In November 1992, truck driver Dale Hoffman disappeared without a trace after leaving a Texaco station off Route 287. No crash, no wreck, and no body were found.His wife, Linda, and daughter, Emma, were left to believe he had run off, as local rumors swirled.
It wasn’t until 2012, when a construction crew drained Garrison Quarry for expansion, that Dale’s Peterbilt truck was discovered submerged, with his remains still belted in the driver’s seat.
The medical examiner confirmed Dale’s death was from a gunshot wound to the back of his skull before the truck hit the water.
The investigation revealed two receipts: one from Dale’s business partner, Carl Briggs, signed at 10:15 p.m., and another from Dale at 11:47 p.m.
The second receipt raised suspicions about Carl, who had claimed to be home sick that night. When confronted, Carl’s wife revealed he had come home covered in mud, and she had washed a blood-stained sleeve.
The evidence mounted quickly. Carl had been hiding debts to a local loan shark, Tony Castellano. A cassette tape found in Carl’s storage unit revealed Dale’s last moments, confirming Carl’s guilt.
Dale had refused to sign insurance papers for Carl, leading to the murder. Carl confessed to killing Dale under pressure from Castellano, who ran a drug-smuggling operation involving trucking companies.
Dale had become a threat when he started asking questions. His death was not just about money—it was about protecting families from the consequences of corruption.
Emma found her father’s notebook and a final tape, where Dale explained his decision to stay and face death. He had hoped Carl would remember who he once was.
With Castellano’s empire collapsing, Emma finally understood her father’s sacrifice. The town that once whispered about Dale now honored his name.
Emma, now a mother, visits his grave, a symbol of integrity over corruption. The road ahead felt open once again.
