Mahan's abduction is strongly believed not to have been committed by a family member. She was only eight-years-old when she disappeared. Investigative Agency: Pennsylvania State Police, Troop D, Butler Station at (724) 284-8100 or Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Missing Persons Unit at (717) 783-5524. Its a kidnapping. In 2019, Janice McKinney received an anonymous letter from someone who claimed they knew specific details about what happened to her daughter. I dont think that I ever knew somebody or anybody who knew me had that streak in them to do something this crazy, McKinney said. Hopefully, over time, it has started to eat away at them or someone they confided in, DeLuca said. After KDKA's report of a new. It was the 22ndof February, 1985, when Janice Cherrie Ann Mahan (August 14, 1976 disappeared February 22, 1985; declared legally dead November 5, 1998) was an eight-year-old American girl who disappeared on February 22, 1985, after disembarking a school bus approximately fifty feet from the base of the driveway to her home in rural Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. They also said another tip led them to search an Armstrong junkyard and an old mine shaft in Butler County within the last year. Their last time being seen in public was while they were being arrested by former Collier County Sheriff's deputy Corporal Steve Calkins. At just 20-months old Ayla Reynolds went missing in 2011. [11] Janice later married a Vietnam veteran named LeRoy McKinney, who willingly accepted Mahan as his stepdaughter. The travesty of decades-long missing person cases is that the family cannot even deal with the persons estate and belongings until they are declared dead. Its not like the sex offenders we know today through Megans Law, she said. I hope someone comes through with some good firsthand knowledge, Trooper Max DeLuca said. Child Find Case #: 11703. to Cherrie or her disappearance. family sought this action so that a trust fund in Cherries name could be premonition.4, The case gradually went cold. Oil City, PA 1 day ago. The skier was wearing red and yellow clothing and was skiing down the mountain. John Shumway went back to the state police today about Cherrie's biological father. Law enforcement and Butler's psychic sisters are frustrated by a 38-year search for a suspect in the abduction of Cherrie Mahan from a rural bus stop in Winfield Township. The Dutch-owned island of Aruba might not have had the police force that Holloways parents were looking for. She was in the Oil City police officer injured during arrest of assault suspect in Venango County. I made sure Cherrie had walked past the car, then I drove away. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. She received $3,500 in compensation for her injuries. Murray also conducted online research and made bookings at hotels in various areas on the east coast. "There was [sic] a bunch of people and a couple of dogs, and you know they went over the property with a fine-tooth comb,"Janice said, but no trace of Mahan was found. Subscribe to WTAE . They have talked to the woman and she doesn't think she's Cherrie, but DNA tests are in progress. All of this information led police to believe that Murray wanted to disappear, but many people still believe that she was kidnapped. Someone has to know something.. According to her mother, Cherrie was conceived through rape when her mother was sixteen years old. This was the first time that a missing child was put on a milk carton. If nothing else, she'll always be in our hearts. The author of this letter concluded this correspondence by stating: "I pray you find some peace after you find her body. just tell he was numb, said Kathleen Yates, a neighbour. The letter, signed by someone calling themselves Pastor Justice, ended: "I pray you find some peace after you find her body.". Both of these men disappeared under similar circumstances in 2003 and 2004. She stayed up drinking until the middle of the night with the cruise ship band and then went back to her room. Word of the potential abduction spread quickly throughout the Chuck Hadad AC360 Producer. When he was young Pichler relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. A search of their driveway did not locate the child or any of her footprints upon the snow on the ground leading to her house,[7] although they did discover a set of tire impressions in the driveway soil approximately fifty yards from their home. His silver Toyota Corrolla was found four days later at an intersection in town. