Marcus Deangelo 1990 Missing – A Mystery That Haunted Birmingham for Decades

There are stories that linger long after the headlines fade—stories that refuse to let go. The disappearance of Marcus De Angelo is one of those.

In the spring of 1990, Marcus was the kind of young man everyone knew or wished they did. Tall, athletic, with an easy smile and a heart for helping others, he was a star on the Birmingham University football team. His future looked bright. He had a scholarship, dreams of going pro, and a family that adored him.

Then, one cool March night, all of that changed.

Marcus attended a small team gathering at the Delta Kappa house on March 17, 1990. Friends remembered him laughing, full of life, wearing his signature varsity jacket. Around 11:30 p.m., he told a teammate he was heading home. That was the last confirmed sighting of him.

The next morning, his car—a dark blue 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier—was found abandoned near Shades Creek Park, about three miles from campus. The driver’s door was open, the keys still in the ignition. Inside, investigators found traces of blood, later confirmed to be Marcus’s. But there was no sign of Marcus himself.

It was as if the night had swallowed him whole.

Marcus De Angelo Biography

A Family’s Endless Wait

Marcus’s parents, Diane and Vincent De Angelo, never gave up hope. They organized search efforts, appeared on local news, and kept his story alive when others moved on. Each year, Diane would return to the spot where his car was found, holding a vigil in silence.

The case grew cold, like so many others. But the pain never did. For 34 long years, the De Angelo family lived in the shadow of unanswered questions—what happened to Marcus, and why?

A Break in the Case

In late 2023, Birmingham’s cold case unit reopened Marcus’s file. Detective Rachel Kovatch, who had grown up hearing about the case, decided to take another look. She sent the original blood samples for modern DNA testing, something impossible in 1990.

Months later, the results revealed something new—foreign DNA mixed with Marcus’s. It didn’t match anyone in the database, but it was a clue.

That clue eventually led to a name from the original witness list: Brian Hastings, a former teammate who had quietly disappeared after Marcus went missing. Now living in North Carolina under the name Brian Cole, Hastings had built an entirely new life. When investigators obtained a sample of his DNA, it matched the evidence from Marcus’s car.

After decades of silence, justice was finally within reach.

The Arrest and Trial

Brian Cole was arrested in May 2024. During the investigation, police discovered that Marcus had filed a complaint against Brian weeks before his disappearance, citing harassment and unwanted attention. Former classmates described Brian as jealous and volatile, often resentful of Marcus’s popularity and success.

The trial began in early 2025, drawing massive public attention. Witnesses testified about Brian’s strange behavior, and forensic experts confirmed the DNA match.

In February 2025, the jury found Brian Cole guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

For Marcus’s mother, Diane, it was a bittersweet victory. “No verdict can bring my son back,” she said outside the courthouse. “But at least now, the waiting is over.”

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Remembering Marcus

Today, Marcus is remembered not for the tragedy that took him, but for the light he brought to those who knew him. His name lives on at the university, where his jersey was retired in 1993, and in the hearts of everyone who still whispers his name at Shades Creek Park each March 17.

His story reminds us that time may fade memories, but truth—though slow—always finds a way home.