Katharina Buczek
Once Kristi began receiving therapy and drug treatment, though, she started making rapid progress. Six months later, she was even released from the hospital, and her therapist recommended that she begin working part-time again.
As things started to look up, Bob could not have been more thrilled.
“I think it was suggested she work 20 hours a week to start with,” he explained.
“And she did incredibly well. And she was very proud of herself. She got herself a second job in a local fast-food restaurant.”
But Kristi soon began taking on a lot more responsibility– working long 10 to 12-hour days. As the years passed by, her parents also tried to express their concern about her rapid pace at work.
Kristi kept insisting that she was fine, though, until she tragically spiraled again and disappeared.
It all began on August 9, 1993, when Kristi left her job at Round Table Pizza in reportedly good spirits. But, the 22-year-old did not go straight home as usual.
Instead, Kristi drove around aimlessly before veering onto a dirt road east of Mendocino, California– located only seven miles from her previous car fire.
And yet again, in a remote area of the redwood forest, Kristi’s car got stuck in the mud. Upon discovery of the vehicle, authorities found small traces of blood in the front seat and on the dashboard.
The car radio had been ripped out, and there were also shredded identification papers and torn-up photographs scattered on the road.
Investigators were able to link the car, papers, and photographs back to the 22-year-old. But Kristi was never seen again after this incident– which was eerily similar to what happened just three years prior.