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. been abducted. Authorities believe Cherrie was abducted, but no suspect has ever been identified in her case. However, none of the charges stuck. Debbie Burk said the three children got into her van, and Cherrie Mahan continued walking toward her home. acknowledged her or attempted to have any kind of relationship wit Despite the fact that the case was declared cold, Pennsylvania State Trooper Frank Jendesky continued working on the case for 15 years. Three other students got off with her at the stop. Hello world! Louise made friends with another mother in the neighborhood a bit of time before she disappeared. . Im still hoping for the day she comes home and I can marry her off, she said.5, In November of 1998, Cherrie was declared legally dead. Two sketches of the vehicle are posted with this case summary. In another follow up article just hours after the original the police spell out his person of interest status more explicitly: "John Shumway (local reporter) went back to the state police today about Cherries biological father. State police in Butler continue their search for Cherrie Mahan, who was last seen at age 8 on Feb. 22, 1985, when she exited her school bus on Cornplanter Road, Winfield Township, Butler County. Cherrie Mahan was last seen stepping off a school bus in Winfield Township on Feb. 22, 1985. . They donated the life insurance policy they received to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and put a car accident settlement she had received into a trust fund for her brother. "I never left that house without her, we were always together, we grew up together, she was my life," Janice says. Craig had filed for divorce months before she disappeared but the couple continued living together. Associated Press. She didnt bring her shoes, which shows how soon she was planning on coming back. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Long. Today marks 38 years since 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan disappeared in Butler County. However, he was eventually ruled out as he had a confirmed alibi on the day Mahan vanished. He was running up and down the road He You would think a child would be safe to walk such a short distance I hope the parents dont blame themselves. She hasn't been seen since, and was the first child ever featured on the now-famous "Have You Seen Me?" advertising circulars produced by a company called Advo Inc. Trp. She shared with us that Cherrie was the result of rape when Janice was 16. Authorities also sent letters to people who were incarcerated to ask whether they had heard anything about the missing girl from other inmates. Updated 10 times since October 12, 2004. Over the Jedesky retired in 2011, and another trooper was assigned to continue investigating Mahan's case. Cherrie was last seen getting off of her school bus 37 years ago. She was abducted after getting off her school bus and has never been seen or h. . road like madmen. If she had gotten lost or was killed near her home, for example, officials believe they would have found some trace of her, her clothes, or her belongings during the extensive searches. In addition, Kofluk said, he and Maurer are starting at square one with the old police report, evidence and crime scene information.. We'll always look for Cherrie. On the night of March 31, 2006, medical student Brian Shaffer decided to party to celebrate the first day of spring break. Please enter valid email address to continue. She used to ride with her mother until her mother had a scary experience being stalked by a motorist. "Someone knows what happened to her for sure. Now, 35 years later, Janice McKinney just wants to know. The Disappearance of Cherrie Mahan. It's been a quarter of a century and the cops are nowhere closer to solving the case than they were the day she disappeared. You could They played for a while. At noon her mother followed her route to find her but Tara Calico was nowhere to be found. His family reported him missing on January 16, 2006. Other children on the bus and a neighbour told police that they On the evening of January 5, 2006, Pichler was in good spirits while he played cards with friends. Death and dying is something I know about, she said. First published on February 19, 2020 / 7:48 PM. Investigators suspect the cases are linked with the leading theory . Tony would hitchhike and his brother would ride his bicycle. MicroComputers, a Pittsburgh company, donated a [37], A further line of inquiry investigators pursued dates from 2014, when investigators pursued a tip that Mahan was alive and living under an assumed name in Michigan. While it is not confirmed, many suspect it is Calico in the horrifying photo above. BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. Thirty-eight years have passed since 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan stepped off her school bus in Cabot, Butler County, but never arrived home. Cherrie was known to be a cheerful little girl. Both men were last seen handcuffed driving away in the back of Calkins squad car. The last time that Louise and Charmian were seen they were getting into a white car with an older man. If you have any information on this case, please contact CUE Center for Missing Persons at (910) 343-1131 or call the CUE Center 24-hour tip line at . Nobody went anywhere alone and I used to think my parents used it as a scare tactic, never realized it was