EKU student declared dead 13 years after she disappeared

JEFFERSON COUNTY, IN (WTVQ) – A court has declared a missing Eastern Kentucky University student dead more than 13-years after she disappeared, according to media reports out of Indiana.

A judge in Indiana signed an order Wednesday saying Molly Dattilo was presumed dead on July 6, 2004, the date of her disappearance, according to the reports.

Dattilo was a 23-year old EKU student who was taking summer classes at IUPUI in Indianapolis when she went missing from her apartment complex.  Police say Dattilo left behind her cell phone, clothes, identification, ATM card and other items.

Her remains have never been found.

Police say they traced a phone call Dattilo made to a friend around 11:00 p.m. on the day she disappeared.  They say she made the call from a pay phone at a gas station in Indianapolis.

Investigators say Dattilo was with John E. Shelton on that day.  Shelton’s brother was a maintenance worker at Dattilo’s apartment complex.

No criminal charges have ever been filed in the case, but Dattilo’s family did win a $3.5 million civil lawsuit against John Shelton and his father, Edward Shelton.  The Dattilo family believes the Shelton’s were responsible for Molly’s disappearance, according to court documents and media reports.

Dattilo’s mother, eight siblings and a guardian signed letters of consent regarding the court’s determination this week that she is dead, according to media reports.