36 years later, family members, authorities, continue looking for missing Fall River mother

As part of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III’s ongoing Missing Persons Initiative, their office, working with the Massachusetts Unresolved Unit and the Fall River Police Department, are seeking the public’s help in providing any information related to missing person, Clotilde (Arruda) Tremblay.

The DA’s Office revealed that Clotilde “Claudette” Arruda was born in St. Miguel in the Azores. After coming to the United States, she settled in Fall River where many of her family members also lived. In 1980, she married Robert Tremblay, and they later had a child together. While living in Fall River, Clotilde was employed working as a machine operator.

Clotilde went missing in 1988 at the age of 33. At the time of her disappearance, she was living with her husband and their 8-year-old daughter at 128 Pearce Street in Fall River. Clotilde had been working at F&F Braid Company which was also located on Pearce Street near her home.

According to the DA’s Office, her husband, Robert Tremblay, has claimed that Clotilde left him in 1988 for another man, although there is no evidence that he ever reported her disappearance to law enforcement authorities. Despite his claim, there has been no trace of Clotilde since that time. Family members reject the idea that Clotilde voluntarily ran off with another man. Her family described Clotilde as being extremely close to her daughter and the suggestion that she voluntarily disappeared leaving her daughter behind is not possible. A neighbor also expressed disbelief with the husband’s explanation. The neighbor described Clotilde as a loving mother who was inseparable from her daughter. For this reason and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, both Clotilde’s family members and her neighbor believe that something happened to Clotilde at that time.

In hopes that someone may have seen anything that would be of help concerning her disappearance, a family member also states that Clotilde previously worked at Trina and also attended bingo in the 1980s.

To date, efforts by the police to locate Clotilde have been unsuccessful and her disappearance is considered suspicious. Law enforcement authorities are seeking the public’s help in providing any information regarding the disappearance or whereabouts of Tremblay.

If you have any information, please contact: Lt. AnnMarie Robertson of the Massachusetts State Police at (508) 961-1918 or Lt. John MacDonald of the Fall River Police Department at (508) 324-2796 ext. 253.

*For Portuguese speaking callers, please call Detective Luis Vertentes of the Fall River Police Department at (508) 324-2796, ext. 260.