Spring Break
Car of missing wife linked to Feb. fire
Brenna McCabe
Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
03/28/07 - Just before Spring Break, investigators released information linking the car of the wife of University of Rhode Island accounting professor Joseph Matoney, Jr. to the fire that occurred at their 19 French Road home last month.
According to a property inventory submitted by investigators, fire debris, wood flooring, gas cans, two rings and liquid from the gas cans were submitted to the Rhode Island State Crime Lab at URI. The evidence recovered from both the house and the wife's car hours after the Feb. 22 fire both tested positive for gasoline, South Kingstown Police Capt. Jeffrey Allen said. Investigators officially ruled the blaze as arson.
"The gasoline was found in her car. We definitely need to talk to her," Allen said about the wife, Adrianne Lynn Matoney.
On Feb. 22, professor Matoney came home around 9 p.m. after teaching a class to find his house enveloped in flames. Matoney was pushed back by the blaze after attempting to search for his wife, who he believed was inside. Members of local police and fire departments found no one in the house after several searches.
At around 3:30 a.m. the next day, Portsmouth and Tiverton police and fire departments discovered the wife's green 2000 Toyota Camry abandoned on the Sakonnet Bridge with the doors locked and nothing inside. Officials later commenced a search of the area but did not find any trace of Adrianne Lynn Matoney other than her car.
Allen said that shortly after the fire, police were informed that Matoney's wife had left personal effects for her children with a friend. Though he would not divulge further details, he stressed that investigators have exhausted all possible leads to make a determination about her disappearance. The whereabouts of the wife are still officially unknown, though Allen said investigators have a good idea what happened to her.
"We know where she is," Allen said. "The evidence points in one direction - we've come to a dead end."
Allen declined further comment.
According to a property inventory submitted by investigators, fire debris, wood flooring, gas cans, two rings and liquid from the gas cans were submitted to the Rhode Island State Crime Lab at URI. The evidence recovered from both the house and the wife's car hours after the Feb. 22 fire both tested positive for gasoline, South Kingstown Police Capt. Jeffrey Allen said. Investigators officially ruled the blaze as arson.
"The gasoline was found in her car. We definitely need to talk to her," Allen said about the wife, Adrianne Lynn Matoney.
On Feb. 22, professor Matoney came home around 9 p.m. after teaching a class to find his house enveloped in flames. Matoney was pushed back by the blaze after attempting to search for his wife, who he believed was inside. Members of local police and fire departments found no one in the house after several searches.
At around 3:30 a.m. the next day, Portsmouth and Tiverton police and fire departments discovered the wife's green 2000 Toyota Camry abandoned on the Sakonnet Bridge with the doors locked and nothing inside. Officials later commenced a search of the area but did not find any trace of Adrianne Lynn Matoney other than her car.
Allen said that shortly after the fire, police were informed that Matoney's wife had left personal effects for her children with a friend. Though he would not divulge further details, he stressed that investigators have exhausted all possible leads to make a determination about her disappearance. The whereabouts of the wife are still officially unknown, though Allen said investigators have a good idea what happened to her.
"We know where she is," Allen said. "The evidence points in one direction - we've come to a dead end."
Allen declined further comment.
