Family searches for answers in Memorial Day weekend cold case

LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It’s a cold case mystery nearly 20 years in the making.

A Luzerne County woman vanished without a trace on Memorial Day weekend in 2006.

Her family continues to search for answers and Justice, their efforts are also helping law enforcement in other Cold Cases across the Commonwealth.

The I-Team’s Andy Mehalshick has the latest on the investigation and the family’s plea for help from the public on 28/22 News.

It’s a cold case mystery that is nearly two decades in the making, the disappearance of a Luzerne County woman.

44-year-old Shelva Rafte from Pittston vanished without a trace on Memorial Day weekend in 2006. Her family is speaking out tonight and asking for the public’s help in solving the case.

“Even though it’s been 18 years. I believe this case will be solved,” said Shirley Masters, Shelva Rafte’s sister.

Shirley Masters, seen here in an earlier I-team report on the disappearance of her sister, 44-year-old Shelva Rafte, believes someone has the key to unlock this mystery.

“It is believed that there are people in her circle that have knowledge of this and could be held responsible for withholding knowledge. We hope they will come forward,” stated Masters.

Police investigators say Rafte attended a graduation party for her daughter in Wyoming County on May 28th, 2006. She left the party at around 10:30 p.m. that night and was supposed to return to her home in Pittston.

She was never seen alive again.

“We are still asking if there’s anyone in the public that could come forward with information,” said Masters.

The family’s search for answers has helped lead to changes in the way information about cold cases is shared between law enforcement agencies across the state and nation. The so-called “Billy’s Law” was passed several years ago. Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce says more and more cold case investigations are being solved, thanks to advancements in DNA technology.

“And we would regularly see evidence that we’ve had for years that had been tested before and there are developments in technology that allow us the potential to have a breakthrough,” explained Sanguedolce.

State Senator Lisa Baker tells the I-team that thanks to the efforts of Rafte’s family the state has now made funds available for law enforcement to use to help solve these cold cases, namely money to help pay for things like DNA testing which is very expensive.

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