true! In 1985, an eight-year-old girl named Cherrie Mahan seemingly vanished off the face of the Earth. The The mans body was never found. Cherrie was last seen getting off the bus from her elementary school on February 22, 1985, around 4:05 p.m. Three other students joined her at the bus stop. In 1966, 18-year-old Cheri Jo Bates was attacked after she left Riverside City College Library, California. There were also two other people in the home at the time of Aylas disappearance, her fathers girlfriend and his sister. She never made it home. [13], At the time of her disappearance, Mahan was eight years old. This is a follow up to the Cherrie Mahan post a few days ago, I mentioned in it there was a new big news story about her I saw in passing on our local TV. Cherrie has a dog bite scar on her left arm. When his brother arrived back in Townsville he called his girlfriend and family. [7] The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children featured Mahan as the first missing child to be depicted upon postcards distributed nationwide alongside a headline reading, "Have You Seen Me?" In 2011, authorities were also alerted to a woman living in Michigan, who a tipster reported was Cherrie Mahan. Michael Haim Arrested in the 23 Year Old Murder Investigation of Bonnie Haim. [27], Investigators quickly discounted any possibility Mahan had been kidnapped for a ransom;[28][n 4] concluding the child most likely knew her abductor or abductors, although all family members were quickly eliminated as suspects. "They . Pursuit of stolen car ends in arrest after suspect runs onto Interstate 5 in Bankers Hill. Long will say about suspects: Anybody that was implicated, until we find evidence otherwise, they still would be considered a suspect.. He didnt answer his phone the rest of the weekend, eventually missing a flight to Miami that had been long planned with his girlfriend. You kiss 'em in the face, you put them in the ground, and you say goodbye. 5 talking about this. Cherrie Ann Mahan (August 14, 1976 - disappeared February 22, 1985; declared legally dead November 5, 1998) was an eight-year-old American girl who disappeared on February 22, 1985, after disembarking a school bus approximately fifty feet from the base of the driveway to her home in rural Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Watch nightly at 10 ET. Eyes: Hazel. There are limitations in following up on the decades-old abduction. Friends and family gather around Janice McKinney, the mother of Cherrie Mahan, at the base of her former driveway where the 8-year-old girl was reportedly abducted in 1985. That is why we keep pushing., When McKinney, 62, wants to think about her lost child, all she has to do is look at the tattoo she got last year on her left hand. Mahan was last seen in Butler County, Pa., on the afternoon of Feb. 22, 1985. There are so many missing people that agencies exist just to help find and fund efforts to find some of these people. Cherrie's father maintains his innocence in her case. WINFIELD TOWNSHIP A new appeal is being made as a grim anniversary occurs today for a family in a township along the Butler-Armstrong county line. After repeatedly calling him Clint and his lady friend waited outside for Shaffer to emerge. After finding a bit of success Pichlers family begged him to come home to Washington in 2003, when he was sixteen years old. She was approximately 100 to 150 yards along a dirt driveway from her family's residence on Cornplanter Road in Cabot, Pennsylvania at the time she disappeared. In 2020, McKinney revealed her conviction that although she does not believe Cherrie's biological father was involved in her abduction, she believes individuals known to him were. #CherrieMahan Her left arm was previously broken below her left shoulder, but the injury had healed before her 1985 disappearance. for Cherrie. Again the links to this new info are here: Here's the article- https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/02/18/mother-police-still-searching-for-butler-county-girl-cherrie-mahan/, And the TV news segment video- https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video/4452856-cherrie-mahans-mother-still-searching-35-years-after-disappearance/. Four of the attendees of this annual dinner are close friends of Mahan, who have each publicly stated the disappearance of their friend has had a profound impact on their lives, and that becoming mothers themselves has increased their empathy for Janice McKinney's sense of loss.