Family seeks answers in 73-year-old cold case after Newburgh woman vanished during divorce
Patricia “Alice” Morvillo was last documented during Orange County divorce proceedings in April 1953.
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More than seven decades after Patricia Alyce Kelly, also known as Alice Kelly Morvillo, seemingly vanished without a trace, her family hopes renewed attention to the cold case could finally bring answers.
Morvillo, whose maiden name was Kelly, was a Newburgh mother of four. Her last documented appearance was during Orange County, New York divorce proceedings on April 24, 1953. According to her family, there has never been another verified sighting or record placing her alive since.
Now, decades-old documents shared with News 12 are helping retrace Morvillo’s life in the City of Newburgh.
The records include U.S. census documents dating back to 1920, archived city directories, family photographs and court records. Together, they trace Morvillo’s life from her childhood in Newburgh to the 1940s and 1950s when she raised her family with her husband, John Francis Morvillo, first on Liberty Street and later on Van Ness Street.
According to court records, custody of their children, ages 6 through 8, was awarded to John Francis Morvillo with visitation granted to Patricia Morvillo.
The family’s private investigator sent a press release about the case and agreed to speak with News 12. She told News 12 that New York State Police had approved the interview. However, just before it was set to begin, she said State Police reversed that decision and asked that all questions about the case be directed to them, citing the active investigation.
News 12 has reached out to the New York State Police for additional information and is awaiting a response.
More than 73 years after Morvillo’s disappearance, her family says they hope sharing her story will generate new leads—and finally provide answers to questions that have been passed down through generations.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact New York State Police at the Poughkeepsie Barracks.
