Left and Center: Michelle circa, 1986
Right: Age Progressed to age 43
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: August 26, 1986
Missing From: Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: October 21, 1974
Age: 11 years old
Height and Weight: 4’9″ and 80 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian Female, Brown hair, Brown eyes, Micelle has a long history of illnesses one in particular being pneumonia and it’s possible she may still be susceptible to them, she had an overall slim and small build when she disappeared and looked much younger then her actual age, she wore children sized clothing, it’s also possible that Michelle may have remained short in adulthood as all of her female family members were short at the time, Michelle goes by her nickname “Jolene” and many agencies refer to her as that, she may use the nicknames “Boo” or “Boozer”, Lakey had long fingernails at the time of her disappearance
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A white shirt with a purple trim and tie front, dark blue sweatpants, and brown sandals with straps
NCMEC Number: 601792
Details of Disappearance
Michelle Lakey was last seen in Scranton, Pennsylvania on August 26th 1986. She visited her mother at Mercy Hospital and was last seen by a friend walking on north Washington Avenue towards her home at the time. Her home was located in the 1300 block of the street.
Michelle was planning on spending the night at her friends home located in Myrtle Street. It’s possible that Michelle entered an unidentified light yellow vehicle about one block away from her family’s home. Authorities suspect that that Lakey was kidnapped by a stranger that day.
Michelle has never been seen or heard from again. Frank Osellanie is considered a suspect in Michelle’s presumed abduction. On May 14th 1989, Osellanie abducted, raped, and murdered 9 year old Renee Waddle. Her charred remains were located along a private road near Lake Scranton. He was charged and convicted in 1990 and has been in prison ever since.
Frank is also a suspect in the Scranton 1978 disappearance of 22 year old Joanne Williams and the December 11th 1987 murder of University of Scranton Student, Laureen Finn, who was 19 years old when she was killed. Finns charted remains were found in an alley.
Frank has not been charged with Laureens murder, Joanne’s disappearance, or Michelle’s disappearance. He did admit to knowing Lakey at the time of her disappearance and that she sometimes visited his auto shop and have her rides home.
Michelle’s abduction remains unsolved and foul play is suspected. Her parents were divorced at the time of her disappearance and her father was not notified of her disappearance until several months passed. Her mother now lives in Oxford, New York.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Pennsylvania State Police 570-963-3156
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children