NY BARRY JAMES SHERIDAN: Missing from Brooklyn, NY - 11 Dec 1990 - Age 42 - SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

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Here is Barry's Charley Project write-up:


Sheridan was last seen in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on December 11, 1990. He was working on a barge docked in the harbor when he left at 8:00 p.m. to call his daughter; it was her fifth birthday and he wanted to wish her a happy birthday.

He never returned to the barge and his family never got a call from him, although his daughter did get a birthday card from him in the mail a few days after his disappearance. He has never been heard from again.

Sheridan graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1984, with a degree in oceanographic technology. He worked as a seaman from 1975 up until the day of his disappearance; his job required him to be at sea for weeks at a time. His wife described him as a reliable worker and a loving husband and father to his daughters. He had never forgotten his daughter's birthday before.

Authorities believe Sheridan probably drowned accidentally in the harbor on the night of his disappearance. He was declared legally dead in 1998, but his body was never found.
 
NamUs: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Original


Circumstances of Disappearance: Barry was working on a barge which was docked in the harbor. He reportedly left the boat at 8pm on 12/11/1990 to make a phone call to his family and never returned. His family never received a call and he was never heard from or seen again.
 
Welcome, @shamrock61186 ! Is this your uncle? I'm sorry that he is still missing and that you are still having to seek answers in his disappearance. Other than awareness, is there anything we can do to help?
Thank you for welcoming me! Yes, Barry is my uncle. I was fairly young when he disappeared, but I still remember him. His daughter (my 1st cousin) Ashlee and I are the same age and grew up together so I saw my uncle frequently. Ashlee's birthday is actually very significant to the case - Barry was working on a barge docked in Brooklyn Harbor and supposedly left the barge on the evening of 12/11/1990 to call Ashlee because it was her birthday. She and my aunt Sandi never received a call and he was never seen or heard from again, so unfortunately her birthday is also the anniversary of his disappearance. Spreading awareness is my main goal and I thank you for your interest in that as well as your general interest in the case! My other main goal is tracking down George Forbes (the captain of the barge at that time) because I believe he holds the key to this case. However, I have no idea where to start in locating someone especially with such limited info. Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much! :giggle:
 
A few more details in the following court document:


Shamrock do you know the name of the barge George Forbes captained? And it was only your uncle and Mr. Forbes crewing the boat? Do you have copies of the original police reports or news reports if there were any?

Have you contacted anyone from the NYPD/Brooklyn cold case unit to see if they would take another look at the case? The District Attorney's office?
 
The information you provided at the site linked below is also something perhaps very pertinent regarding the strike and waste dumping practices that concerned your uncle. Did your uncle work for Moran Towing as an employee, or was he a contractor, etc??? Was it a general dock strike or was the strike particular to Moran Towing?

Also, the name of the barge is in this information. (Rhode Island is the name, correct?)

 
Hi Summer Breeze - thank you for your interest in my uncle's case! The barge was the Rhode Island owned by Moran Towing in CT. Yes, the only crew members at the time were my uncle and George Forbes. I believe this was due to the fact that other workers were on strike. My uncle was a "scab" so he would cover wherever they needed help during the strike. I have copies of several documents including: 2 newspaper articles that covered the case in Dec. 1990, original missing persons flyer designed by my uncle Dennis Sheridan, correspondence & report from the Coast Guard's investigation, our PI's report, and photos (piers, barge, surrounding area). However, I've never seen the actual police report and we don't have a copy of it for some reason. I was working with a previous PI who now does consulting on cold cases and we submitted a FOIL request to the NYPD for the file, and this past June they denied the request stating that it's still an ongoing investigation. They've claimed time and time again that they're still working the case, but it's clear they're not. I haven't contacted the DA office but that's a great idea so I'll look into it. Thank you!
 
The information you provided at the site linked below is also something perhaps very pertinent regarding the strike and waste dumping practices that concerned your uncle. Did your uncle work for Moran Towing as an employee, or was he a contractor, etc??? Was it a general dock strike or was the strike particular to Moran Towing?

Also, the name of the barge is in this information. (Rhode Island is the name, correct?)

Yes the strike and also the illegal dumping are 2 very strong leads in this case. Yes he did work directly for Moran, but I'm not sure if the strike was specific to that company or not. And you're correct - the barge was the Rhode Island.
 

MARCH 30, 2023 · 2023

The 20th annual New York State Missing Person’s Day provides an opportunity for families and friends to reflect, remember, and join together to honor the nearly 4,000 missing persons in the state and over 100,000 missing persons throughout the United States. An event will be held to mark the occasion April 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the New York State Cultural Education Center Museum, 222 Madison Avenue in Albany. Speakers will address attendees between 1:20 p.m. through 3:15 p.m. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
 
Shamrock, did your family ever receive Barry's merchant marine service record? Or any communications/ benefits from them? Does it match your timeline of events?

I believe that ship's captains are required to keep logs of each day of ship's activity? Any ship to ship or ship to shore communications to/from the ship that day? Did you ask for/receive those records? I don't know how long these records are required to be kept.

Can you contact the select diving team? Through NOAA or the Navy? Maybe someone there remembers something Barry may have spoken about, etc. It's a long shot.

May not provide information you need, but doesn't hurt to have more information.
 
Another family looking for information regarding their lost loved one, and their approach these many years later.


By Kathianne Boniello
July 1, 2023 12:43pm

A Queens woman was 22 years old and pregnant when she disappeared nearly 50 years ago — but her family is still desperate for answers.

Milagros Perez Peralta was leaving an unemployment office in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Aug. 30, 1976 when witnesses claimed she was forced into a car, according to Manhattan Supreme Court papers filed by her brother, Rafael Perez.

Her family immediately contacted the cops in the nearby 90th Precinct, and in the 114th where she lived, Perez said.

Despite an investigation at the time, Peralta’s case went cold, said her brother, who filed a Freedom of Information Law request with the NYPD in April 2022 for any documents on his sister’s case.

“Since 1976, Ms. Perez’s family have carried on the search for their missing loved one,” the legal filing says.

But after nine months, the NYPD allegedly closed Perez’ FOIL request, claiming without explanation it had no documents about the case, he contends.

Perez now wants a judge to force the NYPD the provide the records or explain why no records exist.
 

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