PA PA - Shelva Jean Rafte, 44, Jenkins Township, 28 May 2006

"According to Janelle, her mother has not been seen since May 28, 2006, at Janelle's college graduation party. At approximately 10:30 p.m., Shelva left the party with her boyfriend, John Para, and together they drove off in Para's blue Chevy pickup truck. When Shelva's friends went to visit her the following day, she was nowhere to be found. Concerned, Shelva's family reported her missing to the Pittston Police Department"

More at link below:

http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_report/2008/05/page/2/

More links:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/r/rafte_shelva.html
http://www.nampn.org/cases/rafte_shelva_j.html
http://www.pacrimestoppers.org/fugitive/1092.htm
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18390927&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=416046&rfi=6
http://voice4themissing.blogspot.com/2007/11/11207-shelvas-story.html

As usual, last seen with a boyfriend and they had a fight. Certainly raises my suspicions. I pray she is found for her family's sake.

From the info I have, and don't have, it looks like anything in the world could have happened to this woman.

A vigil for shelva......5 looong years
http://wcexaminer.com/index.php/archives/news/23623

NICHOLSON – It was five years ago Saturday that Shelva Conrad Rafte left her daughter’s graduation party, never to be seen again by family and friends.

NamUs Profile

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/1250

Case Information
Status
Missing
First name
Shelva
Middle name
Jean
Last name
Rafte
Nickname/Alias
Shelly
Date LKA
May 28, 2006 00:00
Date entered
12/12/2008
Age LKA
44 to years old
Age now
49 years old
Race
White
Ethnicity
Sex
Female
Height (inches)
63.0
Weight (pounds)
100.0 to 120.0

Family holds vigil for woman missing 7 years

Shelva Conrad Rafte was last seen by family May 28, 2006 after leaving a graduation party

http://www.timesleader.com/news//527037/Family-holds-vigil-for-woman-missing-7-years

Twelve years later, Pennsylvania mother remains missing with no arrests in connection with her disappearance

Missing Persons Event Gives Hope to Families

Shirley Masters is from Susquehanna County and hopes this Missing Persons Day event helps police solve cases like the one involving her sister, Shelva who disappeared from the Pittston area 12 years ago.

"Our family decided that just holding vigils wasn't enough; we needed to do more," said Masters.

Families Gather To Find Closure and Seek Justice

Shirley Masters attended hoping this effort will help her find her sister Shelva Rafte who went missing from Pittston in 2006. "It's bringing us all together to share information with family members and most importantly hopefully find a network a sense of team."

The D.A.’s Office said they hope to host this type of event again. Investigators urge anyone with information about a cold case call.

Click to expand...

On May 28, 2006, Shelva Rafte celebrated her daughter’s college graduation at her sister Joanne Decker’s house in Nicholson, Pennsylvania. Joanne says she was surprised when Shelva arrived to the party with her on-again off-again boyfriend, John Para. Police said Shelva and John went to his house after the party, from which Shelva left on foot after the couple had an argument. She was last seen around 1:00 a.m. walking toward her home in the area of Market and River Streets in Jenkins Township. Shelva did not have a cellphone at the time she disappeared, and the purse she’d carried at the party the night before has never been found. There have been no arrests in this case, but Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis told Dateline Shelva’s case remains an open and active missing persons investigation.

Five years of Dateline’s Missing in America: 109 still missing

LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa.– A Pittston woman has been missing since 2006, and police recently again asked the public if they have any information on her disappearance.

Shelva Jean Conrad Rafte, 57, has been missing since May 29, 2006.

Cold Case: Police ask public for information on Luzerne County woman missing since 2006

Six years of Dateline's Missing in America: 134 still missing

Shelva Jean Rafte – The Charley Project

Details of Disappearance
Rafte attended her daughter's graduation party at her oldest sister's residence in Nicholson Borough, Pennsylvania on May 28, 2006. She was accompanied by her sometime boyfriend, John Para. Other guests saw them arguing in front of the house shortly before they left together at 10:30 p.m.

Para stated that after the party, he and Rafte went to his residence on Market Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania. According to him, they had argument there and she left to walk home sometime after 1:00 a.m. on May 29. Rafte was last seen in the area of Market and River Streets. She has never been heard from again.

