A side-by-side shows the image of Cherrie Mahan at 6 years old, the age she was at the time of her disappearance, and a rendering of what she might look like today, shared by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 2023

If police could use only one word to describe working on the missing persons case of Cherrie Mahan, it would be “frustrating.”

State police Cpl. Max DeLuca, who has worked on the case for about seven years, said it’s frustrating because there are around 40 unsolved homicide cases he receives no tips for, but Mahan’s gets the most tips and still can’t be solved.

Eight-year-old Cherrie Mahan went missing Friday, Feb. 22, 1985, about 100 yards from her home at 1136 Cornplanter Road in Winfield Township after getting off the bus around 4 p.m. She had planned to eat and go to a friend’s house after getting home from school.

The intersection just before where Cherrie Mahan disappeared 39 years ago today in Winfield Township, Butler County. Photo taken in 2024. Butler Eagle File Photo

Ed Thompson

Witnesses reported seeing a bluish-green van with a decal of a mountain and skier following the bus before her disappearance, and an additional blue sedan.

“It’s tough because there’re so many unanswered questions,” DeLuca said. “It’s so big.”

The FBI Behavioral Science Academy said in 1990 that the suspect was someone who knew Mahan and her movements.

DeLuca said Mahan’s file of notes written for the investigation spans around 4,000 pages, not including email attachments, photos, statements and polygraph results.

“I’m not going to stop looking until I know what happened,” said Janice McKinney, Mahan’s mother.

Janice McKinney holds a photo of her missing daughter, Cherrie Mahan, who was 6 when the photos was taken, at the last known location of her daughter, in Winfield Township on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Mahan has been missing since 1985. Butler Eagle File Photo

McKinney holds a vigil every year on the anniversary of Mahan’s disappearance at the former Cornplanter Road home. This year, the vigil on Saturday recognizing 40 years since her disappearance will be held at the Saxonburg VFW from 4 to 8 p.m. McKinney continues to hold vigils every year as a reminder to be vigilant and to look for her daughter.

“What I really want to do is thank the community for standing behind us,” McKinney said.

DeLuca said the number of tips picks up each year around the anniversary, but only around 50% are tangible enough to follow up with. For example, reports of a blue van matching the description aren’t as helpful without a location or partial license plate, he said.

Some people still call claiming to be Mahan, but technology has advanced so he can disprove those tips quickly, DeLuca said. Just last June, state police addressed the public about a woman who had claimed to be Mahan over social media. Fingerprints linked to that woman indicated she was not the missing girl, police said June 6.

McKinney has worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to spread the word since Mahan’s disappearance, including a $58,000 donation in Mahan’s name in 1992. The money was first put toward a reward for information on Mahan’s disappearance. The Instagram account “FindCherrieMahan” also continually publishes information about her.

Tips about Cherrie Mahan’s case can be submitted to the Butler state police barracks by calling 724-284-8100, through the website for National Missing and Exploited Children at missingkids.org, through Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477), or on the website, p3tips.com.

This story was updated Feb. 20 to reflect Troop D has 40 open homicide cases. A previous version of this story incorrectly said they have 40 missing persons cases.