Family Offering $50K Reward for Information on Disappearance of 81-Year-Old Newlywed Millionaire
Bob Harrod vanished on July 27, 2009.
 (KTLA-TV) |
Police are investigating the disappearance of Bob Harrod, who went missing from his home on Monday, July 27, 2009, as a murder, but they have not yet developed any leads.
His disappearance occurred some 48 hours before he was to be reunited with his new bride, Fontelle.
Harrod was last seen by his son-in-law, authorities say, who had been at his home helping Harrod prepare it for his new wife's move-in. Harrod's daughter, Julie Michaels, says her husband left the home to make a trip to the hardware store.
When he returned to the home, Bob was gone.
Michaels says her father had been showing signs of dementia and can hardly walk two blocks because of his bad knees.
Bob first proposed to Fontelle in 1950, but shortly thereafter, he was called to serve with the Marines in the Korean War.
Fontelle, now 75, said her letters always came back returned, and she never received Bob's letters.
After growing apart, both eventually married other people.
Fontelle said she knew Bob had married when he returned home to Missouri so she never tried to contact him, fearing she would "cause trouble."
She moved on and had two children -- a son and a daughter.
Five years ago, she became a widow. Bob also lost his first wife.
Despite their past relationships, Fontelle always kept her engagement ring and often told her daughter stories about her first love.
Her daughter recently decided to track Bob down, and was successful.
As a Mother's Day present, Fontelle's children bought her a plane ticket to Placentia.
She arrived on June 23 and both said the spark felt six decades ago was still there.
"She was considerably older, but still beautiful when she talked. I knew it -- I knew it was her. I could just tell by her voice," Bob told KTLA in an earlier interview, describing their reunion. "I just waned to hold her forever," he added.
When Bob asked what it would take to keep her, Fontelle replied, "Marriage!" So, Bob said, he asked her to marry her on the spot.
The couple wed on June 29.
Bob said Fontelle was always the one that got away, and that he considered himself lucky to have gotten a second chance with his one true love.
The case remains open.
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