PA PA - Cherrie Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985

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Carbuff,

I didn't take offense about you saying I'm would sound crazy...I was worrying about sounding crazy myself..lol. I am just worrying about it sounding credible since I was only 9 years old at the time, but I can still see that van like it was yesterday. I can't believe no one else thought about that van back then, heck Cherrie's case was plastered all over the news.. (and I always watched the news, since I was like 5)..

Would I call the State Police? I will have to look to see who is listed as a contact for her case I guess...

I might even ask my Grandma and see if she remembers the van. (she lived nearby also) Heck she's 82, but she has a good memory.
 
Chaddy, The doe network lists these contacts: Pennsylvania State Police, Troop D, Butler Station, 724-284-8100
OR
Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Missing Persons Unit
717-783-5524

It might be worth asking your grandmother. The other girl's grandfather was probably closer to her age, and she might remember him better. I imagine your mother was thinking, "Oh, goodness, it couldn't possibly be a nice man like that."
 
I talked to my grandma. She remembers the case, but doesn't remember the van either. She was throwing out last names of people that lived on the street even from when she was growing up... she said she has no clue who lives there now. The street only has probably about 6 houses on it. I might ride by later tonight or tomorrow and get a count of houses and house numbers and then do google search to see if they list the people's last names. If I see that it might spark a last name.

I am going to look for an email address first to see if I can contact the PA State Police, I still feel weird about calling... If I can't find an email address, I will call..
 
I feel weird making phone calls too. Email is much better.

The best place to look for information about who owns property is in the city or county registry of deeds. Most places have that on line these days and it's public information. It will definitely show the current owner and usually shows all the deed transfers too.
 
I was thinking that too carbuff.... I am going to go onto the county's website to look up deed info.
 
When I have more time tomorrow I will call the PA State Police, I didn't have any luck with the deed search. Thanks Carbuff, I will let you know!
 
Chaddylex, I couldn't find an email for Pa State Police Troop D in Butler. I would think they would at least have an email contact line.

But in my poking about, I found a disturbing post about the van on a blog that you can find through Facebook. The woman posts in a response that she and her husband know who owned the van. She's from Kittanning PA; all a kidnapper from that area would need to do is go down and straight over to RT 28, a limited access 4 lane highway or go north and get on 422, another highway that is not limited access. Someone who knew the area could do the whole trip in under 1/2 hour on back roads. She says, however, that the PA State Police are not interested in the tip. Who knows?

Anyway, your input can only help.

Here's the Facebook link. It's a public page. http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=54386594288&topic=9953
 
Thanks Pittsburghgirl for the FB link. THat is very disturbing, wonder why those people that owned the van in Kittanning ever been looked into? Heck Kittanning is much closer to Butler/Cabot than I am.

I am south of Kittanning, a little town called Scottdale.... I wish I knew this guys last name at least. I don't even know if he's alive. I am going to ride up the street he lived on tomorrow after I get off work to see if it jogs my memory any...
 
Here is the link for Cherrie's NCMEC page and poster.
http://www.missingkids.com/missingk...NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US
1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)

Chaddylex,
You may find it easier to call this tip in to them. They take missing childrens cases and tips very seriously. This way you would not have to deal with law enforcement grilling you or acting like you are making something out of nothing. NCMEC would turn the tip over to LE for investigation. I was hoping they had an email address to turn tips in, but I haven't found one yet.

I hope this helps.
 
OK, here you go Chaddylex.

Here is the link to Cherrie's case on NAMUS.
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/2478

The following people are listed as contacts for Cherrie's case and there are email addresses for both of them.

Managed By
First Name Frederick
Last Name Evans
Email namus.04@findthemissing.org
Phone 219-363-2579

Regional Administrator
First Name Todd
Last Name Matthews
Email namus.11@findthemissing.org
Phone 931-397-3893

ETA: make sure you check out the sketches on this site of the van under the images tab (there's also another (younger?) picture of Cherrie here). Even if the van you are thinking of doesn't match exactly, I would send this in as a tip. But if it's a perfect match, I hope you will do this ASAP.
 
ETA: make sure you check out the sketches on this site of the van under the images tab (there's also another (younger?) picture of Cherrie here). Even if the van you are thinking of doesn't match exactly, I would send this in as a tip. But if it's a perfect match, I hope you will do this ASAP
Click to expand...


I don't quite remember the exactly how the skier was portrayed on the van, but I DO for a fact remember the van was blue with a skier painted on it.


After I get out of my meeting here at work, I am going to email the guy that is listed on the namus site. I just feel so weird calling LE.

Will let you know if I hear anything back!

Thanks everyone!!!
 
Ok here is the email I just sent to the Cherrie's Namus Contact people [
Hello,

I am from a town about an hour south of where Cherrie Mahan went missing (xxxxxxxxxx, PA). I was 9 years old at the time. A man that lived a few blocks away from me owned a blue van with a skier painted on both sides. (He lived on *advertiser censored* *advertiser censored* xxxxxxxxx) I am not sure of this man's name, but I do know he was already a grandfather in 1985.

I remember Cherrie's case all over the local news (Pittsburgh). I also remember telling my mom about the guy who lived close by with the blue van. I think she blew it off because I was young and back then you really didn't hear about child abductions.

This has bothered me for a long time, and I didn't want to call the State Police because I was afraid they wouldn't take this tip seriously after all of these years.

I wasn't sure if this was ever looked into. I figured it couldn't hurt to submit this because it's been 25 years since she went missing and she still hasn't been found.

Please let me know what you think.

Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...
 
Chaddylex,

You are an angel for submitting that. I pray it helps bring about answers in Cherrie's case.
 
A gentleman from Namus just called me and we had a lengthy conversation. He stated that he has submitted the info I sent him about the skier van and it will be looked into. Since I submitted it to NAMUS and it is a govt agency, LE has to look into it....:dance:


He said he will let me know on the outcome!!!


He also said that receives so many leads about different cases a day, and they have to look to see if they are credible to submit to LE.
 
Lots of cases are solved by the tiniest of clues and from young children's memories as they grow older!
Thanks so much for doing this..........you never know!!!
 
Nice work, Chaddy!

It makes me wonder how many other missing person cases have a kid somewhere saying, "But Mom..." and mother saying it's nothing... Kids do exaggerate and imagine, but they also notice things their parents don't.
 
The gentleman I spoke with actually solved a case himself and he did say that many cases that go cold get solved by things people remember years later.

I also told him about the Cynthia Day case that I submitted to LE (and are waiting for either the DNA or Dentals to see if the UID are a match).

Some people are quite amazing!!! (including all of you on here) Trying to find missing people and to give UID's a name.
 
Great work, chaddylex! And now you know you've done your bit for Cherrie. Just think--all these years and you've thought about it. Maybe there's some hope! Certainly, the case couldn't be any colder than it is now.
 
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