Posted on 03/03/2023 11:45:34 AM PST by cll
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico.
Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a while before she was taken as a person “in need” to the adult care home in 1999, according to details announced at a news conference this week in Ross Township, where she once lived.
Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her home town, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. But she began to divulge details as she suffered progressively from dementia, Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said.
By last year, a social worker at the home had enough information to alert authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman. A DNA test has confirmed her identity, Kohlhepp said.
Her husband, Bob Kopta, and her surviving sister, 78-year-old Gloria Smith. filled in details of Kopta’s life at the news conference and in telephone interviews Friday with The Associated Press.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
On how she ended up in Puerto Rico:
“She would vacation often in Puerto Rico with her friends before she got married, Smith recalled”.
“The disappearance stumped authorities and family alike. Police went as far as to consult a psychic, while Kopta recalled his wife once mentioned she would like to go to Puerto Rico because of its balmy weather. So he published ads in Puerto Rican newspapers, but never got a response”.
How very odd . . .
Thanks for that.
Husband must have been a real dud.
Must not have read the story...
Seems like everyone I know here in tge Pittsburgh Pa area met her. I met her numerous times. She was mentally ill and would tell everyone to go inside for three days. She seemed to pop up all over the county. I am glad she wasn’t murdered as people prey on the frail and weak
‘Bob Kopta, who did not remarry, said he doesn’t plan to visit, and that he’s now trying to forget the past, though he’s glad to know she’s being taken care of’.
I think Mr. Kopta owes 30 years of nursing home care.
Wow, thank you for sharing that. Many mentally ill people from the mainland somehow end up here on the islands. Heck, NYC routinely dump their homeless here. But they almost always stick out and local governments often try to help them find their way back home, after publishing the case and asking around if anyone knows them.
But I don’t recall hearing about this one in the local news.
She wasn’t that mentally ill, if she could keep away from the authorities and from publicity and didn’t share much of her life’s details.
Something tells me that, she was where she wanted to be, and wanted away from her prior life, and very likely, enjoyed the sun and weather. It’s only at her old age that she’s letting out things abut who she was/is.
She was attractive. Guys often look at the package and ignore the mental stuff right under their noses until it’s too late, they’ve already had children with her, and the agony is ongoing. We had a mental case in our family. Many familes do. It’s hard going.
Yep.
You are welcome. It is a sad story, though could have been much worse of course.
I beg to disagree. He did not make her go there, or try to defraud anyone. She chose to walk away, mental illness or not…he’s no longer responsible for her.
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