A family is fighting for answers after a Fort Pierce man mysteriously disappeared more than a year ago.
"It breaks my heart that we just don't know what happened, we just keep trying to plug away," said Ashley Vitale, who is searching for her older brother.
No one has seen or heard from Marshall Ellington, and both police and Vitale are looking for leads.
"Marshall we love you and we hope you're okay. If there's any way you can get a message to me to let us know that you're okay, we'd love to hear from you," said Vitale, as she choked back tears.
Vitale has been working with the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, but she says she's run into roadblocks. She then hired a private investigator to explore minor leads.
Ellington, 53, vanished without a trace in September 2017. Vitale spoke to him on September 15 as she was driving home with her family from the Carolinas, after leaving Florida because of Hurricane Matthew. Ellington told her he was fine, but that was the last time the siblings spoke.
Ellington lived on a houseboat at Riverside Marina in Fort Pierce. After he didn't answer his sister's phone calls or emails, she went over to search the boat.
"There was money on the counter, his laptop was open on the counter and his wallet was there with his driver's license in it," she said. "He would never leave that much money out."
Vitale also says the cabin door was left open.
The sheriff's office told WPTV the boat was not damaged, there was no sign of a robbery and at this time there is no reason to suspect foul play.
"I personally don't believe that. I think something happened to him, either he was met with foul play not far from the boat, or he had a medical event," Vitale said.
This month, Vitale took her search a step further and contacted Peace River K9 Search and Rescue. The team put boats and cadaver dogs in the water around the marina, but the age of the case is challenging.
"That means a lot of the clues that were there originally are probably gone," said Michael Hadsell, president of the search and rescue team.
The team did not find anything relating to the case but plan to search again.
Vitale has posted missing posters around the marina and the area. She has also increased a reward to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for his disappearance, or his safe return.
Vitale says she spoke to her brother at least once a month and does not believe he would disappear off the grid without letting her know. Ellington's mother says she is holding onto hope her first born and only son is still alive.
"I don't sleep well, I still don't sleep well and I won't until I know what's happened," said Jo Kelly. "I think he's out there, and until it's proven otherwise he's alive to me."
Anyone with information about the case or Ellington's possible whereabouts can call Detective Laurie Brennan at (772) 462-3682.
