SEEKING ANSWERS
Parents hold vigil for son missing since late January
More than 70 people — family and friends of Dakota Leo James, as well as a number of concerned Pittsburghers — held a candlelight vigil for the missing man Monday evening in Katz Plaza in the Cultural District.
The Penn Avenue setting was poignant because it was the last known location of Dakota James, a 23-year-old North Side resident who went missing Jan. 25. Police combing through footage from Downtown security videos confirmed that he walked through the area at 11:46 that night, minutes after being seen near the Wood Street T Station.
“The last time we saw him was on that camera right behind us,” said his father, Jeff James, his voice breaking with emotion. “And it was so like him. We saw him walking along, doing what he always does. Smiling, happy, texting, on his way home.”
Jeff James and his wife, Pam, of Frederick County, Md., have been living in a local hotel since their son disappeared. They have spent the days working with local law enforcement, hanging up fliers with their son’s photograph, and searching. “The city has been terrific,” he said. “They’ve searched the woods, the rivers. More than we’ve even asked.
“I can’t say enough about their organization. This is something nobody knows how
to do. As a parent, you don’t practice for this, you don’t train for this. You can’t Google the playbook on this. They have brought all the expertise and the people who know how to search, where to search, the drones, the dogs. They coordinate everything and they have the outreach nationwide.”
The vigil, including prayers and song, began with Mr. James thanking people who have lent them spiritual and logistical support. It also served as an emotional boost for a family that is desperate for any news.
“We want to remember our son and we want to bring him home,” Mr. James said. “We’ve put a lot of miles on a lot of cars over the past month, trying to find my son. We’ve looked just about everywhere. We just need to find him. I know someone knows something. Hopefully that person will come out and help us.”
Speakers encouraged those in the crowd to take walks during the day and keep their eyes open. Bryan DeWitt, 24, a volunteer firefighter from Crafton, said he would be organizing a search team through social media in the days ahead.
Cynthia White, 62, of Green Tree, was there with her 40-year-old son, Ryan, who has special needs.
“We’re just here trying to help,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine not knowing where he is. I saw the parents’ faces and my heart just went out to them. I decided I have to help.” Shelley Prasnikar, 33, of the North Side, was a neighbor and friend of Dakota James.
“He was just great. Everyone loved him,” she said. “I had never met his family, but he talked about them all the time. He loved them. So this is so out of the ordinary. Something terrible had to happen, because there is no one in the world that would want to hurt him.”
Ms. Prasnikar said the disappearance has affected her beyond the loss of a friend. It has made her more conscious of her surroundings.
“This is the first time I’ve felt uncomfortable walking to my car,” she said. “Now I’m more aware of security. I look for cameras.”
Dakota James, a Duquesne University graduate student, is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He has both ears pierced with an extra earring on the upper part of his right ear lobe. He also has a triangle tattoo on the inside of his left ankle. The family has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his location.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Pittsburgh police Missing Persons Unit at 412323-7141. A tip line has also been set up at 810-294-4858. Callers should refer to Law Enforcement Case #17-17022.