Some disappearances fade from public memory. Others continue to raise questions decades later.
The disappearance of Joseph Bertone is one of Western Pennsylvania’s most intriguing unsolved mysteries—a case involving bombings, alleged organized crime connections, drug trafficking allegations, and a man who seemingly vanished without a trace.
More than 40 years later, no one has ever been charged, and Bertone’s body has never been found.
A Normal Errand That Became a Mystery
Joseph Bertone was last seen on the night of June 17, 1985, after leaving his home in McKeesport. to his wife, Bertone left around 9:30 p.m. She asked him to pick up Pepsi and milk before returning home.
At approximately 10:00 p.m., Bertone called from his car phone—a relatively uncommon luxury at the time—and told her he was at Jordan’s Truck Garage in Duquesne.
It would be the last time anyone in his family would ever hear his voice. He never returned home. A Controversial Businessman. Bertone was well known as the owner of Joey’s Restaurant and Lounge.
The business attracted controversy almost from the beginning.
Because of Bertone’s criminal record and alleged ties to organized crime, obtaining a liquor license proved difficult. His restaurant also became the target of repeated violence.
In 1978, the building was damaged by a bombing. Just four years later, in 1982, another bombing completely destroyed the restaurant. The attacks only fueled speculation about Bertone’s connections and the dangerous world in which investigators believed he operated.
The Night Everything Changed
Years later, testimony during the 1990 federal racketeering trial of reputed organized crime figure Charles “Chucky” Porter painted an even darker picture.
According to court testimony, Bertone had allegedly become involved in cocaine trafficking. Witnesses stated that on the day he disappeared, Bertone was preparing to fly to Florida for what prosecutors described as a drug transaction.
Before leaving, Bertone reportedly instructed his business partner, Joseph “Joey” Rosa, to meet him at Jordan’s Truck Garage with $1,000 and to hurry. When Rosa arrived between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m., he witnessed something that has puzzled investigators ever since. He saw Bertone’s brand-new 1985 Cadillac Seville leaving the garage. But Bertone wasn’t behind the wheel.
Instead, an unidentified man wearing glasses was driving the vehicle. Rosa attempted to follow the Cadillac, but the driver sped away, reportedly running stop signs and red lights until Rosa lost sight of the car. It was the final confirmed sighting connected to Joseph Bertone.
The Abandoned CadillacTen
days later, investigators located Bertone’s Cadillac abandoned in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn near Harmar. The discovery only deepened the mystery.
There was no sign of Bertone. There were no public reports of a struggle And despite years of investigation, authorities never located his body.
What Investigators Believe
Law enforcement has long suspected that Joseph Bertone was murdered. Investigators have publicly indicated they believe his disappearance was connected to his alleged criminal associations and organized crime ties.
Despite decades of speculation, countless rumors, and testimony presented during organized crime prosecutions, no one has ever been charged with Bertone’s disappearance or presumed murder.
Without a body, the case remains one of Western Pennsylvania’s enduring unsolved mysteries. A Case That Refuses to Disappear
The disappearance of Joseph Bertone serves as a reminder of a turbulent era in Western Pennsylvania history, when organized crime investigations, bombings, illegal gambling, and drug trafficking often intersected.
Whether Bertone became the victim of a criminal dispute, a betrayal, or something else entirely may never be known. More than four decades later, his fate remains one of Allegheny County’s most compelling unsolved cases.
Anyone with credible information about the disappearance of Joseph Bertone is encouraged to contact law enforcement. Even after all these years, investigators continue to believe someone knows what happened that June night in 1985.