Man, 50, Missing for Seven Days in State Forest is Found Alive

A 50-year-old Waterbury man who went missing in the Naugatuck State Forest was found alive and conscious Thursday, seven days after he was reported missing by his family.

Richard Roncarti was spotted walking out of the woods near the High Rock Shooting Association in Naugatuck around noon on Thursday, Oxford Fire Chief Scott Pelletier said.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has been investigating for a week. Local firefighters from Naugatuck, Oxford, Beacon Falls, Seymour and possibly other departments have helped with the search.

A spokesman for the DEEP was not immediately available for comment on Thursday. It could not be confirmed what kind of condition Roncarti was in when he came out of the woods.

He was taken to Waterbury Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Patch will bring you more on this story as soon as we learn more. 

Original Story:

Firefighters from the Naugatuck Valley will help state officials scour the Naugatuck State Forest this morning in hopes of finding a Waterbury man who went missing a week ago today.

Firefighters from Naugatuck, Beacon Falls and possibly Oxford will enter the state forest near the High Rock Shooting Association in Naugatuck about 9 a.m. today.

“It is extremely rough terrain so we’re going to be very cautious,” said Naugatuck Fire Chief Ken Hanks.

The missing man, Richard Roncarti, is 50 years old. He was reported missing by his family last Thursday after he left his mother’s house. He did not say where he was going.

Roncarti, whom family members said was depressed lately, according to local officials, has not been seen or heard from since.

Police also found Roncarti’s 2006 Chevy Silverado parked and unoccupied in the Naugatuck State Forest over the weekend. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is leading the search effort.

Oxford Fire Chief Scott Pelletier said he hopes to be able to round up enough volunteers to send a crew to help with the search. The Oxford Fire Department, an all volunteer crew, helped with the search over the weekend.

If anyone has information about Roncarti’s whereabouts, they are asked to call Waterbury Police at 203-574-6941.