Nieko A. Lisi, 18, went missing on September 30, 2011 from Addison, NY. Nieko was last seen at his uncle’s home around 2:30 PM that Friday afternoon, which is fifteen minutes from his home in Jasper, New York.

Nieko was one of four children, he had an older brother and two younger sisters. He came from a very close-knit family, with parents, stepparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and great grandparents from both his mom’s and dad’s sides all living in close proximity to one another.

From a young age, Nieko was very active in sports, playing baseball, hockey, football, basketball, soccer, and participating in his favorite sport, wrestling. At seven years old, he won the MAWA Eastern National Championship. In 2007 and 2008, he won two Section V titles in his high school career.

Nieko was upfront and outspoken. You never had to guess what he was thinking because he would let you know. He was determined, loyal, charming, loving, and hardheaded all rolled into one. He stood up for what he believed in, even if he was on the wrong side of things, and was never afraid to voice his thoughts and opinions. Sometimes, this could be a curse. He was carefree in ways that are hard to think about now, never believing anything bad could happen to him because he knew he could take care of himself. He feared nothing.

Our boy was not perfect. He did not light up a room when he walked in, but when he did, it was as if everyone knew him. We could travel hundreds of miles from home for a wrestling tournament, and you knew there would be people there who knew him. This was before social media days. Boy, the things I’d give to go back to those days.

Nieko’s disappearance has been a long, twisted, winding road for the last thirteen years, and our family has been forever changed. His case spans from New York to Michigan to Tennessee. He was not alone when he left New York, and that individual died in Michigan at his parents’ home ten days after leaving with my son.

Nieko’s phone was tracked to Franklin, TN in September 2011, where he had stayed with my in-laws for a few months and attended school from August 2009 to February 2010 before returning home. He was last seen alive in Franklin on October 1-2, 2011 according to witnesses.

In 2016, the pickup truck Nieko was in when he left New York was located by NYSP and Franklin Police Detectives in a locked garage in Sylvan Park, Nashville, TN. The truck was completely disassembled, with only the cab and box remaining, along with the VIN numbers left behind by the criminals.

It is believed by myself and law enforcement that Nieko was killed shortly after arriving in Tennessee in 2011. To date, no arrests have been made in this case. We will not rest until our son’s remains are brought home to us. We love him, we miss him, and we will never stop searching for him.

Nieko’s case remains open and is being handled by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.