PA PA - Donald Ferry Shafer, 15, Dickson City, 6 Mar 1981

[Gardener1850]

[h=1]Donald Ferry Shafer[/h]

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Donald, circa 1981

• Missing Since 03/06/1981
• Missing From Dickson City, Pennsylvania
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Age 15 years old
• Height and Weight 6'0, 120 - 130 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A dark-colored sweatshirt, black jeans and sneakers. Carrying a small tan backpack with the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch logo on it.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Donald's nickname is Don. He may use the alias names Don Ferry, Donnie Frame and/or Donnie Thomas. He may have a homemade tattoo on his left arm or left shoulder of a bomb with a letter D inside it.

[h=3]Details of Disappearance[/h] Donald was last seen in his hometown of Dickson City, Pennsylvania on March 6, 1981. He has never been heard from again. He was a chronic runaway and had spent time at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, a residential treatment center for troubled children in Billings, Montana.

Several times he'd run away attempting to reach his sister, who lived in Wyoming. It's possible he ran away again when he disappeared in 1981. He has ties to New Jersey as well as Montana and Wyoming.

Donald's family attempted to have him reported missing shortly after his 1981 disappearance, but law enforcement refused to accept a report until 2013. Few details are available in his case.

http://charleyproject.org/case/donald-ferry-shafer

 

[KaylaraOwl]

I found a UID who caught my eye when looking for Donald because he was in the right age range and had items on him showing he traveled from PA. What do you guys think? The Doe Network: 1107UMCO

 

[sunnynz]

I found a UID who caught my eye when looking for Donald because he was in the right age range and had items on him showing he traveled from PA. What do you guys think? The Doe Network: 1107UMCO

I don't think the details entirely match up but so often we see errors in recorded details. I think it's worth pursuing based on the age and the link to PA (book of matches).

What a terribly sad case, such a young boy, immediately reported missing and law enforcement wouldn't help. This is heartbreaking.

 

[sunnynz]

How about this UID? Unidentified Person Case
Weight, hair colour, eye colour, age all match. Height is within a couple of inches.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Bumping for Don - it's now been over 40 years.

 

[TSL7584]

Over 41 years missing

 

[NYanon]

The link for PA Missing (via Charley Project) is no longer valid. Not sure about the Facebook link. NamUs link on CP just directed to main page.

Current NamUs page.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

There are a few differences from the Charley info above & the NamUs info today:
• One picture, not shown on CP.

Original

Image Original hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

• DLC 09 March 1981
• Hair "very dark.... black/brown"
• Circumstances "He told people he was going to his 'fort' he asked my cousin if she wanted to go with him, she said no and he was never seen again" -- no clear indication of who the author or their cousin are
• County is Lackawanna

The "unconfirmed" tattoo is because he allegedly had plans to / talked about getting it, but it's not currently known if he did.

[OffTopic: Since the site change, I haven't been able to use the menu at top of dialogue box -- insert links, insert images, etc.. Anyone else have that problem? Know of any fixes?]

 

[NYanon]

I found a UID who caught my eye when looking for Donald because he was in the right age range and had items on him showing he traveled from PA. What do you guys think? The Doe Network: 1107UMCO

IMO, I wouldn't consider it a good match. 30 - 40 lbs in a few months, living as a 'runaway' seems a lot to gain. Would the remains have become 'Partial skeletal parts' in such a short timeframe? The likeness doesn't fit, to me. Most importantly, the UID is estimated to have died 5 years earlier. (A lot of info might have been updated since posting the suggestion).

 

[NYanon]

How about this UID? Unidentified Person Case
Weight, hair colour, eye colour, age all match. Height is within a couple of inches.

MOO, theres not a lot to really go by on the NamUs, makes it difficult to definitely rule out and difficult to closely tie together. If we knew the circumstances of the incident, that could lend a bit of help. (E.g.: Was the UID riding the freight train, or trying to jump on? Were they walking the tracks? Were they struck at a crossing? Was it local freight, or long haul? Where was the origin, destination?).

 

[Caring1]

This UID is a possibility for Donald. Found 12/13/81 in Hagerstown, MD. Estimated death year is 1981 with PMI of “months”. Age is estimated at 18-30 but the recon and facial features look very close to Donald Shafer.

Both photos have been enhanced for comparison. Thoughts on UP2250?

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[sunnynz]

This UID is a possibility for Donald. Found 12/13/81 in Hagerstown, MD. Estimated death year is 1981 with PMI of “months”. Age is estimated at 18-30 but the recon and facial features look very close to Donald Shafer.

Both photos have been enhanced for comparison. Thoughts on UP2250?

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

View attachment 403273View attachment 403274

Looks good!

 

[Caring1]

Submitted UP2250 to NamUs for review as a potential match to Donald Shafer.

Fingers crossed.

 

[NYanon]

This UID is a possibility for Donald. Found 12/13/81 in Hagerstown, MD. Estimated death year is 1981 with PMI of “months”. Age is estimated at 18-30 but the recon and facial features look very close to Donald Shafer.

Both photos have been enhanced for comparison. Thoughts on UP2250?

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

View attachment 403273View attachment 403274

Maps tells me the the two locations are 216 miles apart, with the following present-day travel times: by private automobile, less than 5 hours; bus under 10 hours; bicycle 18 hours; walking 3 days. If conditions aren't prohibitively different between then and now, that doesn't seem impossible.

 

[Pennysmom2]

Oct 30, 2023

CASE: COLD CASE - MISSING PERSON 15-YEAR-OLD DONALD SHAFER - DICKSON CITY - LACKAWANNA

The Pennsylvania State Police Troop R – Blooming Grove Station continues their investigation on missing person 15-year-old Donald Shafer.Donald was last seen in his hometown of Dickson City, Lackawanna County on March 9, 1981. He has never...

www.crimewatchpa.com

 

[nostonepa]

Something seems off about the police only taking a report so many years later. Has there ever been any local media coverage of this? What's the story on his family? Is 15 a little old to have a fort? He/his body may have never left Lackawanna County.