Mother's Intuition: Foreseeing 'Strong Danger' from Son-in-Law Weeks Before Daughter's Fatal Camping Trip

Joseph Ferlazzo’s abrupt return from a Vermont camping trip without his wife, Emily Schwarz Ferlazzo, quickly raised alarm bells among her family. The couple had planned the getaway to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, but Joseph’s explanations to his in-laws that Emily had gone back home to New Hampshire after an argument did little to quell their concerns. Adrienne Bass, Emily’s mother, immediately felt something was amiss—not only with Joseph’s story, but with his unsettling demeanor when he returned and handed over Emily’s driver’s license.

Bass described the chilling encounter, recalling Joseph’s trembling and coldness. At first, she attributed it to the long motorcycle ride in October weather, but looking back, she suspects it was anxiety from lying about his wife’s whereabouts. “When he left, his whole demeanor was threatening and cold. The feeling I got was, ‘Don’t question him,’” Bass recounted. This apprehension was echoed by other family members, who admitted they had long harbored fears about Joseph’s behavior and suspected he may have been abusing Emily behind closed doors.

The tragic case is featured on the true crime series, "Fatal Destination," which highlights disturbing mysteries that shatter idyllic vacations. In the episode titled "Where’s Emily?", Bass reveals, “We were all afraid of him.” She detailed how Emily would seek help from family, only to return to Joseph, which seemed to heighten tensions and make things worse. Bass recalled a foreboding feeling during a pre-anniversary lunch with the couple, saying, “I froze. There was a strong, overwhelming feeling that my life was in danger from him. I tried to think of how to talk to my daughter…but I wasn’t ever able to come up with a way.”

Emily and Joseph were married during the pandemic, a decision that baffled her family. They recalled the couple’s rocky relationship, including incidents where Emily reached out for help after physical altercations. The family noticed bruising and injuries on Emily, but conversations about her safety were often shut down, as Emily would immediately relay any discussions back to Joseph. “We had to be careful about what we said, using very coded language,” said David Bass, Emily’s stepfather.

Despite concerns, hope briefly flickered when Emily and Joseph set out for their anniversary camping trip on October 15, 2021. They traveled on a converted bus that served as their home, heading to rural Bolton, Vermont, while Emily shared cheerful videos of their drive. Just days later, Joseph returned alone, telling conflicting stories about Emily’s disappearance. According to him, a heated argument led to Emily attempting to leave, after which she vanished when he stepped out to a store.

Fearing the worst, Emily’s parents reported her missing, alerting authorities to a history of domestic abuse. As the search intensified, comparisons arose to the high-profile Gabby Petito case, where swift police work uncovered deadly violence behind an otherwise romantic road trip. The urgency in Emily’s investigation led police to question Joseph closely.

Confronted by authorities, Joseph confessed to the unthinkable: during a fight in the camper, he grabbed a handgun and shot Emily twice in the head. He then drove to a friend’s house before dismembering her body and hiding her remains in garbage bags inside the camper. The grisly details, later revealed in court, left Emily’s family devastated. Adrienne Bass described listening to the proceedings as “excruciating and nauseating.”

A jury found Joseph Ferlazzo guilty of first-degree murder, and he received a sentence of 42.5 years to life in prison. While justice has been served, the impact of Emily’s loss still reverberates painfully through her family and community. They have sought comfort in memories and recordings of Emily singing, sharing that music was her greatest passion. “Her voice is the most important thing,” David Bass reflected. “She would be incredibly upset at what happened—to her, and to Gabby Petito.”

Now, Adrienne Bass and her family are speaking out in hopes of helping others escape domestic violence before tragedy strikes. “Try to listen to your gut… Anyone could be a victim of domestic violence. It doesn’t mean something is wrong with them as a person,” she urged. David Bass added a final plea: “If you’re being abused in your relationship, call a crisis center, make a plan, talk to an expert. Help is out there. You’re not alone.”