Kathy Rigsby Portelli

Portelli, circa 1998

  • Missing Since 07/21/1998
  • Missing From Melbourne, Florida
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Female
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 11/26/1954 (70)
  • Age 43 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'2, 110 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A t-shirt and jeans.
  • Medical Conditions Portelli is addicted to drugs and alcohol and has been hospitalized before for substance abuse. She also suffers from depression with suicidal and self-injurious tendencies, and is classified as disabled.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Blonde hair, brown eyes. Portelli's ears are pierced. She has scars on both wrists and on her neck. In 1996 her jaw was fractured in two places and she got two permanent plates inserted to repair the damage.

Details of Disappearance

Portelli was last seen in Melbourne, Florida on July 21, 1998. She attended a drug treatment session at Circles of Care and was last seen leaving the facility with two men. She has never been heard from again. Her pager was later found in Cocoa, Florida.

Due to her substance abuse history, Portelli had a history of dropping out of sight for days at a time. Her mother reported her missing on August 3, after she didn't pick up her Social Security disability check for the second month in a row.

After her disappearance, her Social Security card was found at a man's home in Cocoa, Florida; he said she'd left it there before her disappearance. When they tried calling her pager, they got a call back from a man who said he'd found the pager in Cocoa. The man wouldn't provide any additional information, however.

According to her family, Portelli grew up in a religious home and considered becoming a minister, but became addicted to drugs as a young adult after she met her husband. They had three children together. The two girls lived with Portelli's mother at the time of her disappearance, and their brother was in foster care.

Portelli had a violent relationship with her ex-husband and he was investigated for possible involvement in her disappearance, but police could find no evidence to implicate him. Her case remains unsolved. Investigators believe Portelli may have been take against her will.

Investigating Agency

  • Melbourne Police Department 321-608-6731

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated June 10, 2022; casefile added.