25 years since Clemson student Knapp disappeared

The National Center for Missing & Exploited is marking 25 years since Jason Knapp disappeared.

Jason mysteriously vanished from his university apartment in Clemson, South Carolina on April 12, 1998. Originally from York, PA, the 20-year-old was a Clemson University student studying mechanical engineering. The night before his disappearance, Jason was last seen by his roommates leaving their apartment complex.

On April 21, 1998, authorities found Jason’s car abandoned about thirty miles from campus at Table Rock State Park in Pickens, South Carolina. Despite extensive searches conducted by law enforcement, there was no sight of Jason.

25 years later Jason’s mom, Deborah Boogher, still holds on to the hope that she will find the answers she has been searching for and longs to bring her son home safely. Deborah told NCMEC that several years ago she created scrapbooks filled with cherished photographs, mementos, and belongings of Jason. She holds these close to her heart and hopes that they will be passed down through their family, so that Jason’s memory can be honored for generations to come.

At Clemson University, Jason was a part of their ROTC program and had just been accepted into the elite Perishing Rifles program. He had expressed to his mom how proud he was of himself and his excitement for the program to start just a few days prior to his disappearance.

As a way to honor his memory and keep awareness about Jason heightened, new members of the Perishing Rifles program learn about Jason’s life and his disappearance. Deborah expresses deep gratitude towards this program, and the Clemson community, for keeping Jason’s story alive.

In 2022, a new age progression was released which shows what Jason may look like today. The age progression was created by a forensic artist at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.