Full Name: Lori Ann Boffman

Alternative Name: Lori Ann Stubbs

Case Status: Missing

Record ID#: 0237

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: June 6, 1961
Birthplace:
Age at the Time: 45
Age Group: 40s
Biological Sex: Female
Hair: Black Hair woven into Dreadlocks
Eyes: Brown
Skin Complexion:
Shoe Size:
Ethnicity: African or Black
Nationality: United States
Languages Spoken:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Physical Build:

Height:

Weight

Distinguishing Marks:

• Dental Work, Eyeglasses, Medical Condition, Mental Stability Concerns, Scar

Medical Condition: She was taking medication for diabetes and had recently started a new kind. This may have contributed to disorientation, confusion, or other mental instability at the time of her disappearance.
Physical Abnormality:
Dental Condition: Had a partial dental plate and a silver amalgam in her teeth.
Scars & Other Marks: Scar on her abdomen
Piercings:
Tattoos:

Other Descriptors:

Clothing

• Jogging Pants
• Head Scarf

Possessions:

Date of the Disappearance*: August 5, 2006

Description: 45-year-old Lori Ann Boffman of Liberty Township vanished without a trace on the evening of August 5, 2006, just one day after winning $1,000 in the Ohio Lottery. Boffman, a devoted mother of three described by loved ones as extremely caring and family-oriented, was last seen around 6:30 p.m. that Saturday, departing from a family cookout in Mill Creek Park in Youngstown. She had organized the gathering to celebrate her lottery windfall, having placed a $500 order for picnic food (including a $50 cake and $72 worth of cookies) at the Giant Eagle supermarket on Belmont Avenue around 4 a.m. that same day. Dressed casually in jogging pants and a head scarf, she paid $300 upfront and mentioned to a store employee that her daughter was home from college, with plans to host the event at Wick Park, though authorities later determined the actual picnic took place in Mill Creek Park.

Boffman, who also went by the surname Stubbs, resided on Holly Drive, a quiet suburb about 13 minutes north of Youngstown. She was a Black woman standing 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing approximately 180 pounds, with black hair styled in dreadlocks, brown eyes, and a distinctive scar on her abdomen from surgery. She wore glasses, had a partial denture plate, and managed diabetes with medication, alongside treatment for an unspecified mental health condition. Family members noted that she had recently started a new diabetes medication, which may have contributed to her exhibiting “moody” and “unstable” behavior that day, including erratic driving. It was highly uncharacteristic for her to leave without notice, as she was known for her close ties to her children and relatives, some of whom lived in the Dallas, Texas area.

According to witnesses, Boffman left the picnic with an unidentified male friend to retrieve items from her home. During the short drive, she operated her light blue 1992 Mercury Sable station wagon in a reckless manner, prompting the passenger to demand she pull over and let him out. She was then seen driving away alone from her Holly Drive residence, leaving behind her purse, essential medications, and identification; items she would typically never forget. She also never returned to Giant Eagle to pick up the remaining groceries.

The first major clue in the investigation emerged just hours later. At approximately 3:12 a.m. on August 6, Youngstown Police Department officers responded to reports of a disturbance and erratic vehicles in the area. They discovered Boffman’s car abandoned in a driveway between two homes on North Jackson Street near Oak Street, on the city’s East Side. The car was still running with the keys in the ignition, and it appeared to have been driven off-road from Himrod Avenue, plowing through several rear yards before striking a tree. Damage was evident: the passenger-side mirror was broken, and the vehicle had torn up lawns and even struck a swing set in one backyard. Inside the car, police found two pairs of Boffman’s eyeglasses, her keychain, and personal documents, but no sign of the missing woman herself. Investigators believe the off-road path was intentional, and the driver had fled the scene before officers arrived. Neighbors reported having hear noises around 3:00 a.m. which may have been when she abandoned the vehicle

Boffman’s family grew concerned when she failed to return and reported her missing to Youngstown Police on August 6. The official report was lodged with Liberty Police Department on August 7, after a relative checked her home and confirmed her absence. Early leads included unconfirmed sightings at a Hubbard restaurant and a Tops grocery store in Warren, but these proved fruitless. Cadaver dogs searched the area around the car and nearby Lincoln Park shortly after, but no evidence was uncovered. The FBI became involved, collecting DNA from relatives for comparison in unidentified remains cases, including a 2019 match in Tennessee that was ultimately ruled out via dental records and DNA testing. Items donated to a Liberty Goodwill were also examined, but yielded no connections.

Nearly two decades later, the case remains unsolved and classified as an endangered missing person investigation. Renewed interest surged in 2024 after a tip from an unrelated cold case led Youngstown Detective Sgt. Dave Sweeney and Liberty Detective Sgt. Mike Shuster to reopen the file. In May 2024, a multi-agency search involving cadaver dogs from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio Branch K9 Search Team, along with drones and GPS mapping, scoured backyards on Jackson Street and Lincoln Park. Again, no remains were found.

Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Liberty Township Police Department at (330) 759-1315 or the Youngstown Police Department at (330) 742-8911. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. As one investigator noted, “We’re starting from ground zero, but every detail counts.” Boffman’s loved ones continue to seek closure, holding onto the memory of a woman who, in a moment of joy, planned a simple celebration that turned into an enduring mystery.

Multiple Victims?:

Rumored or Actual Sightings:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Date the Body was Recovered:

Description: Unknown

Time of Death:

Cause of Death:

Recovered Remains (if partial):

Suspected Homicide?:

Multiple Victims?:

DNA Tested (No Match):

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Description: Blue 1992 Mercury Sable

The car was later located but if anyone could place where it was during that evening, please contact the police.

License Plate:

Description: