GLOUCESTER, Va. - Ben Coffey vanished suddenly six years ago, and his family is still longing for answers.
His disappearance remains a mystery.
Ben Coffey
News 3 sat down with Ben’s father, Terry Coffey, who explained why now the is toughest time of the year.
Ben was 27 years old when he disappeared.
November 30 is his birthday, which is a difficult time for his family.
“Then you have Christmas. We know that was the last time we saw him. Fortunately, we had a great time,” said Terry Coffey.
Terry said he got a call from law enforcement on New Year's Day in 2013.
They told him Ben’s van was found abandoned in Tappahannock with his dog inside.
“I went to Tappahannock where the van was found and nothing made sense,” said Terry.
Ben lived in Gloucester, which is about an hour from where the van discovered.
“The private investigator found on a video of a surveillance camera at the hotel that the van was dropped off,” said Terry.
He said there is video of people getting into another car and taking off. Terry said he does not believe Ben was among those in the video.
Terry said he hired the private investigator soon after his son’s disappearance in an effort to get some answers.
Virginia State Police say no one has been arrested and no one has been able to locate Ben.
Terry said there is no way his son would have left town without telling his family.
“There have been some other clues and some pretty strong leads, but it’s been a mystery all these years,” said Terry.
He said Ben grew up in the Richmond area and attended William and Mary for some time. He even joined the sailing team.
He then moved to Hampton Roads and lived on a boat in Hampton before moving to a house in Gloucester, according to his dad.
“No one wants to lose a child, but to have the whole thing shrouded in some type of mystery and you don’t know what happened, it has been difficult,” said Terry.
He said there is a $10,000 reward waiting for anyone who comes forth with some credible information that could help locate Ben.
The family yearns for closure to figure out what happened to the free-spirited, inquisitive young man who loved the water and his family.
“Information may not bring him back, but it will give closure,” said Terry.
Click here to visit the Facebook group to help bring Ben home.
If you know anything about his disappearance, call Virginia State Police Special Agent Angie Witt at (804)-553-3408 or email her at angie.witt@vsp.virginia.gov.