[44]. Cherrie Mahan was last seen on February 22nd 1985 in Cabot, Pennsylvania. At the time of her disappearance, Lisa Stebic lived with her two children and husband Craig. Patzs father was a professional photographer so beautiful photos of him were strewn across billboards, projected on Times Square, and put on milk cartons. Per Jamie: this article says the police are looking into a theory that Cherrie Mahan, an eight-year-old girl who was abducted from her bus stop in 1985, may be alive and living in Michigan. She would drive Robert to and from school, and even walks him into the building. The women believe that there were two men involved in Cherries abduction. What happened to Cherrie Mahan? Unfortunately, she never made it home from her adventure. alongside around 250 volunteers. If you have any information concerning this case, please contact: Pennsylvania State Police 412-284-8100. for Cherries safe return.3 Local businesses pledged another $10,000 for information Although investigators declined to release specific details as to this line of inquiry beyond stating the information sourced from an individual known to the child who had provided information with the potential to lead police to "a known specific actor or actors", a spokesman stated the information received had been "more specific" than any information investigators had received in many years. These alibi drop off points were just four miles from each other. CHERRIE ANN MAHAN Birth: 8/14/1976 - Death: Unknown (Legally ~ 1998) Ethnicity: Caucasian - Sex: Female Height: 4'2" - Weight: 58 lbs Hair Color: Brown - Eye Color: Hazel Other: She has a cowlick on the right side of her hair and has both ears pierced She has scars on her left arm from the dog bite This is a pivotal missing person case because it was the first to feature a circulated flier with the childs photo. Burk saw Cherrie walking past a bluish-green Dodge van and then turn the corner to walk the last 150 . Possibly involved in her disappearance was a bright blue, or blue-green 1976 Dodge van with a . Her friends got into a car waiting for them, driven by Debbie Burk, one of the girls' mother. February 19, 2020 / 7:48 PM Theres been This image provided by The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children shows a copy scan of the original mailer flier of then 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan when she vanished 25 years ago Monday, Feb. 22, 1985 from a bus stop near her western Pennsylvania home. The mysterious death of the still-unidentified Isdal Woman has haunted Norway for almost 50 years. Katherine Korzilius, 6, was discovered unconscious at the side of the road four houses away Amanda Tusing set off from her fianc's home in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to her parents' home Would love your thoughts, please comment. The three young men, including Joran Van Der Sloot, claimed that they dropped the young woman off at her hotel and have no idea what happened to her after that. "I truly believe that there is someone out there that knows exactly what happened," she says. Police can only hope to receive more viable, solid tips from someone with direct knowledge. Cherrie Ann Mahan. but to no avail. While they were there Brian separated from them. A small blue car was also seen near the site of Cherrie's disappearance. Authorities also sent letters to people who were incarcerated to ask whether they had heard anything about the missing girl from other inmates. I caught a glimpse of the blue van in the mirror. The disappearance of Cherrie Mahan is one of the most infamous unsolved missing child cases in America. There are middle-aged people, teenaged people, and even babies and toddlers that have, and continue to be, missing. Cherrie Mahan's Mother Still Searching 35 Years After Disappearance Watch on Chilling Crimes Author "I got it around her birthday," McKinney said. On Feb. 22, 1985 she got off her bus along Cornplanter Road in the town of Cabot. Pa. police officer shot while responding to call: reports . The girl has been missing for twenty-five years. Michigan Police: Woman Is Not Cherrie Mahan, Target 11: Police Seek DNA In Cherrie Mahan Case, New Trooper Assigned To 25-Year-Old Missing Girl Case, 25 Years Later, Search Continues For Missing Girl, Pittsburgh woman missing for more than 30 years found alive in Puerto Rico, Bank accidentally left unlocked in Fresno, police say, Family of local teacher left with brain injury from car crash searching for healthcare options, Crafton man accused of sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl at playground, Video shows man arrested by heavy police presence outside hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh. A local songwriter even wrote a song for Cherrie and several There could be several explanations for Mahan's disappearance, but law enforcement officials believe she was kidnapped and taken out of the region. According toActive Missing People, authorities also ruled out kidnapping for ransom, as the family never received any ransom demands. The individual named in this letter was a woman who had been adopted as a child and was unsure of her precise origins, although DNA testing[33] later confirmed this woman was not Mahan. According toMorbidology, law enforcement officials were immediately joined by family and neighbors in the search for the missing girl. It wasnt until 2006 that the government openly claimed that they thought he was dead and had no idea where his remains could be. State Police at Troop D, Butler, have been searching for Cherrie Mahan, who disappeared when she was 8 years old on Feb. 22, 1985, after getting off a school bus along Cornplanter Road in . She was declared legally dead in November 1998. Now, in 2019, her mother told Target 11 Investigator Rick. Most of these leads have been potential sightings of Mahan or the two vehicles observed in the vicinity of her abduction, although the child has never been found, and neither vehicle was ever located. The person who I said was her father never wanted to admit to it, she said. