The Missing
Michael Joseph Sinotte Jr.
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
🌲🕯️ Lost in the Great Swamp: The Mysterious Disappearance of Michael “Mikey” Sinotte Jr. 🕯️🌲
Twenty-two-year-old Michael “Mikey” Sinotte Jr. vanished during the early morning hours of June 14, 2019, after leaving his family’s home in North Kingstown, Rhode Island without explanation. Nearly five years later, despite dozens of searches and countless theories, no trace of him has ever been found.
Michael was last seen around 1:30 a.m. on June 14 when he quietly walked out of his home while his brother watched him leave. Earlier that evening, his behavior had appeared normal. He had gotten gas, purchased groceries and takeout food, and spent time with his family. Before leaving, he hugged and kissed his mother and told her, “Just love each other” — words she would later believe were his goodbye.
At approximately 2:04 a.m., Michael was spotted by a South Kingstown police officer parked on Route 138 near the West Kingston Post Office. Sitting inside his black 2000 Honda Civic, Michael told the officer he was a GrubHub delivery driver who had stopped to check directions on his phone. Although he genuinely worked for GrubHub, investigators later discovered he had not accepted or delivered any orders that night.
The officer reported that Michael did not appear distressed and allowed him to continue on his way. It would be the last confirmed sighting of him.
Later that day, after Michael failed to return home, a BOLO alert was issued. Three days later, on June 17, his locked Honda Civic was discovered abandoned in the parking area of the Great Swamp Management Area on Great Neck Road in South Kingstown. Inside the vehicle were fast-food receipts, an untouched hamburger, and a barely consumed soda.
Michael’s cellphone and keys were missing. Investigators initially attempted to ping his phone but accidentally entered the wrong number. By the time the correct number was used, the phone had already been shut off. The last signal placed it somewhere inside the massive 3,000-acre Great Swamp wilderness, but authorities could not determine an exact location.
Michael was described as a white male with brown hair and brown eyes, standing 5’11” tall and weighing around 150 pounds. He walked with a stiff gait due to chronic back problems. When he disappeared, he was wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue jeans, and black-and-brown size 13 boots.
Behind the mystery of his disappearance was another heartbreaking struggle. Michael had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in his late teens and relied on medication to manage the illness. In the weeks leading up to his disappearance, however, he abruptly stopped taking his medication without medical supervision.
His family noticed troubling behavioral changes soon afterward. Once outgoing and friendly, Michael became increasingly withdrawn and quiet. His mother recalled that he began giving away belongings and cleaning out his room in the days before he vanished. His loved ones urged him to seek medical help, but he insisted he felt fine and no longer needed treatment.
Schizophrenia can severely distort a person’s perception of reality, causing hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, and disorganized thinking. Michael’s family believes his deteriorating mental state likely played a major role in whatever happened that night.
Investigators uncovered several unusual clues inside the Great Swamp. Searchers found an empty plastic bag from a half-inch rope Michael had recently purchased at Home Depot. Roughly 125 yards away, the rope itself was discovered. Search teams also located signs of disturbed ground, a moved rock near a geocache site, and evidence of a briefly used campfire.
Michael was an experienced hiker and avid geocacher — a GPS-based outdoor treasure-hunting activity involving hidden containers in remote locations. Friends and family said he loved nature and frequently explored wooded areas. However, police searched every known geocache location inside the swamp and found no direct evidence that Michael had reached them.
Investigators also learned that shortly before disappearing, Michael attempted to purchase a firearm but failed Rhode Island’s gun safety test by a single point, preventing the sale.
Despite more than 35 extensive searches involving law enforcement, dive teams, helicopters, rescue crews, volunteers, and tracking specialists, no remains or definitive evidence have ever been found.
The Great Swamp itself presents enormous challenges for search efforts. The wilderness contains dense forest, wetlands, deep mud, peat bogs, wildlife, and areas that some searchers compare to quicksand. Experts believe the terrain could easily conceal someone indefinitely.
Michael’s parents continue to live with the pain of unanswered questions. His mother, Ann Felici, has spoken publicly about her desperate hope for closure, saying she simply wants her son brought home. His father, Michael Sr., still believes Mikey remains somewhere within the swamp.
No activity has ever been detected on Michael’s cellphone, bank accounts, or credit cards since the day he disappeared.
To this day, the disappearance of Mikey Sinotte Jr. remains unsolved.
📞 If you have any information regarding Michael Sinotte Jr.’s disappearance, please contact the North Kingstown Police Department at (401) 294-3311.
Sources:
Michael Joseph Sinotte Jr. – The Charley Project
It’s been four years since Michael Sinotte Jr. disappeared but, for his family, the need for closure continues daily | News |independentri.com
The Disappearance of Michael Sinotte
Vanished: What happened to North Kingstown’s Michael Sinotte Jr.?
Yearslong search drags on for missing North Kingstown man | WPRI.com
Man Goes Missing in Wildlife Area known for it’s Beauty and Murderous Past – Savagewatch – Unsolved Crime
‘I don’t want him to be forgotten’: Search for missing man continues 4 years later | WPRI.com
Finding Michael J Sinotte Jr | Facebook
Missing: Michael Sinotte | South Kingstown, RI | Uncovered
The Lost & The Taken 
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