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Police Search Boston Pond For Marine Recruit Missing Since November

BOSTON (CBS) - The family of 21-year-old Joseph Brancato is still holding out hope that they'll find out what happened to the missing young Marine recruit.

"We know that if Joey was alive and well he'd be home, we know this," said Nicole DaSilva, Brancato's cousin.

"Think about how difficult this is for an entire family to wonder every single morning and every single night where this 21-year-old boy has gone."

Joseph Brancato
Joseph 'Joey' Brancato (Photo credit : Boston Police)

Boston Police say Brancato, who is from Winthrop, was last seen on November 18 last year in Roslindale. His family says he was staying with his Marine recruiter in Roslindale at the time. They knew something wasn't right when he didn't show up for Thanksgiving dinner.

Boston Police confirm investigators were out Friday in the area around Turtle Pond in West Roxbury searching in connection to Brancato's disappearance.

"Because this was such pressing information they had NCIS and State Police out there today actively searching for them and to assist them in that search," said DaSilva.

Turtle Pond
Turtle Pond in West Roxbury (WBZ-TV)

Police aren't saying if they found anything. Back in December investigators also searched a wooded area in West Roxbury. The family says these searches are keeping them hopeful they'll someday get some answers.

"We're not going anywhere, we're going to fight and we're going to search and we're going to drive people crazy until we figure out what happened to him," DaSilva said.

The family says investigators told them they'll be returning to the area for another search at a later date. Meanwhile they're hoping that by spreading their story it will encourage someone to come forward with new information.

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