As the families and friends of Shawn Baur and Scott Fosnaught remembered their loved ones on Saturday, eight years after their deaths on Cashdollar Road in Forward Township, part of their thoughts dwelled on how the case of the teens' deaths could have remained unsolved for so long.

How could there not have been a shred of important evidence left at the scene? How could the person or persons responsible have kept their horrible involvement in the case a secret for so long?

And, if those responsible disclosed their involvement in the deaths to anyone, how could those with information have kept the secret for so long?

Has a painful conscience never come into play in the form of changed behavior or a sudden desire to move from the area?

Meanwhile, those families and friends of the victims are wondering, if police in fact have a suspect or suspects in mind, why haven't they been able to crack those suspects into admitting their involvement?

All are important questions, as well as whether authorities have missed some important evidence or whether someone might have failed to tip them off to a suspicion that, while maybe seeming to be remote, is important — or critical — to solving the mystery.

State police Cpl. Joseph Murphy is the latest lead investigator for the baffling, frustrating case. He said he's leaving all options open in the investigation, and starting at the beginning of the case to search for any evidence or clues that might have been overlooked.

He said there's still no official determination of how Baur was killed. Fosnaught died of upper-body injuries, and police believe he was struck by a vehicle.

If so, the question remains whether his encounter with the vehicle was accidental or whether he was struck by the vehicle intentionally.

Former Allegheny County Coroner Cyril Wecht concluded on the basis of an autopsy that Baur died after being hit by a car, although he termed the position of Baur's head wounds and the lack of other serious injuries "puzzling."

Patty Baur, Shawn's mother, believes her son's head wound was caused by some object, not a vehicle. Perhaps she's right.

She bases her theory that foul play was involved on the lack of tire tracks and broken glass in the area where the victims were found.

"These two boys were murdered," Patty Baur said. "At first they (investigators) called it an accident. It's not an accident if no one comes forward."

But perhaps the tragic scenario began with an accident, but escalated. Perhaps it began with some evil or criminal intent.

Was what happened provoked in any way by something — even something insignificant — that the teens might have done or not done that night or some other time — something that might have become blown out of proportion in the mind or minds of the person or persons responsible?

So many questions haven't produced answers. So many theories haven't provided a solid direction to investigators.

So much sorrow and heartache and so many unanswered questions have made closure impossible for the families and friends of the victims.

Eight years have passed, but perhaps Murphy is the lead investigator who finally will tie all of the loose ends together.

Many people will be waiting and hoping for that result. Closure in the case is overdue.