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Elmhurst Man With Autism Goes Missing; Brother Leads Search

Oct. 4, 2018 By Tara Law

A 32-year-old Elmhurst man with autism has gone missing, and his twin brother is leading a desperate search to find him.

Peter Gonzalez, an emotionally disturbed, nonverbal autistic man, has been missing since 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, his brother David Gonzalez said.

Peter was last seen at Veteran’s Grove Park near Ketcham Street and Whitney Avenue, David said. Peter resides at 41-96 Gleane St. and is often seen walking his pet beagle around the neighborhood.

David said that Peter is unable to say his name and often runs away when he is distressed. David encourages anyone who sees Peter to follow but not approach him, and to immediately call the police.

David said that he is worried that Peter will disappear among the homeless and people with mental health issues in the neighborhood.

“My concern is that he’s just going to blend in with the crowd. You see people and you just pass them by,” said David. “He’s not violent but he scares easily.”

David said that he is doing his best to help the community recognize his brother. He hung about 300 fliers around the Roosevelt Avenue area, and has printed out t-shirts with his brother’s image.

Police have canvassed the area and used canine search dogs to look for Peter.

David himself has called all of the hospitals in Queens and put the homeless shelters on notice. He was out searching for his brother from 6 a.m. yesterday to around 4 a.m. today.

David suspects that Peter might go to a Dunkin Donuts or a park because he finds those places to be familiar.

“I’ve looked in every single corner, because in the state he’s in, he hides,” David said.

Peter is about 5 feet 6 inches tall and 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a blue t-shirt, jeans and grey hightop Jordans sneakers.

Anyone who sees Peter can call 911, or reach out to David at 347-891-7628.

David is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can reunite him with his brother “no questions asked.”

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8 Comments

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John

I’m praying that Peter is found safe and sound. What a horrible thing for anyone to have to go through.

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Larry Willoughby Jr.

Hi, this is Larry Willoughby Jr. I saw it on channel 7 eyewitness news last Tuesday night. My former friend and from Goodwill PROS founder of CDT named Peter Gonzales is missing. David Gonzales brother of Peter told on the news when he never eat, drinking water, now he was gone. It’s so sad and shocking who he was live in Elmhurst, Queens New York. I met Peter who was just joined ride on the white van. Then I was in the program Goodwill PROS founder of CDT, Astoria, New York (2005-2012). We gotta go call 911 the NYPD to search for Peter Gonzales somewhere. Give a family of support for thoughts and prayers. Thank you so much for information about a missing person.
Yours Truly,
Larry Willoughby Jr.
Lefrak City, Corona Queens N.Y.

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Ismael Garcia

I’m his neighbor, usually he waits for a small bus to pick him up in the morning for work they help him in but it’s hard to realize he went missing when I saw him that morning

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Jen #AutismMom

I hope that Peter is found quickly and that he is ok. I just posted this to my FB page and in a Jackson Heights neighborhood page.

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