This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/missing-man-discovered-florida-fisherman-richard-hoagland-death-certificate-children-divorce-a7384776.html
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Missing father discovered 23 years later with new family and identity stolen from dead fisherman | Missing father discovered 23 years later with new family and identity stolen from dead fisherman |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A man who went missing in 1993 has been discovered living with a new family and a stolen identity in Florida. | A man who went missing in 1993 has been discovered living with a new family and a stolen identity in Florida. |
Richard Hoagland made a panicked call to his wife, Linda Iseler, when she was at work on 10 February 1993, saying he was on his way to hospital. | Richard Hoagland made a panicked call to his wife, Linda Iseler, when she was at work on 10 February 1993, saying he was on his way to hospital. |
She and her two sons, Matthew, 9, and Doug, 6, never saw him again. | She and her two sons, Matthew, 9, and Doug, 6, never saw him again. |
"He devastated us. He left us with nothing, absolutely nothing. I was very broken," she told ABC News. | "He devastated us. He left us with nothing, absolutely nothing. I was very broken," she told ABC News. |
He was declared legally dead in 2003. His wife moved on and and remarried. | He was declared legally dead in 2003. His wife moved on and and remarried. |
Meanwhile Hoagland had traveled 1,000 miles south from their home in Indianapolis to the small town of Zephyrhills, Florida. | |
He remarried under the name of Terry Symansky - a fisherman who died in a freak accident in 1991 - and had another child. | He remarried under the name of Terry Symansky - a fisherman who died in a freak accident in 1991 - and had another child. |
He stole the identity by renting an apartment from the fisherman’s father and taking his son’s death certificate once the landlord had died, and using it to apply for a birth certificate and a driving licence. | He stole the identity by renting an apartment from the fisherman’s father and taking his son’s death certificate once the landlord had died, and using it to apply for a birth certificate and a driving licence. |
Smyansky’s nephew exposed the con after doing some research on ancestry.com and saw that his uncle had married two years after his death. | Smyansky’s nephew exposed the con after doing some research on ancestry.com and saw that his uncle had married two years after his death. |
Hoagland, now 63, faces several fraud charges. Pascoe County police called him a "selfish coward" for the cover-up. | Hoagland, now 63, faces several fraud charges. Pascoe County police called him a "selfish coward" for the cover-up. |
Sheriff Chris Nocco said: "This is a person who has lived his life destroying others." | Sheriff Chris Nocco said: "This is a person who has lived his life destroying others." |
His third wife, Mary Hickman, said she found a briefcase of documents relating to his first identity after he was arrested. | His third wife, Mary Hickman, said she found a briefcase of documents relating to his first identity after he was arrested. |
Hoagland told police he wanted to leave his second wife but did not want to get another divorce after being married to Linda for 11 years. | Hoagland told police he wanted to leave his second wife but did not want to get another divorce after being married to Linda for 11 years. |
Previous version
1
Next version