Police Offer $5,000 Reward in 2002 Teen Deaths

Pennsylvania State Police are seeking information on the July 2002 deaths of two 15-year-old boys in Forward Township, Butler County.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Crime — General

Police Offer $5,000 Reward in 2002 Teen Deaths

Pennsylvania State Police offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to a resolution of the 2002 deaths of 15-year-old Scott Fosnaught and 15-year-old Shawn Baur. The boys were discovered along Cashdollar Road in Forward Township on July 17, 2002, and the case is being investigated as a criminal homicide.

Why it matters

The case has remained unsolved for more than 24 years, and investigators have long suspected a hit-and-run was involved. The reward and renewed appeal aim to generate new leads that could identify those responsible for the deaths.

The Pennsylvania State Police Troop D Butler Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit and Major Case Team continue to treat the deaths as a criminal homicide with a $5,000 reward offered for tips. No suspect has been publicly identified in the case.

The players

Pennsylvania State Police

The state police agency leading the investigation through its Troop D Butler Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit and Major Case Team, which handles major criminal cases across the commonwealth.

The details

Scott Fosnaught and Shawn Baur had been walking home from a friend's house when a passing motorist spotted them lying in the roadway at about 1:30 a.m. and called 9-1-1. Fosnaught was pronounced dead at the scene, and Baur was taken to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Investigators found no skid marks or broken glass at the scene.

July 17, 2002: Scott Fosnaught and Shawn Baur were discovered along Cashdollar Road in Forward Township.
November 2, 2026: State police announced the $5,000 reward and continued investigation.

Legal Context

The case remains a criminal homicide investigation more than two decades after the boys were found, illustrating how hit-and-run deaths can go unsolved for years without new evidence. Pennsylvania State Police are using a renewed monetary reward and public appeal to revisit the original leads in the case.

Residents of Butler County and Forward Township who have any information about the 2002 deaths can submit tips through the Pennsylvania State Police online form. The reward offer gives the public a direct incentive to come forward with details that could lead to a resolution.

The takeaway

Anyone with knowledge of the July 2002 deaths on Cashdollar Road should contact investigators, since even small details may help close a long-unsolved case. The $5,000 reward remains available to those whose tips lead to resolution.