Two days after a 69-year-old Manomet man with possible memory problems walked out of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, Plymouth Police say they are transitioning from a “traditional ground search to an investigative search that leverages technology.”
Rodney Riviello had been taken to the hospital Tuesday morning for treatment after a fall near the Manomet fire station, police said. He appeared disoriented at the time, they said.
But Riviello, who was not carrying a phone or wallet, may have left the hospital without anyone knowing, at about 11:15 a.m., said police spokesperson Jason Higgins.
A hospital spokesperson did not return a message seeking comment.
“At this point, we have been unable to locate him,” Higgins said late Wednesday afternoon. “We have investigated countless leads, and sadly, none have panned out.”
‘We will continue to look for Mr. Riviello until he is found,” he added.
The neighborhood-by-neighborhood search has involved “hundreds of police officers, firefighters, and EMS professionals from across the state of Massachusetts, many of whom are specifically trained in search and rescue operations,” Higgins said. Heat-sensing drones and State Police helicopters have been deployed, too, and more than a dozen dogs trained to locate missing people have been used in the search.
“We have physically checked miles and miles of area where we had hoped Mr. Riviello might be located,” Higgins said.
Meantime, he said, “Our detective units are still tirelessly working running down leads.”
In addition, dozens of civilians are searching for Riviello, as well as posting pictures of him on social media platforms. One search, organized through social media, began Wednesday morning at the Plymouth Library on South Street.
“We greatly appreciate their help,” Higgins said. “We would appreciate any help from residents and ask that they search their own property.”
Riviello’s image has not been found on home security cameras on Sandwich or Obery streets, near the hospital.
Police said a Nissan Armada picked up a passenger while exiting the hospital grounds at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. It was headed towards the rotary at Plymouth North High school. But an image captured by a hospital video camera was of poor quality and police said it “may or may not be” related to Riviello’s disappearance.
“There is a possibility he was picked up by someone,” Higgins said. “He had no friends in the area so he may have been picked up by a stranger.” He asked anyone who knows of someone who picked up an older man between Tuesday morning and now to contact police.
Riviello is five feet, 10 inches tall, bald, and weighs about 190 pounds. He was dressed in a striped shirt, blue shorts, and a New York Yankees cap at the time he left the hospital. He may be wearing a bandage on one arm.
There is mounting concern that the intense heat might worsen his physical and mental state.
Police have been in close contact with his family, including his son, Daniel, who is the assistant town manager in Provincetown.
If you have seen Riviello or have information that might help with finding him, contact Plymouth Police at 508-830-4218, or call 911.
Mark Pothier can be reached at mark@plymouthindependent.org.