Circumstances of Disappearance
McLaughlin was last seen by his roommates on October 23, 1975 in Syracuse, NY. He withdrew from the Syracuse School of Art just days prior to his disappearance in order to visit his girl friend but he never made the trip. He did not attend classes after Oct. 20th three days before he vanished by arrangement with the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He had planned to leave for England from his home Dec. 1.

Friends who lived with him on Harvard Place said he left there without incident Oct. 23 to "go to lunch" on Marshall Street, although police later learned McLaughlin already had lunch and had not been observed in the student shopping area by anyone they interviewed.

Friends said he was carrying $3,000 that his father had sent him to buy a car.

The truck he then owned, for which he already, had buyers, was found parked in the driveway of the house on Harvard Place where he lived with other students. A later check of his room revealed another $250 in a tool box which McLaughlin thinks Scott would have taken with him if he intended to leave. The student was not reported missing until early November, after his father unsuccessfully tried to reach him by phone. "It was most unusual for him to be gone more than a day or two," he said.
His check book was also missing but had not been used since October.
There were reports the student was involved in illegal drug traffic on the campus.