Active search underway for missing 79-year-old man in Lee County

LEE COUNTY, Fla.— The Lee County Sheriff's Office is actively searching for 79-year-old Joceli Coutinho.

Coutinho is 5-foot-3, weighs 175 pounds, and has grey hair and brown eyes.

Coutinho has been missing since around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. He was last spotted near Buckingham Road and Ada Avenue, wearing a blue jacket with white stripes and blue pants.

Multiple agencies, including the Urban Search and Rescue team, will continue the search for Coutinho on Thursday using drones, a helicopter, and ground patrols to cover the wooded area.

Law enforcement provided an update on Thursday, saying their search has been focused on the area of Buckingham Trail Preserve, Buckingham Road, and all surrounding neighborhoods. Deputies encourage anyone in that area to check their home surveillance cameras and provide any information that could assist in the search. 

WINK News spoke with Coutinho’s grandson, Thomas Manfra, who was at home when Coutinho disappeared. Manfra described Coutinho as his best friend. 

"When I was younger, he would always pick me up from school on Friday," he said. “He didn't have a lot, but he would always have like, five stacks of quarters and buy me a $5 snow cone at school.” 

Manfra explained that his grandmother was cooking when Coutinho said he was going to use the bathroom, but never returned. The family believes he exited through a back door to the lanai, where he usually sits to bird-watch. 

"He'll just stay out there where we can see him," said Manfra. "But this is very unusual." 

However, Coutinho's sudden disappearance is unusual. Manfra added that his grandfather typically goes on walks with supervision. 

"When he does his walks, he does it with my grandma or someone supervising him with a dog and all that," said Manfra. "Usually, he'll just stay in the house or on the lanai sitting."

The sheriff’s office said the main search area is just 5 minutes from the home. Buckingham Trail Preserve is 572 acres. With cold temperatures and Coutinho missing his medication, the family is anxious to find him quickly. 

"My grandfather has Parkinson's. He has a little bit of dementia as well," said Manfra. “From the pictures that we've seen that's been circulating, he's only wearing the jacket and pajama pants, so that is a big worry for us. We're just hoping that he's OK and we can find him quickly. " 

Coutinho's missed medication is another worry.  

"He probably would've taken medicine like two or three more times," said Manfra. "Especially without the medicine, he starts hallucinating." 

The family urges residents in the area to check their lanais and patios, as Coutinho may have sought shelter.  

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Coutino, please contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 239-477-1000 or SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.

The community has rallied around the family, helping in the search efforts and offering support. 

"The community has been fantastic," said Manfra. "Everyone knew that he had a condition, so everyone kept an eye on him." 

WINK News will remain on scene to provide updates both on air and online.