Joseph was last seen near Sam's Point ice caves in Ellenville, New York on January 16, 1987. He and three friends, John LaForge, Wade Marks and Kelly Diaz, were staying at the Mount Cathalia Lodge when they decided to go for a late-night drive in LaForge's Subaru. Joseph was driving when their car got stuck in the snow at approximately 3:30 a.m. The four young men were unable to push the car out and Joseph left the car and went to get help at the village five miles downhill. Diaz and Marks also abandoned the car a short time later, then LaForge left as well, separately from the others.

The three other boys made it to safety, but Joseph has never been seen from again. The others assumed he had gone home and didn't realize he was missing until the next day, when LaForge went back to retrieve his car. An extensive search turned up no sign of Joseph. The inclement weather seriously hampered the search efforts; there was a great deal of snow and high winds, and most of the roads on the mountain were impassible.

At the time of his disappearance, Joseph worked alongside his mother at the Auction Barn in Napanoch, New York. He was interested in rock music, particularly the band KISS. Both of his parents have died in the years since his disappearance, but his aunt and his friends hope he may yet be located.