Her car was found at her house, with her purse and glasses inside – but no sign of her. This was very strange because she left behind everything: her clothes, belongings, and money. She also didn’t leave a note for her three children, which wasn’t like her.

Carol was in the middle of a difficult divorce from her much older husband, Donald. They argued a lot, and Carol told friends that Donald was abusive and controlling. She said he hit and even molested her. She also found a bag of knives in his closet and reported that he was tapping her phone. While there were police reports about their arguments, none mentioned Carol being assaulted. Her mother said the violence wasn’t as bad as Carol claimed.

Donald, a wealthy businessman, claimed he hadn’t seen Carol for a week before she vanished. He was the main suspect. Police found Carol’s blood in their house and Donald’s car. They believe he killed her. He refused to talk to police before he died of cancer in 1986.

Though some reports called Carol an heiress because of her family’s connection to Kmart, she actually lived a modest life. The family said she wouldn’t inherit a large fortune.

The timing of her disappearance – just days before Donald’s finances were to be audited as part of the divorce – is suspicious. The case remains unsolved, and Carol was declared legally dead in 1993.