Case Details
- Photo URLs:
-
- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 07/06/2004
- Missing From:
- Missing From Indianapolis, Indiana
- Classification:
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Gender:
- Female
- Race:
- Race White
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 06/13/1982 (42)
- Age:
- Age 22 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight 5’0 – 5’1, 100 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A pink tye-dyed shirt with a collar.
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, hazel/green eyes. Dattilo had blonde highlights in her hair at the time of her disappearance. She wears clear contact lenses or occasionally eyeglasses. The tip of Dattilo’s left thumb and the nail on that thumb are slightly deformed, shortened and made hook-like from a childhood accident. She has a dime-sized brown birthmark on the outside of her right elbow; a photograph of the birthmark is posted below this case summary.
- Details of Disappearance:
- On July 6th, 2004, 22-year-old college student Lauren Dattilo disappeared from Indianapolis, Indiana. That day, she did several things: applied for a job at Wendy’s, bought school and hobby supplies, dropped a college class at IUPUI, and made a phone call at 11 pm that was mysteriously cut off.
What’s strange is that she left *everything* behind: her car, phone, wallet, ID, even her voice lesson equipment. This is especially odd because she was close to graduating college, had plans for an American Idol audition, and a nephew’s birthday party. She also had a lot of money in her bank account that was never touched.
Her brother wasn’t immediately worried because she sometimes went out unexpectedly. He reported her missing two days later.
Police investigated, and John Shelton became a person of interest. He was the last person seen with Lauren, and he has a criminal record. While never criminally charged in her disappearance, a civil court ruled John and his father responsible for her wrongful death, ordering them to pay $3.4 million to her family. The family claimed John hurt Lauren, leading to her death. Neither man defended themselves in court. John is now in prison for other crimes, and his father’s whereabouts are unknown.
Lauren was a bright, social, and trusting person. Her family believes she was abducted because disappearing like this was completely out of character. Her case remains unsolved.
- Agency:
- Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department 812-265-2648
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 07/06/2004