Jimmy Hoffa's frustrating disappearance for feds and family

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Editor's note: this is part THREE 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 two more exciting stories covering the disappearance of Hoffa every night at 10 p.m., culminating with an exclusive interview James P. Hoffa Tuesday night at 10 p.m.

As federal and local authorities dove deep for Jimmy Hoffa, the mob that was believed to be responsible for his disappearance dug in. Reasons for eliminating the powerful head of the Teamsters union was purely business. 

America was stunned and captivated by Hoffa's disappearance and it seemed that the mob was an obvious answer. But there was no way to prove it.

Hoff was, after all, he told his family he was meeting with Tony Giacalone (Tony Jack) at the Machus Red Fox in Bloomfield Township. And there was another notorious mob member involved all, Tony Provenzano.

The Giacalone and Provenzano, among many other members of the mob, had their hands in the Teamsters pension fund – which was in the millions in the late 1960s. Provenzano was from the Genovese crime family in New Jersey, and they did not want Hoffa back in charge of the union.

Hoffa was seeking to return as president in 1975 as a write-in candidate, but disappeared long before the vote.

Hoffa said he was going to meet the two men at the Machus Red Fox to smooth over their differences. It is believed that the car Hoffa hopped into that day was owned by Joseph Giacalone, "Tony Jack's" son. 

The FBI got a warrant and searched the younger Giacalone's car, but found nothing.

"We did not detect any presence of human blood stains either in the vehicle or in the trunk of his car," the FBI said in 1975.

The major lead evaporated, creating more mystery and questions – and still no answers.

Code of Omertà

Provenzano, at the time of Hoffa's disappearance, had served time for extortion - which caused him both his job and Teamsters pension. In 1975, he had been indicted for murder charges.

Giacalone and Provenzano both denied having scheduled any meeting with Hoffa. It's also believed that they nowhere near the restaurant on the afternoon of July 30th. 

So who was who pulled up in front of the restaurant? That's the mystery that remains. Whoever it was, made Hoffa an offer he couldn't refuse – and then didn't say a word.

"Organized crime of the 1960s and 1970s was different than what it is today. They still lived by the code of Omertà, the code of silence, and that was the oath that they took. Organized crime members of that generation were not gonna talk. They took it to the grave. That's what I think happened here, they took it to the grave," former FBI agent Andy Arena said.

"When that car showed up, eyewitnesses tell us that Hoffa just jumped. He got in willingly," historian Rebecca Salminen Witt said. "He wouldn't have gotten into a car that he didn't know anybody in. So obviously, he knew these folks."

The mystifying case never lead to a body or a suspect. One-by-one, mob members went under oath and pleaded the Fifth Amendment.

Witnesses came forward but only added confusion to the case. 

Frustrating investigation

TV2's Nancy McCauley was fighting for answers too. In 1986, a reported eyewitness spoke with the Lansing State Journal. But the FBI said her information wasn't credible.

"I'm remembering more and more about that story. I could see a little bit of frustration in me. I was very determined to cover every opportunity, every base that i could, for sure. It was such a big story. The more time I spent with it, you kind of home that you're gonna resolve this, going to get to the bottom of this but it's frustrating because you couldn't," McCauley said.

In 1982, seven years after he vanished, his family petitions to have him presumed dead.

The petition allowed the family the opportunity to his $1 million estate.

Even then, investigators remained confident that they knew who did it – but were not able to prove it.

"I think that at this point in the investigation we have a pretty good idea, we believe we know who did it. There's a great deal of difference between knowing something and being able to prove it," Phillip Vandam, U.S. Attorney said in 1982.

"The Teamster members, more than two million members and I think I can speak for them in regard to this, are very, very concerned about what happened to my father. Not only what happened to him, but why it happened. And they demand an answer," James P. Hoffa said 1982. "There has to be an answer to this union, as to what happened to Jimmy Hoffa. And I think that there will be."

What's next:

After 50 years, the FBI still has an open case on Hoffa. On Monday, we're going to dive into the many theories about what happened to Hoffa. 

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.