Katharina Buczek
Once Sandra did not return home that evening, her family and friends immediately became worried. They had no knowledge of the 16-year-old planning to run away from home. All of Sandra’s personal belongings and money were also still at her house– where she lived with her mother.
Unfortunately, though, police officers still classified Sandra’s case as a runaway. This can be a damning classification if untrue– since law enforcement involvement is limited, there is little to no media attention, and victims’ families often have to put in extra effort to search for their loved ones.
In Sandra’s case, her runaway classification resulted in the failure to collect her dental records. In turn, these records have since been lost. The DOE Network does have familial DNA on file. However, Sandra’s disappearance has remained unsolved for over 36 years now. Investigators are still unsure whether the teen’s disappearance was related to her participation as a witness in the murder trial of Wayne Mack.
There was also other evidence related to Sandra’s status as an expectant mother. At the time of her disappearance, she was four months pregnant. And shortly before she vanished, the father of Sandra’s unborn baby reportedly revealed he would be marrying a different woman– which severely upset the 16-year-old.
Although, it remains unclear whether or not this incident was related to the teen’s disappearance. So, to this day, Sandra’s family has continued searching for answers. Fifteen years after she vanished, Sandra’s case classification was changed from runaway to endangered missing. There were also two tips submitted to investigators in 1997.
One tipster claimed that Sandra had become an actress in adult films. A second tip, submitted by someone who knew the teen, suggested that they had seen Sandra in a “Soul Train” episode.
Unfortunately, though, neither of these tips was ever confirmed, and investigators revealed that they had not received any credible tips regarding Sandra’s case in years.
In 1987, Sandra lived on south Camden Street with her mother and was a student at Washington High School. She was five foot five, weighed 130 pounds, and had black hair and brown eyes. Sandra was also four months pregnant and had several chipped teeth, ear piercings, and a scar on the right side of her neck. She would be 52 years old today.
If you have any information regarding Sandra’s disappearance or whereabouts, you are urged to contact the South Bend Police Department at (547) 235-9201.
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