The Mysterious Disappearance of Daniel Reaves

Disappearance

Daniel Reaves was a 25-year-old, with a long-term girlfriend and a young child, when he mysteriously vanished from Madison, IN, in the early morning hours of May 4, 2008. Described by his family as being shy, but happy, Daniel loved computers and had been attending Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, IN, as recently as the fall semester of 2007.

His family stated that he may have suffered from anxiety, but they did not believe he was depressed or angry, and to their knowledge, his life seemed to be “in perfect order.” 

On May 3, 2008, the night before his disappearance, Daniel Reaves spent time with his girlfriend of seven years, Sara Schafer, at her residence on East Schafer Road in Jefferson County, IN. They watched TV until Sara dozed off, which she recalls was around 2 a.m. on May 4, 2008. Sara woke up at approximately 4 a.m. to find a message from Daniel saying, "I love you." However, he was nowhere to be found, and his car was also missing. 

Sara attempted to call him back but received no response. This was the last time anyone heard from Daniel. He was 5’11” tall, with blue eyes and dark brown hair, and was clean-shaven. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing long denim or khaki shorts, a blue or white t-shirt with a button-down shirt on top, tan suede shoes, and a black faux-leather jacket.

After Daniel failed to return home from Sara's house, his parents notified the authorities, who began an investigation. On May 10, 2008, law enforcement appeared to make a breakthrough when they found Daniel's car. The abandoned gold 1999 Chrysler Sebring was discovered on Green Hills Drive in Madison, IN, nearly 30 minutes away from Sara's residence. 

The reports suggest that the vehicle had been parked there since approximately 11 p.m. on May 3, 2008. This contradicts Sara's claim that she was with Daniel until 2 a.m. on May 4. The timeline discrepancy raises the question of whether Sara's recollection of events is faulty or whether this inconsistency could provide vital clues to solving the mystery of Daniel's disappearance.

Still missing

Despite the discovery of Daniel's car, law enforcement officials and family members remain puzzled by his disappearance. The investigation failed to yield any clues as to where Daniel might have gone or why his car was abandoned in that location. Upon inspection of the vehicle, investigators found that it was unlocked, and Daniel's wallet, money, ID, and credit cards were still inside. However, his keys and cell phone were missing.

 
Cell phone records indicated that Daniel's phone had not been used since the night he vanished. In a bid to uncover more leads, state and local law enforcement agencies carried out extensive searches of the surrounding areas, including Clifty Falls State Park, a location where Daniel had previously gone hiking. Unfortunately, their search efforts did not produce any new information.

At the time of his disappearance, authorities were uncertain if foul play was a factor or if Daniel chose to disappear voluntarily. However, his family maintains that it is highly unlikely that Daniel would have willingly abandoned his life and the people he cared about. Even today, they hold firm in their belief that something sinister happened to him.

The disappearance of Daniel Reaves remains a mystery to this day, and his family is still hoping for a breakthrough in the case. Despite the passage of time, they have not given up hope that someone with knowledge about what happened to Daniel will come forward and help shed light on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

There is currently a $1,000 reward for information leading to the location of Daniel Reaves. To be eligible for the reward, tips must first be reported to Kentuckiana Crime Stoppers at 502-582-CLUE (2583). Anyone with information about this case can also contact the Indiana State Police District Investigative Commander at 812-689-5000 or 800-566-6704 or the Madison Police at 812-265-3347.