A donation from the family of Cheryl Anne Scherer, who went missing on April 17, 1979, will support ongoing cold case and unidentified remains work at Southeast Missouri State University. On November 14, 2025, Diane Scherer-Morris and Anthony Scherer, Cheryl’s siblings, presented a gift of $7,500.47 to Dr. Jennifer Bengtson, professor of anthropology, to advance laboratory testing and forensic analysis conducted by SEMO students.
Cheryl was just 19 years old when she disappeared from the Rhodes Gas Station in Scott City, where she was working the early shift. Her family has spent 46 years keeping her story alive, advocating for answers, and honoring her memory.
In April 2024, Diane and Anthony began a community-driven effort to place a remembrance marker at the site where Cheryl was last seen. Through t-shirt and cap sales, a car cruise, music events at the Scott City Caboose, and individual contributions, the Scherer family raised more than the amount needed for the marker. The remaining funds were donated to Dr. Bengtson’s forensic anthropology lab to support work on unidentified remains cases.
“We thank all who have contributed to this marker through donations, events like Music at the Caboose, the Car Cruise Ins, the Fish Fry, the Pampered Chef parties, Missing Persons Week and any and all other events,” Diane said. “As well as through purchasing more than 200 shirts and over three dozen caps and wearing them to bring awareness to all missing persons.”
The overwhelming response, she said, showed her family just how many people continue to stand behind Cheryl’s story nearly five decades later.
“Cheryl’s family has grown to include so much more than Anthony and me,” Diane said. “The support from our community has been amazing—Jennifer and her students, law enforcement, everyone. It’s very heartwarming. We just want to keep Cheryl’s name out there. We don’t care about prosecution. We just want her.”
Diane emphasized that while Cheryl’s story is deeply personal, the effort reflects a broader mission.
“In Missouri and the U.S., there are so many missing persons,” she said. “We have Cheryl on the banner, but it’s about the community of missing persons. Even if this donation doesn’t lead to Cheryl, maybe it can help bring answers for someone.”
For Dr. Bengtson and her students, the gift provides both practical support and powerful motivation.
“The Scherers’ support reminds us why we do this work,” Bengtson said. “Unidentified remains cases can be exhausting and emotionally difficult. Meeting families like theirs reminds us that this work must continue. Their family deserves answers, and we must identify as many sets of remains as we can to bring closure to as many families as possible.”
The funds will be used to cover specialized laboratory testing essential in resolving unidentified remains cases, testing that is often impossible without dedicated support.
Bengtson first connected with the family when one of her students worked on a project about Cheryl’s case. She then joined their effort to raise money for the Scott City memorial marker. When the Scherers shared their intention to donate any remaining funds, she said it was an honor. Public awareness, she added, plays a critical role in missing persons cases.
“We need to keep these stories in the public consciousness,” Bengtson said. “Cheryl’s story needs to be shared so that anyone with information might come forward. And more broadly, people need to understand that missing persons are not an abstract problem, this happens in our own backyards.”
The Scherer family’s dedication ensures Cheryl’s story continues to move fearlessly forward, and their generosity will help provide answers for other families still searching for their own closure.