DICKSON CITY, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — The Pennsylvania State Police Troop R – Blooming Grove Station is urging the public to come forward with new information in the decades-old missing person case of Donald Ferry Shafer, a 15-year-old from Dickson City who vanished more than 40 years ago.
Shafer was last seen in his hometown of Dickson City on March 9, 1981, according to state police and missing persons databases. At the time, he was described as a chronic runaway with a history of trying to travel to see family members out of state, including a sister in Wyoming and connections in New Jersey and Montana.
Despite efforts by his family to report him missing soon after his disappearance, law enforcement did not formally accept a missing person report until decades later in 2013, according to records cited by The Charley Project.
Police and those close to the case believe it is possible Shafer may have run off again in 1981, a theory supported by his past behavior. Before he disappeared, friends recall him saying he was headed to a place he called his “fort,” and inviting a cousin to join him — a trip she declined.
Investigators have described Shafer as a white male with dark brown hair and brown eyes, standing around 6 feet tall and weighing between 120 and 130 pounds at the time he went missing. He was reportedly wearing a dark sweatshirt, black jeans and sneakers, and carrying a small tan bag from the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, where he had previously stayed. Some reports also note he may have had a homemade tattoo of a bomb with the letter “D” on his left arm or shoulder.
To help generate tips, state police have authorized a $5,000 reward for information that leads to a breakthrough in the case. Anyone with details that could assist the investigation is encouraged to contact PSP Blooming Grove at 570-226-5718 or the PSP Tips hotline at 1-800-472-8477. Tips can also be submitted online at p3tips.com. All callers to PSP Tips may be eligible for a cash reward if their information contributes to finding Shafer or solving the case.
Police emphasize that tip money is not funded by taxpayers and that the reward applies to information resulting in an arrest, recovery of a missing person, or resolution of the investigation. Media Release #4369 states that details are accurate as of the release date and remain subject to updates.
If you have information on this long-standing mystery, authorities urge you to come forward.