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. mother, Janice. The van has never been located or identified and investigators are still not sure if it was connected to Cherrie's case. 'It's A Torment': Cherrie Mahan's Mother Still Searching 35 Years After She Disappeared From Butler Co. February 18, 2020 / 11:00 PM / CBS Pittsburgh WINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - On a sunny. "That's all I pray for all the time is just to know. A blue van with a mountain and skier on the side was parked near her driveway, according to eyewitness reports. Fliers were also placed in telephone and utility bills to raise nationwide awareness about her disappearance. [8], Cherrie Ann Mahan[n 1] was born in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, on August 14, 1976. hell take her, she said. Show all. No arrests have ever been made in her case and no suspects have been identified in the case. In 2012 police released that over a cup full of Aylas blood was adjacent to her fathers bed. List Enthusiast. Tipsters can remain anonymous. DeLuca said state police take tips from the sisters and run them down as they do with all the tips they receive. Its very [33][n 6] Lacking any conclusive evidence to the contrary, investigators have not discounted the possibility Mahan may still be alive. The case was never solved but it was picked back up by the Manhattan District Attorneys office in 2010. But not knowing where she is, whether shes dead or alive, its like a never-ending story. While she had accepted that her daughter had most likely been On the afternoon of February 22, 1985, 8-year-old Cherrie Ann Mahan boarded the school bus outside her elementary school and rode to her usual stop outside the home she shared with her mother and stepfather, Janice and LeRoy McKinney. she kept the door unlocked every night in the hopes that it was a Cherrie was the first child to be featured on mailers sent out by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Nonetheless, Janice doted on her daughter, who grew into a friendly, talkative child,[10] later stating: "We were always together. He was under the impression that she got a ride to her job since her phone and purse were gone. Cherrie was officially declared dead in November 1998. What I hope what people get from this piece is people actually see the pain she's living through," says Trp. The sisters from Butler County have been psychic sleuthing for decades and continue to be featured in national television programs, including one helping police crack the 2006 murder of Blairsville dentist Dr. John Yelenic. Cherrie Mahan. Jones was a native of Western Australia and was on the last leg of his trip with his brother when he disappeared. McKinney said the father knew a biker gang she felt was dangerous, but she doesnt know if they were violent. [7][n 8], In 2019, Mahan's mother discussed her ongoing turmoil as to the lack of knowledge of her daughter's fate. The mission went awry when a bomb exploded prematurely which damaged the aircraft. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities also confirmed they contacted each person named in the letter and were unable to find any evidence proving they were involved in Mahan's disappearance. She believes people connected to Cherrie's father were involved in her disappearance. never arrived home. Although Mahan was legally [] Brown hair, hazel eyes. every week day. Although he often walked to the end of the driveway to meet Mahan, Janice told him to let her walk alone because the weather was particularly nice that day. This line of inquiry failed to generate any significant leads. There was an intensified nationwide campaign to find missing children and photographs of Cherrie were featured on spaghetti boxes and tucked inside telephone and utility bills. last we know of her is she got off the bus. Just read another article about it this morning that said that. Though Craig was a person of interest in the matter he has never been arrested for the disappearance of Lisa Stebic. Cherrie was a tough little girl, she was growing up and fought (with the pedophile), Vincent said. THE CASE OF CHERRIE MAHAN. [12] In late 1984, the family relocated to Cornplanter Road in Butler County. According to Chilling Crimes, law enforcement officials briefly suspected a Massachusetts man of Mahan's abduction. Unfortunately, a thick fog fell across Winfield Township and the The story