Missing Lawrence County Woman: Alice Boron
New Castle, PA- More than two decades after her disappearance, the case of 81-year-old Alice T. Boron remains a somber mystery that still lingers in Lawrence County.
On the evening of Sunday, January 5, 2003, Boron’s car was found abandoned near the former Shenango China complex on Grant Street, just 30 feet from the banks of the Shenango River. The New Castle Police Department received a call around 9:00 p.m. regarding the unattended vehicle. Inside, police found a note, reportedly of a personal nature, believed to be a suicide note. However, then-Police Chief Vic Cubellis declined to publicly disclose its contents.
In response to the discovery, members of the New Castle Fire Department and Taylor Township Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to several bridges and vantage points along the river. Personnel were stationed there Sunday night and Monday morning at key locations including the Grant Street Bridge, East Washington Street Bridge, and Mahoning Avenue Viaduct, while Taylor Township firefighters monitored Cherry Street and Route 168.
“I put guys on the bridge in case she was in the river,” said Fire Chief James Donston at the time. “We did it as a precautionary measure.” Tracks near the riverbank supported the possibility that Boron may have entered the water.
Despite their diligent efforts, she was not located.
According to U.S. Geological Survey data, the Shenango River can reach depths of up to 10 feet during winter months, complicating search efforts.
In the months that followed, beginning in March 2003, a series of legal notices appeared in the New Castle News regarding efforts to establish a legal presumption of death for Boron. Though presumed deceased, no remains have ever been found.
A memorial service (absentia corporis) for Alice was held on August 14, 2003, at the First United Methodist Church. A cenotaph in her memory was placed at Oak Park Cemetery in New Castle.
Born to Russian immigrant parents, Alice T. (née Bakuhn) Boron lived a life grounded in faith and service. She was a resident of 104 Nesbitt Road in Neshannock Township and was known for her involvement in her church and various local clubs.
She married Harry Boron in 1941. He passed away in 1972 at the age of 52. A few years later, in 1974, she became engaged to Harry Jedziniak, a retired detective sergeant with the New Castle Police Department. Jedziniak passed away in 1988 at age 68. Although Boron was named executor of his estate, it is unknown whether the two were ever legally married.
Strangely, Alice Boron vanished just four days after what would have been Jedziniak’s 83rd birthday, adding a haunting layer to the circumstances.
Description and Legacy
At the time of her disappearance, Boron was described as a white female with gray hair, standing between 5’0” and 5’4” tall and weighing 110 to 115 pounds.
Today, her name remains listed in missing persons databases, a quiet reminder of an unresolved chapter in New Castle’s history.
Was this a case of self-harm…or something more nefarious? The question of what truly happened to Alice Boron on that cold January night remains unanswered.
Anyone with information regarding her disappearance is encouraged to contact New Castle Police at (724) 656-3570
Agency Case Number: 03-0050.
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SOURCE:
Researched and written by PA Unsolved page on Facebook.
