Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance: the search for answers, his body, and treasure

(FOX 2) - Editor's note: this is part TWO of our specials on the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. In part one, we dove in the union president's history and life – including his run-ins with powerful political families. We have three more stories covering the disappearance of Hoffa, culminating with an exclusive interview James P. Hoffa Tuesday night at 10 p.m.

The prevailing theory of what happened to Jimmy Hoffa is that he wouldn't stay silent, so the mob silenced him. But 50 years later, there's nothing concrete linking the mob to Hoffa's disappearance. 

There's an old phrase - keep your friends close and enemies closer. Hoffa did that, but it may have spelled out his own demise at Machus Red Fox in Bloomfield.

We know that Hoffa went to the restaurant to meet with mob connections, but they weren't there on time. Instead, a car pulled up and he got in - and disappeared.

An international case

At the time of Hoffa's disappearance, he was one of the most famous figures in the country.

"He was such a famous and strong figure, it would be easy to just kidnap someone like that. He was fierce," former TV2 reporter Nancy McCauley said. "How could this happen? The police at first -- oh, we're going to find him. It won't take us too long. That dragged on and on."

News of Hoffa's disappearance quickly spread – this is way before the 24/7 news cycle, let alone social media and cell phones – and it sent a ripple through Detroit and the country.

"It was huge. It was an international case," former FBI agent Andy Arena said in an interview about the case. "It was this kind of unique sexy appeal that the average American just ate it up."

Reporters and journalists flocked to the Hoffa home in Lake Orion as they awaited any kind of update. But it wasn't much.

As the news was shared nationwide, the story only got bigger.

"That was quite a scene. There were reporters from every media outlet locally, through the state. They were coming in from around the country and around the world," McCauley said. 

Then the FBI picked up the case, taking it to an entirely new level and made it an international story.

From the corner of Telegraph and Maple to a worldwide story - the Hoffa case was everywhere.

"We're going to get to the bottom of this one way or the other. You can be assured of that," his son, James P. Hoffa said in 1975.

The FBI was devoting massive amounts of resources, but they had little to go on. That didn't stop them from asserting their confidence.

"I am of the opinion that we have made substantial progress in this case and I remain optimistic that eventually we will reach a successful conclusion," FBI agent Robert Kent said in 1975.

Mob life ‘romanticized’

With the famous Teamsters union president missing and news of the reward spreading, many people turned into treasure hunters. They dug for clues but found nothing but holes in the murder-mystery.

Sleuths used shovels, sticks, and even spoons to search for Hoffa's body. The search was on for his body, for an adventure, and for the money.

Tips ranged from across the country and the reward hit $325,000 as tipsters suggested using ESP, body reading, astrological charts, mysticism and witchcraft.

A man well-known and connected to the mob, suddenly disappears. The world was hooked.

"You've gotta remember ‘The Godfather' had just come out so there was this infatuation with organized crime that was kinda being romanticized," Arena said.

"The Machus Red Fox was your classic gangster hangout, it's what you picture in the movies. it was dark, there was red leather everywhere, there was polished wood, there were a lot of, kind of, nooks and crannies," historian Rebecca Salminen Witt said.

Hoffa tips run dry

As the investigation unfolded, TV2's Joe Glover reported that Hoffa had made big plans that could have taken away some massive income for the mob.

"Of all the theories about why Jimmy Hoffa vanished, those most often heard blame organized crime. The underworld might've killed Hoffa because he was obsessed with regaining control of the Teamsters. Hoffa reportedly said he would put an end to mobster use of pension funds when he was back in charge."

As law enforcement and the public were digging for clues, the hope of finding him disappeared – much like Hoffa himself.

His son, James P. Hoffa, ultimately conceded he would never see his father again. The FBI, once very confident they'd find him, suddenly weren't too sure. And members of the news media were suddenly scraping for any tips.

"There were no cell phones to keep up on things so we'd go the car and try to call in and try to find out what we could and there was nothing," McCauley said.

As the investigation zeroed in on key figures in the mob, subpoenas and testimony would be part of the case file but answers remained elusive.

What's next:

This is just part two in our four-part special - culminating a 30-minute special next Wednesday that you will not want to miss.

On Friday, we're going back to the meeting that lured Hoffa to the Machus Red Fox – and his meetings with the mob family who was pulling money from the union Hoffa represented.

Then, on Tuesday night at 10 p.m., Taryn Asher has an exclusive and revealing interview with James P. Hoffa about his father's life and legacy. 

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