Mouse over to enlarge. The images on the right have been age-progressed to 39, 43, and 48 years.
Mouse over to enlarge. The images on the right have been age-progressed to 39, 43, and 48 years.
Name: Gabriel Minarcin
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: January 14, 1982
Location Last Seen: Tarentum, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Date of Birth: October 5, 1971
Age: 10 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 4'0"
Weight: 60 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: A mole on his right wrist.
Dentals: Not Available. He has a chipped front tooth.
Fingerprints: Not Available.
DNA: Not Available.
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
On Thursday, January 14, 1982, Jon Dabkowski returned from Highlands School to his home on First Avenue in Tarentum, PA. After he ate supper, his friend from down the street, one block away, Gabriel Minarcin, came over to play. The boys went up to Dabkowski's room to play the stereo. At about 5:30 p.m., Minarcin told Dabkowski he had to go home for supper. Dabkowski went out with him.
Divers tried that Saturday to plumb the icy depths of the Allegheny River near Riverview Park in Tarentum where the boys were reportedly last seen.
On Friday, the day after the boys disappeared, bloodhounds independently followed the scents of both boys, and had led divers, police, firemen, and volunteers to the site near the boys' homes. There they found two sets of small footprints leading to, but not returning from, the river. The prints ended at open water about twenty-five feet from shore. It is believed that the boys may have been playing on the ice and had fallen through it. A resident said she had seen the two boys playing on the ice-covered river at about 5:45 p.m. on Thursday.
Gabriel, who was a 10-year-old fifth grader, and Jon, who was an 11-year-old sixth grader, became friendly after the Minarcins moved to 154 First Avenue in Tarentum the previous August, and became neighbors of the Dabkowskis, who lived at 137 First Avenue. Dabkowski's mother told her son many times to not go near the river, and the Minarcin family had strict rules about going near the river as well.
Agency Name: Tarentum Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: (724) 224-1515
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: A82195
NCIC Case Number: M-374896610
NamUs Case Number: 2910
NamUs
NCMEC
TribLive
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Added:Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 9/9/23
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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