A witness reported seeing Karen get into a light blue, four-door car (possibly a Ford Grenada, Mercury Monarch, or Nissan) from the 1970s. The car had California plates with “Eureka” on the frame. The driver was described as an older (60-70s), small-built Caucasian man with balding light hair, a broken nose, and glasses. Police have sketches of both the car and the driver, who is considered a potential witness.

Four months later, Robert Durst, a man with a history of unsolved disappearances connected to his family, was seen visiting Karen’s aunt’s store. Durst resembles the sketch of the driver. He’s a suspect in the disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen, and was acquitted of the murder of Morris Black in Texas. He was also convicted of murdering Susan Berman.

While investigators looked into Durst’s possible connection to Karen’s case, he was never charged. They have ruled him out as a suspect in another disappearance, but are investigating his potential involvement in another older missing person case linked to his former business.

Karen, who lived with her aunt and uncle, was a bright student with strong political and environmental views. She was about to graduate high school and planned to go to college. Her disappearance remains a mystery.