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Pulitzer Prize–Nominated Playwright Missing on Capri

International Herald Tribune

Sunday, July 19, 1992

Capri, Italy —Police and volunteers are searching for Sarah Lingate, who was reported missing Sunday afternoon.

The playwright and her husband, Richard Lingate, have been vacationing on the island with Richard’s older brother, Marcus, and his wife, Naomi. At 1:07 p.m. , police were notified that Lingate could not be located on the grounds of the villa where she and the family have been staying.

Lingate was last seen Saturday evening during a dinner held to celebrate the renovation of Casa Malaparte, an effort funded in part by the Lingate Foundation. Following the party, invitees walked to the Piazzetta for a round of drinks. Neither Richard nor Sarah Lingate was seen again after the group reached Bar Tiberio. An eyewitness noted there had been a disagreement between the couple prior to dinner but declined to elaborate on the nature of the conflict. Richard reportedly returned home without his wife around 2 a.m.

Richard and Marcus Lingate are best known as the heirs to DVH Holdings, a privately held energy firm founded by their grandfather, oil magnate Aaron Lingate. The firm was liquidated by their father in the mid-1980s, and the brothers have used the proceeds to pursue personal interests: Marcus as an early-stage tech investor and Richard as a supporter of thearts.

Sarah Lingate is a Pulitzer Prize–nominated and Whiting Award–winning playwright. Her work has been staged at experimental venues, such as the Lexington Conservatory Theatre, as well as established performing arts centers, including Lincoln Center. She is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, of medium build, with long, thick, blond-brown hair. She speaks fluent Italian.

This will remain a missing person case until further notice. To report tips or sightings to the Carabinieri, please call 081-555650. Visitors and residents of the surrounding region, including Naples, Sorrento, Portofino and Ischia, are encouraged to remain vigilant.