Post by Scumhunter on Dec 26, 2014 10:45:52 GMT -5
(Above: Karen at age 17)
(Above: Age-progressed photo)
Missing Child/Person Profile as of December 26th, 2014 (based on missingkids.com poster):
Missing Since: Nov 25, 1997
Missing From: Eureka, CA
DOB: Nov 30, 1980
Age (as of 12/26/2014): 34
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair Color: Sandy
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 130 lbs
TIPS: Anyone having information should call 1-800-THE-LOST or the Eureka Police Department (California) at 1-707-441-4044
Karen Marie Mitchell has been missing since November 25th, 1997. Her story was first aired on the May 29th, 1999 episode of AMW on Fox.
On that day in 1997, then 17-year old Karen was on holiday vacation from her high school in Eureka, California. She departed from her place of employment, the "Coastal Family Development Center" during the afternoon hours. Her aunt and legal guardian, Annie Casper owned a store inside the Bayshore Mall, which was only a block away. She briefly visited her aunt before departing the mall at 2:45 PM and has never been seen or heard from again.
There have been some clues to go on first. Witnesses described a light blue four-door 1976-1978 sedan Karen may have entered. The driver was described as a caucasian male, approximately 60-70 years of age, with balding light gray or sandy blonde hair, and wore glasses. (More information and a sketch is provided in Charley Project link below). Authorities identified a vehicle similar and interviewed its' owner who passed a polygraph test.
Wayne Adam Ford, who killed several women in California in the 1990's, was once considered a suspect, but denied any involvement.
Even Robert Durst, who has been in the news for other infamous incidents, has been looked into regarding Karen's disappearance. His first wife Kathlee Durst disappeared from New York in 1982 and still hasn't been found. Durst, despite being the prime suspect in her disappearance has never been charged in her case. However, in 2001, he was charged with the murder of next door neighbor Morris Black in Texas in 2001. He claimed he murdered Black in self-defense and in 2003, was acquitted.
The interest in Durst apparently stems from the fact he visited Karen's aunt's business multiple times in March 1998. However, from what I've found, investigators looked into the possibility Durst was in Eureka when Karen disappeared, but I've never read if they found any tangible evidence he was. And of course, Durst was never charged in Karen's case either.
Thoughts? The Durst angle is interesting but there's always a few key names where every state a notorious murder suspect or proven killer has ever been in is speculated about in virtually every single missing person or homicide case in the area. Nothing connects him other than possibly being in the area around the same time.
I'm also baffled since if Karen was abducted, it was probably in broad daylight. While I have no idea how active it was in the daytime in Eureka in 1997, it's a pretty brazen time to kidnap someone during that time of the day, making me wonder if a potential abductor was someone Karen actually knew.
In any case, 17 years is way too long to wait for answers. John Walsh has always said it's the not knowing that kills you. And I can only imagine what Karen's friends and family are going through.
www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/mitchell_karen.html
www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMC/840753/1
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