DNA BOMBSHELL
Timmothy Pitzen – Man, 24, claiming to be missing boy is NOT him, DNA test results reveal eight years after he vanished
THE boy found claiming to be missing lad Timmothy Pitzen who vanished eight years was today proven to be a liar after bombshell DNA results.
In a dramatic revelation, the so-called 14-year-old boy was actually a 23-year-old serial convict named Brian Michael Rini, who has been branded a "f***ing idiot" by his family.
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The devastating news left Timmothy's family in agony after getting their hopes up their son had been found after his mystery disappearance that shocked America.
Cops have been searching for Timmothy since 2011 when he vanished following the discovery of his mum's body after she committed suicide.
In a heart-wrenching press conference, the boy's grandmother and aunt tearfully vowed to Timmothy that they'd never stop looking for him.
Rini wandered the streets of Newport, Kentucky, looking "bruised and skinny" on Wednesday and told police he was the missing teen.
He said he had just escaped on foot from two burly kidnappers who held him against his will in a motel and "kept running across a bridge into Kentucky."
His brother Jonathan has revealed that Rini got out of jail in the past three months, where he had served a three year sentence for trespass and criminal damage.
He has a lengthy rap sheet dating back to 2013 and his crimes include disorderly conduct, vandalism, burglary, unauthorised use of a vehicle, theft, making false alarms and passing bad cheques, according to court records seen by Sun Online.
I know he's a f***ing idiot but I don't think he'd do something like this for a joke
Brian Michael Rini's brother
Jonathan, 21, described him as a "f**king idiot" who should be "punished or even institutionalised" for what he had done.
He told Sun Online: "In my opinion he's just a generally bad person. He's always been that way. Just a really bad person.
"I don't know the family or much about the story but I definitely hope he gets punished for what he's done. Either punished or institutionalised.
"I haven't spoken to my brother for a while - it's been years - and I plan to keep it that way.
"I think he must be struggling with his mental health. I don't think he'd do it as a joke.
"I know he's a f**king idiot but I don't think he'd do something like this for a joke.
HEARTBROKEN FAMILY
"As far as I know he has no issues with drugs or anything like that but he's been in a lot of trouble with the police."
Timmothy's family are "devastated" over the results as they were "cautiously hopeful" that the boy was coming home.
The family held a press conference after the news broke, with his gran Alana Anderson saying: "I feel so sorry for the young man who’s obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was someone else in hope that they can find his family.”
Rini's motivations for claiming to be the missing teen are currently unclear.
CRIMINAL RECORD
It is also yet to be revealed if there was any truth in his claims about being kidnapped.
US news site claims Rini, of Medina, Ohio, has been arrested four times, most recently in 2018 when he was charged with falsification.
A report from the Norton Police Department in Massachusetts said Rini used his brother's name and social security number when he was questioned by cops.
In January last year a court found him guilty of burglary and vandalism.
In January 2017 he was sentenced to 55 days in Medina County Jail after he was found guilty of passing bad checks.
In 2015 was arrested and charged with making false alarms involving a law enforcement agency.
Rini was interviewed by police on Wednesday and asked questions that only Timmothy would know, as well as getting a DNA test.
He said his birthday was October 18 2004, the same date as Timmothy's.
It's not known how he was able to answer questions about the missing boy.
Rini spent last night in the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and is now said to be going back to prison awaiting a court hearing for his latest alleged crime, according to the .
Timmothy's maternal aunt Kara Jacob said at the press conference today: "We know you are out there somewhere, Tim, and we will never stop looking for you, praying for you and loving you.
"We hope that everyone will join us in praying for the young man who claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen.”
POLICE PROBE
The FBI in Louisville confirmed that the DNA results showed that it wasn't Timmothy.
In a statement, officials said: "FBI Louisville and Newport police department, Cincy police department have been conducting a missing person investigation.
"DNA results have been returned indicating the person in question is not Timmothy Pitzen."
Louisville FBI Agent Tim Beam said in a statement to Reuters: "Law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family.
"Unfortunately, that day will not be today."
Rini was found yesterday in Newport, Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio - almost 500 miles from where Timmothy was last seen in May 2011.
Witnesses said the "scared and agitated" figure with bruises on his face was seen running around for two hours before he flagged down a female motorist and begged for help.
'CAUTIOUSLY HOPEFUL'
When police arrived he said he'd been held by kidnappers and gave his name as Timmothy Pitzen – potentially ending eight years of torment for his family.
Timmothy Pitzen's grandmother, Alana Anderson, said the family were "cautiously hopeful" after the dramatic development.
Timmothy was just six when he was last seen at a water park resort in Wisconsin on May 13, 2011.
Two days before, his dad Jim Pitzen had dropped him off as usual at his elementary school in Aurora, near Chicago, Illinois.
His mum Amy, 43, then unexpectedly took him out of class, claiming a family emergency, and took him to the zoo.
Then they went to two water parks, one in Illinois and another at Wisconsin Dells in the neighbouring state.
WITHOUT A TRACE
CCTV showed them checking out at 10am - the last time Timmothy was seen.
Police later found Amy dead in a hotel 100 miles away in Rockford, Illinois.
She left a cryptic suicide note, saying her son was in the care of others who would "love and care for him" and added: "You’ll never find him".
A search in three states and numerous TV appeals failed to find any trace.
Police Sgt Bill Rowley said before Rini was questioned: "We've probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas.
"We have no idea what we're driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax."
An police report reveals Rini told police he had just escaped from two white men with bodybuilder physiques who were driving a Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates.
It says: "One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans, & has a spider web tattoo on his neck
"The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms."
Rini said he fled from a Red Roof Inn - but there are several of the chain motels in the area that cops had to check.
The FBI said its offices in Louisville and Cincinnati were working on a missing child investigation with police in Aurora, Cincinnati, Newport and Hamilton, Ohio.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Timmothy's grandmother told a US news channel before the results: “We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him every day, stayed in touch with the police.
"It just went cold and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact us—that was kind of the best I could hope for for a long time.”
But she added: "We don't want to get our hopes up. We've had false reports and false hopes before.
"I'm cautiously hopeful, very cautiously hopeful. And if it turns out to be him, we'll be thrilled."
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