of her disappearance was also reported on CNN in January 2011 because of possible new evidence, but this evidence was never released. her.1. Child", "State Police Ask People with Information about Cherrie Mahan's Disappearance to Come Forward", "Classmates, Mother Hope Dramatization Will Bring Home Missing Girl", "Family, Friends Still Seek Answers 30 Years after Winfield Child Vanished", "Tip Could Be 'Crucial' Lead in Cherrie Mahan Case", "Missing 8-Year-Old on Utility Bills, Spaghetti Boxes", "Cherrie Mahan Case Still Oopen 30 Years After She Disappeared", "Cherrie Mahan's Mysterious Disappearance Haunts Her Mother 35 Years Later", "Pennsylvania Child Cherrie Mahan Still Missing After Getting off School Bus in 1985", "Breaking: New Information Released in Cherrie Mahan Disappearance", "25 Years Later, Search Continues For Missing Girl", "Cherrie Mahan Case Still Open 30 Years After She Disappeared", "State Police Ask Anyone with Information About Cherrie Mahan's Disappearance to Come Forward", "Police Report New Lead on Long-Missing Pa. Earlier that evening her mother reports that the waiters tried to invite her out to Carlosn Charlies and she refused. Cherrie Mahan's mother still searching for answers. From 2014: Investigation continues in case of Cherrie Mahan, missing for decades The last time she was seen she was lying in bed at 9 pm. [23] Mahan was wearing a gray coat, a blue denim skirt, a white leotard, blue leg warmers, beige boots,[24] and Cabbage Patch earmuffs. Efforts to locate Mahan, alive or deceased, are ongoing. When it comes to mysterious disappearances age is but a number. personal computer for volunteers to keep track of addresses. By April, neighbours and family had raised $39,000 as a reward Her husband had last seen her April 30 at 6 pm. [22] She was 4feet 2inches (1.27m) in height and had brown hair and hazel eyes. Maurer added that he appreciates the media keeping the story alive for the families and communities, as well as helping with the investigation. The big news is Cherrie's mother says she believes she knows who took her. A thorough search of Butler County was bolstered by an estimated 250 local volunteers, although these searches failed to locate the child. I hope someone comes through with some good firsthand knowledge, DeLuca said. Either they are afraid, or I dont know.. However, since the bombshell announcement in June 2020 about new prime suspect Christian B - public progress has been slow. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle Cary Shaffer [16] She alighted this bus with three friends at approximately 4:10p.m. before her friends entered a car driven by the mother of one of the girls, Debbie Burk, who had followed the school bus in her own car. Morbidology is a weekly true crime podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson. Cherrie Mahan is still missing a total of 30 years after the initial disappearance. ", Download the WPXI News App for the latest investigations from Target 11, Last summer, McKinney received a handwritten letter detailing who killed her daughter, why they did itand where her body could be found. There has not been one confirmed sighting of the boy since getting back on the bus. I can't imagine if that was my child. He duly noted the bare facts: Cherrie Mahan was born Aug. 14, 1976. headquarters and a local grocer donated food for those assisting in the search. The state police in butler are waiting for your call. Without photos, for example, police followed up on hundreds of vans with illustrations of mountain scenes, skiers and even some cowboys. The fliers also contained a description of the van following the school bus. Target 11: Police Seek DNA In Cherrie Mahan Case Posted: 3:47 pm EDT June 13, 2011Updated: 5:20 pm EDT June 14, 2011 ::snipping2:: PITTSBURGH -- Cherrie Mahan vanished from a Butler County neighborhood 26 years ago. The story shocked the entire country because it caused parents to fear for the safety of their children even in the middle of the day. She was declared She told John Shumway no one believed her claim of rape, and to this day she feels Cherrie's biological father knows something about who took Cherrie. Although Mahan was legally declared dead in 1998, police and family still hold out hope. She was only eight-years-old when she disappeared. Cherrie's ears are pierced. Now, nearly 26 years after she vanished, the lead investigator says there could be a break in the . Cherrie Ann Mahan (August 14, 1976 - disappeared February 22, 1985; declared legally dead November 5, 1998) was an eight-year-old American girl who disappeared on February 22, 1985, after disembarking a school bus approximately fifty feet from the base of the driveway to her home in rural Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. She was my life". McKinney stands at the last known location of her daughter, who was 8 years old when she disappeared in 1985 on Cornplanter Road in Winfield Township.
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