Family offers $25K reward for info on Donofrio disappearance, death

YOUNGSTOWN — The family of a businessman who went missing in September 2011 and whose body washed up on the banks of the Ohio River in 2012 has put up a $25,000 reward seeking information on how he went missing and died.

The family of James Donofrio, 64, of Boardman, former owner of the Avalon Gardens restaurant on the city’s North Side, is offering the

reward through CrimeStoppers and the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force.

Donofrio was reported missing Sept. 26, 2011. His family met with police and prosecutors in June this year to go over the autopsy results and said at the time they were pondering putting out a reward.

His body was found in Clarington, Ohio, on the banks of the Ohio River on March 25, 2012, but it was not identified until April 9 of this year. After the body was found, it was in the custody of West Virginia authorities because they have jurisdiction over the river.

Anyone with information can call CrimeStoppers at 330-746-CLUE or the task force at 330-333-1TIP or online at www.valleytaskforce.com and reference TIP# SANO_002.