Belle Vernon, PA – A $5,000 reward is being offered for information in the decades-old unsolved murder of a McKeesport teenager whose burned body was discovered in Washington County in 1977.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police Troop B – Belle Vernon, 15-year-old Eric Doratio was last seen by his mother on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1977. Later that day, he was spotted running away from a Pittsburgh teen shelter. Days later, he was reportedly dropped off by a friend at the intersection of Routes 22 and 48 in Whitehall.
On November 29, 1977, hunters in Fallowfield Township came across a burning industrial barrel along a rural road. Inside, they found the body of Doratio, who had allegedly been soaked in paint thinner before being set on fire. Investigators said two cans of paint thinner were found beneath the body, and a long trail of the liquid stretched more than 30 feet from the barrel, likely used as a fuse.
Authorities focused their early investigation on the barrel itself, which was of a rare style made of hard cardboard reinforced with steel rings. A nearby company was believed to be one of the only sources of such barrels, but no suspects were identified.
Shortly after, police received a series of anonymous letters referencing Doratio’s murder, but the writer was never traced, and the letters stopped after a few weeks. Detectives later suggested the crime might have been drug-related, though no evidence supported that theory.
The case remains unsolved nearly 48 years later. Police are urging anyone with information to contact PSP Belle Vernon Station at 724-929-6262, call the PSP Tips hotline at 1-800-472-8477, or submit a tip online at www.p3tips.com.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
Follow us on Instagram & Facebook for more relevant new stories and SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT NEWS! Have a tip? Message us!
