Family shares near-break in case of missing woman, marks two years since disappearance

ETNA, Pa. — Loved ones continue to hold out hope for answers in the suspicious disappearance of a young Etna woman.

Monday marks two years since anyone has heard from Kaylene Oehling, who vanished at the age of 20, after visiting a friend and leaving to meet someone.

“It doesn’t get any easier, it seems harder with no answers,” said Tiffany Young, her mother. “Somebody has to know something.”

Late last year, loved ones thought they were close to getting a break in the case. Human remains were discovered in a wooded part of Penn Hills, and Kaylene’s family was reportedly contacted by investigators.

“Initially, we had talked to the medical examiner, who said they were investigating to see if those remains belonged to Kaylene,” said Paul Young, her uncle. “They did tell my sister at that time, they did not believe they were Kaylene’s, however, county detectives told us they were not ruling that out.”

Channel 11 contacted county police for the latest and was told “The Allegheny County Medical Examiners Office and a forensic odontologist have examined the remains along with Kaylene’s dental records and determined the remains were not that of Kaylene.”

Detectives told us that a forensic anthropologist was also consulted. Currently, the remains “are still listed as unidentified,” according to police.

Detectives say Kaylene’s disappearance is still an open and active investigation.

In that past, county investigators told Channel 11 that the case is “suspicious,” and that police do in fact have suspects, yet none have ever been publicly identified.

No one has ever been arrested for her disappearance. However, her ex-boyfriend is facing criminal charges for a separate investigation involving the family.

Michael Manno, of Penn Hills, is accused of sending explicit photographs of Kaylene to Kaylene’s underage sister.

During a preliminary hearing last year, he entered a not-guilty plea via his public defender.

Loved ones hope to get justice in that case, which is currently scheduled to go to trial this March.

“It’s hard enough on my sister, Kaylene’s father, all of Kaylene’s siblings, to go through this,” Paul said. “The added-on part of somebody taunting the family, sending photos of their missing daughter, I mean, that’s horrible, so hopefully in March we get some kind of resolution.”

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