Katharina Buczek
In 1982, fifteen-year-old Karen Stitt was the new girl in Santa Clara County, California. She had just moved from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to attend Palo Alto High School, and her spunky personality quickly gained her a vibrant social life.
And in addition to a friend group, Karen also hit it off with a guy who eventually became her boyfriend.
Following the pair’s casual hangout on September 2, 1982, though, Karen’s life was tragically taken from her.
That Thursday evening, Karen and her boyfriend had stayed out late to play video games at a 7-Eleven.
Then, around 12:30 a.m., Karen’s boyfriend walked her to a nearby bus stop at the intersection of South Wolfe Road and El Camino Real so she could travel back to her home.
While the pair was approaching the bus stop, though, Karen’s boyfriend began to worry that he would get in trouble for staying out past curfew.
So, he quickly ran home after they got close enough to the stop; but Karen never got on the bus.
Instead, she disappeared from the roadway– last seen wearing a striped shirt, leather jacket, and her boyfriend’s Rush rock baseball hat, according to the County of Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office.
County of Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office; pictured above is Karen
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