This High School Senior Forgot Her Purse At A Party In 1986, But After She Went Back To Get It, She Was Never Seen Again
In 1986, Denise Pflum was an eighteen-year-old from Indiana who dreamed of being a microbiologist.
She attended Connersville High School, where she excelled in school, was the treasurer of the science club, and even played basketball, softball, and volleyball.
By March, Denise was also looking forward to starting the next chapter of her life. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend of three years– Shawn M. McClung– and started to become a social butterfly.
Denise also had big plans following graduation. She intended to study at Miami University in Ohio and even hoped to land a track scholarship at the school.
But, all of these possibilities crumbled away in a matter of a day. On the evening of March 27, 1986, Denise went to a large party.
The school year was winding down, and prom was only a month away. So, a few hundred Connersville High School students got together to celebrate.
And all was fine until the following day, March 28, when Denise realized she had left her purse at the gathering.
Around 12:30 p.m., the teen asked a few friends to retrieve it with her. None of her friends were available, though, so she went alone.
Facebook; pictured above is Denise
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While leaving her home, Denise also stopped to have a brief conversation with a neighbor. Following that chat, she was never seen again.
That Friday, the afternoon came and went. Then, Denise’s parents started to worry. It was unlike the teen to not return home, so they immediately reported her missing.
A search was launched, and Denise’s car was eventually discovered parked and locked near a farm east of Glenwood.
The farm’s owner explained how the car had been there since the day before, and he thought it belonged to a mushroom hunter. Denise had no reason to be frequenting that area of town.
Still, the car’s location wound up being a dead end in the investigation, and the teen’s case remained cold for thirty-four years.
That was until July of 2020, when Denise’s old ex-boyfriend Shawn McClung made a confession.
“Shawn M. McClung was charged today with Voluntary Manslaughter– a Class B Felony– resulting from the investigation into the death of Denise Pflum… The information and probable cause allege that McClung previously claimed that Pflum was still alive but has recently admitted he killed her in March of 1986,” the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department stated in a press release on July 9, 2020.
And while McClung’s confession and charges may have provided the Pflum family with some sense of justice, they are still missing one crucial piece of the puzzle– the location of Denise’s remains.
Denise’s family has since created a “Justice For Denise Pflum” Facebook page to raise awareness about her case and welcome anyone with information.
Just this past month, they received an anonymous manilla envelope containing sensitive information about the case that may lead to some answers.
However, the Pflums are still left piecing together Denise’s murder in hopes of finally receiving some closure.
If you have any information regarding Denise’s disappearance, you are encouraged to message the Pflums on Facebook and report it to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department at (765) 825-1110.
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