Name: Shelva Jean Rafte
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: May 28, 2006
Location Last Seen: Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Date of Birth: May 24, 1962
Age: 44 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 100-120 lbs.
Hair Color: Blonde, very thick with highlights and cowlicks at her crown and front bang area.
Eye Color: Hazel/Brown
Nickname/Alias: Shelly
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Scar on her abdomen. Ears and navel pierced. Often has acrylic fingernails in a French manicure style. Her toenails would be done in a French manicure style to match her fingernails. She has very thin, light brown eyebrows, and very sparse eyelashes.
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not available
DNA: Available
Clothing: Powder blue shirt, denim capri pants with rhinestones on the back pockets, and sneakers or brown leather sandals.
Jewelry: Gold hoop earrings, many different strands of gold necklaces, gold bracelets, and a watch worn on the left wrist.
Additional Personal Items: Pink purse and magnifying reading glasses.
Shelva Jean Rafte, known as Shelly and whose maiden name is Conrad, was last seen in the area of Market and River Streets just after midnight on May 28, 2006 in Jenkins Township.
According to her boyfriend, John Para, she had just left his home after the two had an argument, and started to walk back to her home, which was on Cleveland Street in Pittston. She never arrived at her home. The next day, her car was still parked in the driveway and her IRS tax refund check was still in her mailbox. Despite intensive searches, no clues were found.
Shelva worked in Scott, Pennsylvania at the Scott 60 truck stop. She has four children. She reportedly frequented the areas of Jenkins Township in Luzerne County, Nicholson Borough in Wyoming County, and the city of Harrisburg in Dauphin County.
There is a reward of up to $5,000 for information that would help solve her disappearance being offered by Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers and Shelva's family.
Agency Name: Pittston City Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: (570) 654-0513
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 1092
NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 1250
NamUs
Citizens Voice (Luzerne County)
Shelva Rafte Web Page
Times Leader (May 23, 2011)
Times-Tribune (May 26, 2007)
Added: 4/4/16; Last Updated: 11/25/2023
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Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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