Scott Fosnaught and Shawn Baur, both 15, were found on Cashdollar Road in 2002.
FORWARD TOWNSHIP, PA — A new tip about a possible vehicle has renewed attention on the unsolved deaths of two 15-year-old boys found along a rural Butler County road nearly 24 years ago.
Scott Fosnaught and Shawn Baur were found in the early morning hours of July 17, 2002, on Cashdollar Road in Forward Township. No one has been charged. Their families now say a man recently came forward with information about a vehicle that may have been involved, and they believe the case may be closer to an answer than it has been in years.
The boys had left a friend’s house on foot and were headed home when a passing motorist found them on the road. Fosnaught was dead when first responders arrived. Baur was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Police have said the boys appeared to have been hit by a vehicle, but the scene raised questions that have followed the case for more than two decades. Investigators found no skid marks and no car parts at the scene, according to public accounts of the case. Blood from Baur was found about 200 feet away, adding to the doubts held by relatives who never accepted the deaths as a simple hit-and-run. “I’m very hopeful, very hopeful,” Scott’s mother, Ailvie Rausch, said as the case drew new attention.
The reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction has grown to nearly $35,000, family members said. About $25,000 was raised by the community, and state police added another $10,000. Rausch said the money is meant to push someone with long-held information to speak. “He’s been walking for 24 years free,” she said of the person she believes is responsible. “My son’s dead. Shawn’s dead. It won’t bring him back, but we need answers.” The Butler County district attorney’s office declined to comment on the latest information because the case remains under investigation. State police had not publicly announced an arrest or named a suspect as of Sunday.
The case has haunted families in and around Evans City since the summer of 2002. Fosnaught and Baur were Seneca Valley High School students and close friends. Earlier reports said the boys had been with friends before they began walking on Cashdollar Road, a rural stretch in Forward Township. For years, investigators and relatives have weighed whether the deaths were caused by a vehicle crash, an intentional act or something that happened before the boys were placed or found in the road. Some relatives have pointed to the lack of vehicle debris and the distance between blood evidence and the bodies as signs that the scene did not fit a routine crash. Police have continued to classify the deaths as homicides.
Rausch has said she believes Baur may have been attacked before her son tried to get away and was struck by a vehicle. She said she thinks Baur’s body may have been moved and placed near Fosnaught. Those claims have not been tested in court, and no charging documents have been filed. Candice Fosnaught, Scott’s sister, was 10 when her brother died. She said the loss has followed the family into every year since. “It just broke my heart,” she said. “It was something like out of a horror movie.” She also said she does not understand why it has taken so long to determine who was responsible.
The latest possible break came about five months ago, when Rausch said she spoke with a man who had information about a vehicle. She said the man also spoke with police. Family members said they believe the list of possible suspects has narrowed over time, though officials have not confirmed that publicly. Rausch said a new investigator has been assigned to the case, and she hopes a fresh review of old evidence, witness accounts and the new vehicle information will move the investigation forward. The next formal step would be for investigators to verify the tip, compare it with existing evidence and determine whether prosecutors have enough to support charges.
The deaths have remained part of local memory through vigils, anniversary coverage and repeated reward announcements. State police have previously marked anniversaries of the case by asking for tips and reminding the public of reward money. In 2015, officials noted a $20,000 reward tied to the case. In 2024, state police announced a $10,000 reward for information that could help solve the deaths. Families and community members later raised the total, putting new pressure on the investigation as the 24th anniversary approaches. The case stands out because it involves two teenage victims, a narrow rural road, a short walk home and a crime scene that left more questions than answers.
For relatives, the new tip is not closure, but it is movement after years of waiting. Rausch said the family needs to know what happened on Cashdollar Road and who was involved. The case remains open, with no arrest announced and no public court date set. The next milestone is July 17, 2026, the 24th anniversary of the boys’ deaths.
Author note: Last updated May 3, 2026.