attached and behind the pizza place. Behind the apartment building is a car repair garage, Joga's. I located 4740 Baum blvd. as the address of Martinique Apartments and Martinique Garage in old city directories for Pittsburgh. You can see the layout of the front in a picture w google maps.
 
Delle said:
Where is the source for the demolition of the Martinique? I believe it's still there. It houses a Vocelli's Pizza and a bar at the front. The apartment building, now called Boulevard is attached and behind the pizza place. Behind the apartment building is a car repair garage, Joga's. I located 4740 Baum blvd. as the address of Martinique Apartments and Martinique Garage in old city directories for Pittsburgh. You can see the layout of the front in a picture w google maps.
Click to expand...

I agree with you, in fact, a while ago, I wrote to a reporter who did a story on Mary Ann and mentioned the Martinique being razed. Told her just what you said. Never heard back from her. I also called Joga's (the car place) and asked if they knew what was behind their sign on the archway. They didn't know but it wouldn't surprise me if it didn't say The Martinique.

I've got quite a few articles from way back. The Martinique had some pretty scandalous stuff going on back in the day. Apartment ads for the Boulevard Apts have the same address as the Martinique and the same phone number. The apartments are touted as 'newly renovated'. I'm convinced they are one and the same.
 
Wow, thanks to both of you for all of the info. I just always believed the apartments to be gone because of the (now obviously) erroneous articles. Seeing the way that it is makes it much easier to see how this happened.
 
The Martinique had a restaurant, also. I wonder if this became Belvedere's at some point. Inside the arch has several doors that seem to enter into the 'Boulevard." I have very little doubt that this is the former Martinique building. Same address and newspapers site this address for the Martinique restaurant, apartment building and Martinique garage. There's a row of garages behind the building, where Joga's is located.
 
Delle said:
The Martinique had a restaurant, also. I wonder if this became Belvedere's at some point. Inside the arch has several doors that seem to enter into the 'Boulevard." I have very little doubt that this is the former Martinique building. Same address and newspapers site this address for the Martinique restaurant, apartment building and Martinique garage. There's a row of garages behind the building, where Joga's is located.
Click to expand...

Daily Independent July 1, 1959 has the Belvedere being cited for serving minors. Address is the same as the Martinique.
 

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Now that I'm searching the address rather than the Martinique name, I see what you mean about scandelous activities in the building. Drugs, prostitution, and murder. Not to mention Marcella Krulce and of course Mary Ann.
 
I wish I could find a picture of the Martinique as it looked back then. Nothing so far. I have wondered if the front-now Vocelli's was either the Martinique restaurant or a lobby for the apartments. And the bar on the other side of the arch was Belvedere's.
 
Looking at some old google articles, I found a few odd things:
1) A very large search group that also included 500 Boy Scouts combed Highland Park after (2) leads. One was a child finding a bracelet near the park entrance. Mary Ann's Aunt and three of her friends said they could identify this as hers. This was later discounted, as they noted that many girls had similar bracelets (faux pearl w a heart charm) at that time- and investigators concluded she could have lost it there at some other time or it could have belonged to any young girl. However, the day after she disappeared an 8-year old child reported seeing a girl that fit her description running and screaming as she ran, towards a wooded slope. Another article said the child was screaming for help. Both the bracelet and the young child running were in proximity to either the Children's Zoo section OR a service entrance in that area. These events prompted the large, extensive search.
2) A man reported seeing her outside the Martinique trying the door, which he said appeared to be locked.
3) In 1958, there was a murder at the Martinique Apartments- Mary Regan, age 45, found by husband. The husband seemed to have been cleared and I can't find any other reports that the case was ever solved.
4) The janitor is listed as a witness in seeing Mary Ann that day, in the hall. He is also listed as seeing Mr.Regan around time that wife was discovered deceased.
 
I'd never heard of the little girl sighting or Mary trying the doorknob. I wonder if the Regan murder and the two disappearances could all be connected. I think all three were in a five year span. So much seems to have happened in that building.

I also wonder what became of Jean Emery, the woman who Mary ran errands for. She was listed as being in her mid-20s, so she could still be around.
 
This is such a tragic case. I had only read a few articles, but was stunned when I read that she may have NOT been able to re-enter the building. And the sighting of a girl that matched her description at Highland Park is heartbreaking too. There is very little about Jean Emery. It must have been devastating to all who knew and loved Mary Ann.
 
Is there another building at the Martinique addy?

I do know that in the 50s, there was a young man who tried to snatch a young girl in Pennsylvania-I wonder if it is the same guy? I can't remember the case, but the guy was questioned re another case where a young girl was either snatched or murdered.
 
IMHO, it was a snatch and grab, as in grabbed and taken to the perp's apartment.
 
It is now the Boulevard Apartments and there is a Vocelli Pizza attached, at the front of the building. There is an auto repair w garages in the back. Do you know where in PA that other incident occurred?
 
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