Private investigator pledging $100K of his own money to help locate Cherrie Mahan

CBS News

06-05-2025

A private investigator has joined the case of Cherrie Mahan, offering $100,000 of his own money to help find the missing girl from Butler County.
Four decades after Cherrie Mahan disappeared in Butler County, there have been a lot of people who have looked into the case, but now, a former television news executive-turned-private investigator says he believes he can solve the case, and he's willing to put up $100,000 to get more information to prove it.
"I want to recover and positively identify her remains. If we do that, we will exponentially improve the likelihood of a conviction in this case," said private investigator Steve Ridge. "I think we already know, to some degree, who was involved or has significant knowledge regarding the case."
Ridge wouldn't go into details, but said finding the book bag Cherrie was carrying when she was kidnapped, walking home from her school bus stop in 1985, may lead to finding her body.
"I am convinced from some recent testimony and input that Cherrie's book bag was likely submerged in a pond in an area where her grandmother's home is," Ridge said.
Ridge says anyone with information should talk to the state police, but his approach is to come at the investigation with fresh eyes.
"I don't need to see the police files. I probably know what's in the police files and perhaps more."
Ridge also believes Cherrie knew her abductor.
"This has been the hardest 40 years of my life. All I truly want, and I know, is that Cherrie wants to come home," Cherrie's mother, Janice McKinney, said.
A group calling itself Cherrie's Angels is also helping with the effort. Ridge says every tip helps.
"I think there's every likelihood we're going to solve it," Ridge said.
Cherrie's mother, Janice, says she has one thing she holds on to.
"I have a lot of hope that we're going to find Cherrie, and we're going to bring her home."