The mystery surrounding a Florida man who has been missing for more than two years has deepened after his remote lakeside home went up in flames last week.
John Henry Mallouk, 78, was last seen in August 2022, and worried relatives reported him missing in January 2023.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office searched his home on the eastern bank of Lake Okeechobee at the time and found no signs of foul play.
‘The premises appeared untouched, with doors left unlocked, food still in the refrigerator, and a cell phone abandoned on the counter,’ the office said.
Detectives did not unearth any clues, and Mallouk’s family still has not seen or heard from him in the months which followed.
On Friday night, the mystery deepened even further when his empty house on the 12000 block of Conners Highway went up in flames, along with several cars.
The surrounding area is agricultural, and the nearest sign of civilization is the village of Indiantown – a 105-mile drive northwest from Miami.
John Henry Mallouk, 78, was last seen in August 2022, and worried relatives reported him missing in January 2023, police said
Shocking satellite photographs show the property was burned to a crisp, with only the outer structure still in tact while the interior has been razed to the ground
Among the cars destroyed were a classic 1955 red convertible Thunderbird. The vehicles were parked in a carport when they were burned
‘In light of the recent fire, detectives revisited the site to search for any additional clues that could shed light on Mallouk’s disappearance and to explore whether there might be a correlation between the fire and his case,’ the sheriff’s office said.
‘Detectives are urging anyone with information about the fire or the whereabouts of John Henry Mallouk to contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.
‘Updates on the investigation will be released as information becomes available.’
Mallouk has been described by missing persons campaign group the Charley Project as a 5ft 10in Caucasian male with gray hair and brown eyes.
He had a mustache when he disappeared.
Shocking satellite photographs show the property was burned to a crisp, with only the outer structure still in tact while the interior has been razed to the ground.
All furnishings and interior walls were completely obliterated in the inferno. The structure was still smoking the next day.
Eerily, surrounding trees and foliage appeared untouched by the blaze.
Zillow images of the $340,900 home before it was destroyed show a sun-drenched three-story property with rustic wooden fittings
All furnishings and interior walls were completely obliterated in the inferno, images show
Among the cars destroyed were a classic 1955 red convertible Thunderbird (pictured)
Among the cars destroyed were a classic 1955 red convertible Thunderbird. The vehicles were parked in a carport when they were burned.
Zillow images of the $340,900 home before it was destroyed show a sun-drenched three-story property with rustic wooden fittings.
The home had two bedrooms, one with a double bed and one sporting bunkbeds, two bathrooms, and a large living and kitchen area.
It opened out back on to a wooden decking area with outdoor tables, chairs and a parasol, with a lush green backyard.
The lake was visible from the home, along with surrounding forest land.
