Missing quadriplegic man, 26, is found dead in his van three days after he disappeared from a Blink 182 concert following a fight with a friend
- Nicholas Anthony Picciolo had been reported missing after leaving the show at The Forum arena in Inglewood, California, about 8 pm Thursday
- Police say his vehicle was discovered legally parked about 1.5 miles away from the concert venue Saturday morning
- A patrolman who made the discovery found a dead man matching Piccciolo’s description inside the van
- His sister Courtney Picciolo said he was found almost seven years to the day that her brother suffered a spinal cord injury
- The quadriplegic had a swimming that left him paralyzed from the neck down aside from some limited mobility in his hands
- Previously, his sister had worried that her brother would be in dire need of medical attention due to his paralysis if not found
- No foul play is suspected, say police
Nicholas Anthony Picciolo, 26, was discovered Saturday sitting in his specially adapted vehicle at Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood
A quadriplegic man who has been missing since he left a California Blink 182 concert after a fight with his friend has been found dead in his van.
Nicholas Anthony Picciolo, 26, was discovered Saturday sitting in his specially adapted vehicle at Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood, just a mile-and-a-half from where the concert took place on Thursday.
It is not yet clear how he died or why he was parked at the location, but his sister had warned when he was first reported missing on Thursday evening that his condition meant he was in dire need of medical attention.
No foul play is suspected.
Picciolo had reportedly disappeared from the Forum Arena after getting into an argument with a friend – the last time he was seen alive. Cops found him at around 10.30am on Saturday.
Saturday’s discovery came almost seven years to the day he suffered his life-changing spinal cord injury in a swimming accident.
The incident left him in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck down aside from some limited mobility in his hands.
‘I am so incredibly devastated,’ wrote his sister Courtney in a Facebook post that also confirmed ‘Nick’s’ body was found.
Picciolo’ sister Courtney Picciolo (pictured with Picciolo before his accident) and other family members had frantically searched for her brother after he went missing, worried he would be in dire need of medical attention due to his paralysis
Family and cops searched for Nicholas Anthony Picciolo after he disappeared following an argument with a friend and left a Blink 182 concert at The Forum
Courtney Picciolo and other family members had frantically searched for her brother, worried he would be in dire need of medical attention due to his paralysis if he wasn’t found, reported CBS.
The sister did not immediately respond when DailyMail.com reached out.
‘I have to believe he is in a much better place now—a place where he doesn’t feel judged and looked at differently for his paralysis, a place where he can do all of the things he ever loved to do, and a place where I can be with him again one day’ the sister wrote in the Facebook post.
‘No words will ever adequately capture how much I love and miss you, Little Brother.’
The sister thanked all who helped in the search for her brother. Police at the time the dead body was found were still doing grid searches of Inglewood.
‘To everyone who helped in the search and helped to spread the word: my parents and I thank you so so very much,’ wrote the sister.
Lieutenant Dirk Dewachter told the Daily Mail that they believe the body found in Picciolo’s van was him but they are coordinating with a coroner to officially confirm his identity against a match of dental records and finger prints.
Picciolo was found sitting in his specially adapted van (pictured)
The vehicle was found by cops Saturday morning at the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and West Hardy Street, (above) 1.5 miles from the venue where the quadriplegic was last seen about 8 p.m. Thursday