BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — It’s been 40 years since 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan vanished after getting off her school bus in rural Butler County near Cabot.
A private investigator from Iowa joined the search for Mahan earlier this year. He met with Cherrie’s mom, reviewed some of the evidence and offered a $100,000 reward of his own money for information that leads to her discovery.
Chief Investigator Rick Earle spoke exclusively with the nationally renowned investigator, Steve Ridge.
“I wouldn’t rule it out in this case now, given the progress that I’ve made, that there could be, you know, an indictment,” Ridge said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 11 Investigates the disappearance of Cherrie Mahan
A television consultant before his retirement, Ridge received a number of tips related to the case. But one stood out.
“He said it is kind of eating him alive. He said I just can’t stay quiet anymore,” Ridge said of the tip.
It came from a man who claims he knows what happened to the 8-year-old girl after she got off a school bus in February 1985 but never made it home.
Earle: “What did this person tell you?”
Ridge: “Well, essentially they said that, many years ago, they overheard a conversation that involved an individual who, upon getting off the phone, said, ‘Well, I guess you overheard that and now you know that, you know I was responsible for Cherrie’s abduction.’”
Ridge said the man threatened the informant and told him not to tell anyone.
He said that, for years, he was too scared to come forward, but now he’s agreed to take a lie detector test and testify in court.
Earle: “Do you believe him?”
Ridge: “I actually do. I just think that he is incredibly credible.”
Ridge said the informant identified a man who’s currently in prison for another crime.
Ridge told Earle he’s corresponded with the inmate by mail.
“This prisoner’s position is that he is aware of what happened to Cherrie. He was not personally involved, but he says two of his relatives were directly involved,” said Ridge.
And Ridge said they knew Cherrie and her family.
Earle: “Can you share a motive?”
Ridge: “Well, I mean, I think without a doubt, you know the motive revolved around sexual activity. I think that was at the heart of this case.”
Cherrie’s mom has also said she believes her daughter had been molested.
Last year, Earle asked state police about that claim and received this email response:
“No persons have ever been interviewed by law enforcement that admitted to sexually assaulting Cherrie. No persons have ever been charged or arrested for molesting Cherrie. All of Cherrie’s neighbors, including ones with and without criminal records were interviewed.”
Ridge said he’s not convinced.
“That’s pretty telling, you know, if you read between the lines and look carefully at what’s being said,” said Ridge.
Ridge also told Earle that he passed all of his information along to state police.
“I think that there’s a very high likelihood that we can — can officially solve this,” said Ridge.
Ridge has also shared this information with Cherrie’s mom, and she is hopeful that she’ll finally get some answers.
Ridge has also done extensive work on the disappearance of television news anchor Jodi Huisentruit.
She vanished while on her way to work 30 years ago and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
11 Investigates reached out to state police for a response to these developments, but has not heard back.
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