Missing Since: 1982-01-14 Location: Tarentum, Pennsylvania
Gabriel was last seen at approximately 5:30 p.m. in his hometown of Tarentum, Pennsylvania. He and his friend, Jon Dabkowski, finished dinner at Jon’s residence and were walking three doors down to Gabriel’s family’s home. The boys never arrived at the house and have not been seen again. Authorities believe that Gabriel and Jon may have fallen through thin ice near their residences and drowned, as they were last seen walking together near the Allegheny River. Footprints in the snow led to the riverbank, but there were no prints leading away from the river. However, Jon had been told by his parents to stay away from the river, and he dependably obeyed this rule. An extensive search of the water turned up no evidence that anyone had fallen in. Police have lost touch with Gabriel’s family, who moved away from Tarentum in the 1990s. Jon’s family still resides in the house he lived in. Due to the lack of clues in the boys’ cases, their disappearances are classified as non-family abductions. Investigating Agency Tarentum Police Department 412-224-1515 Source Information The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Operation Lookout NewsLibrary Mental Floss The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated October 25, 2025; clothing/jewelry description updated.