NEWARK, NJ — Nearly two decades after she vanished without a trace, the disappearance of Carla Vicentini remains one of Newark’s most troubling unsolved cold cases — and federal authorities are still offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information that could finally bring answers.

Vicentini, a 22-year-old exchange student from Brazil, disappeared in the early morning hours of February 10, 2006, after leaving the Adega Bar & Grill on Ferry Street in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood. She has never been seen again.

Vicentini had arrived in the United States less than a month before her disappearance as part of a cultural exchange program and was beginning to settle into life in New Jersey. Friends said she spoke Portuguese and only limited English.

On the night she disappeared, Vicentini was socializing at the bar with friends when she reportedly left with an unidentified man to look at a photograph inside his vehicle. She never returned.

Later that day, her passport, wallet, and jacket were found inside her nearby Newark residence, deepening concerns that she did not leave voluntarily.

The FBI classifies Vicentini’s disappearance as a kidnapping and stranger abduction. Despite years of investigation, no suspects have been publicly named and no arrests have been made.

Vicentini had several distinctive tattoos, including an angel on her back, a chameleon on her hip, and a tribal-style tattoo on her lower back. At the time she disappeared, she stood approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed about 140 pounds. Today, she would be in her early 40s.

Federal authorities continue to urge anyone with information — no matter how small — to come forward. Investigators say even details that may seem insignificant could prove critical in resolving the case.

Nearly 20 years later, the reward remains in place, and Vicentini’s family continues to wait for answers.

Sources

• Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division
• FBI Kidnapping and Missing Persons Records
• The Charley Project
• New Jersey State Law Enforcement Records
• Archived Newark-area news reports