Rafte resided alone on Cleveland Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania in 2006. Her home is about a mile from her boyfriend's residence. When authorities checked her residence, nothing appeared to be amiss. The television was on, the doors were locked, Rafte's car was parked in the driveway, and her tax refund check was in the mailbox.

She frequented the areas of Jenkins Township in Luzerne County, Nicholson Borough in Wyoming County, and the city of Harrisburg in Dauphin County; she has relatives living in all of those places. Rafte's loved ones stated she was under stress at the time of her disappearance due to her life circumstances. She was, however, very close to her family, which includes six older siblings.

Her oldest sister stated Rafte's relationship with Para was rocky. According to Rafte's sister, shortly before the graduation party, Rafte told her, "If anything happens to me, look at John. Because I know too much." Rafte's sister thought Rafte had broken up with Para, and she was surprised when Rafte took him to the party that night. She doesn't believe Rafte would have walked home alone, as she was afraid of the dark.

Prior to her disappearance, Rafte worked as a waitress at the Scott 60 truck stop on Interstate 81 in Scott, Pennsylvania. She knew many truck drivers as a result of her job. Rafte's daughter believes her mother may have gotten a ride with a truck driver on the night of her disappearance and possibly traveled out of state.

Rafte left behind four children. The purse she had with her on the night of her disappearance has never been found. She is believed to be missing under suspicious circumstances, but there is no hard evidence of foul play in her case. Para is not being called a suspect in her disappearance. Her case remains unsolved.

The unfound podcast recently covered this case

On May 28, 2006, Shelva Rafte celebrated her daughter’s college graduation at her sister Joanne Decker’s house in Nicholson, Pennsylvania. Joanne says she was surprised when Shelva arrived at the party with her on-again off-again boyfriend, John Para. Police said Shelva and John went to his house after the party, from which Shelva left on foot after the couple had an argument. She was last seen around 1 a.m. on May 28, 2006, walking toward her home in the area of Market and River Streets in Jenkins Township. Shelva did not have a cell phone at the time she disappeared, and the purse she’d carried at the party the night before has never been found. While there have been no arrests in the case, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis told Dateline Shelva’s case remains an open and active missing persons investigation. If you have any information regarding Shelva’s whereabouts, please call the Pittston Police at 570-654-2424 or the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers tip line at 800-4PA-TIPS.

Seven years of Dateline's Missing in America: 156 still missing

Shelva is not a very common name. When I did a search for Shelva I scrolled down a bit and this caught my eye Shelva J Darrow, (570) 341-1550, 795 State Route 167, Hop Bottom, PA | Nuwber
It days Shelva Darrow aka Shelva Rafte. With what says a current address and lists her Cleveland Street address as a previous address. Similar information here Shelva Rafte, Hop Bottom (PA) • (570) 341-9384, 795 State Route 167, 18824 | CheckPeople. It may be nothing at all as I know these sites are not always accurate. A whitepages reverse address for the current address does list her as an occupant but under Rafte not Darrow. A deeper search does reveal her daughter is FB friends with some Darrows.

Another year passes...

Eight years of Dateline's Missing in America: 169 still missing

DEC 5, 2022
Shelva Rafte

On May 28, 2006, 44-year-old Shelva Rafte celebrated her daughter’s college graduation at her sister Joanne Decker’s house in Nicholson, Pennsylvania. Joanne says she was surprised when Shelva arrived at the party with her on-again off-again boyfriend, John Para. Police said Shelva and John went to his house after the party, from which Shelva left on foot after the couple had an argument. Shelva was last seen by a passerby around 1:00 a.m. on May 28, 2006, walking toward her home in the area of Market and River Streets in Jenkins Township. Shelva did not have a cell phone at the time she disappeared, and the purse she’d carried at the party the night before has never been found. There have been no suspects named in the case. The Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office told Dateline last year that Shelva’s case remains an open and active missing persons investigation. Shelva is 5’3”, and at the time of her disappearance weighed 115 lbs. She would be 60 years old today. If you have any information regarding Shelva’s whereabouts, please call the Pittston Police at 570-654-2424 or the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers tip line at 800-4PA-TIPS.