Brazil - Andrea Mele Jr. 21, San Paolo, 29 Apr 1981

[Romulus]

821DMITA - Andrea Mele Jr.​

Upper Row: Mele, circa 1981; Bottom Row: Age-progressions to an unknown age

Name: Andrea Mele Jr.
Case Classification: Missing
Missing Since: April 29, 1981
Location Last Seen: San Paolo, Brazil.

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: 1961
Age: 21 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 177 cm.
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Dark blonde
Eye Color: Green
Nickname/Alias: André
Distinguishing Marks/Features: He has a lean build.

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Mele lived with his Italian mother in San Paolo, Brazil. He was a odontology student. In April of 1981 he told his family he wanted to move to Italy and find a job. Mele's father refused to give him the consent that he needed to leave the country. Mele then decided to travel to Salvador-Bahia with a friend named "Bahiano". Mele paid for his friend's bus ticket in exchange for being a guest in his house in Bahia. Mele's mother, Romana Ottolini, helped him pack his things: a knapsack, a large piece of cloth to sleep outdoors, the certificate of military discharge that enabled him to get a job and enough money for 3 - 4 months. He left on April 29, 1981. While exchanging goodbyes his mother noticed a cross or maybe a tattoo on the back of his left hand.

Mele called home on Mother's Day, May 9. He told his mother that he was doing well and was looking for a job. He has never been heard from or seen again.

Mele's picture was repeatedly published in papers and spread around for two years. On January 18, 1988 an inquiry was opened into his disappearance. It was closed without having located Mele. He is suspected to be in Italy.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Chi L'Ha Visto?
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: N/A
Agency E-Mail: [email protected]
Agency Case Number: N/A

Information Source(s)​

Chi L'Ha Visto?
Andrea

821DMITA - Andrea Mele Jr.

 

[Zuzettem]

I have sent a match for Andrea and Malibu County John Doe 1986 to Doe Network a couple of days ago.

3788UMCA

 

[Zuzettem]

Here's also a short blog made by Andrea's siblings:

Andrea Mele Junior (André)

A história de vida e saudade do Dizo, André, Andrea Mele Junior, pisciano sensível, inteligente, o melhor aluno de uma das melhores escolas de São Paulo, que com 20 anos resolve sair de casa, viajar, curtir a vida e desaparece. Isso foi há 31 anos e nós ainda queremos saber como, por que, onde...

melembrando.blogspot.com

 

[Zuzettem]

Is Andrea still considered missing? There is this Italian professor who has the same name, looks similar and studies science. Or is it just a coincidence?

[email protected] | Neuroscience

web.uniroma1.it

 

[Diavola]

Interesting. Looked more into this guy, his birthday is listed as 1 Aug 1961 (link), while missing Andrea's is 27 Feb 1961. Of course, he could lie about it. Furthermore, his earliest contribution listed is in 1981-1985 Pre-doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Genetic e Molecular Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

 

[Zuzettem]

So many odd coincidences. Maybe he came out alive to his family or police at some point, it just wasn't reported anywhere in the media because he was against it.

 

[Diavola]

I'm curious about the "pre-doctoral fellow" thing. Would he qualify for it off the bat? He was a dental student in Brasil, but this guy's major is different.

 

[Zuzettem]

I don't know how Italian education works but it says he got masters degree in 1986 so maybe it was a normal start of studies from the beginning in 1981?
July 1986 Degree in Biological Sciences (Master equivalent), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Major: molecular biology. Master thesis: Opiate receptors and aggressive behavior.

 

[Diavola]

5 years for Masters makes sense. Maybe they just have different names over there.