Have you seen Karen Spencer?

For nearly three years, I have interviewed many people from all over the country for the Catch my Killer podcast. The names and faces have changed, but the stories remain the same. It could be a loved one who has disappeared, or a murdered family member. Families are left to grieve without answers. These people have lost faith in law enforcement and accept that they may never receive answers.

Although I haven’t interviewed any family members of Reading, Ohio teenager Karen Spencer, her family has waited over three decades for answers. The location of Karen’s disappearance is chilling. Karen was last seen walking along 275 in Clermont County. I have driven along this stretch of highway many times. I have spent hours researching different cases nationally and locally for this column and my podcast.

The case of Karen Spencer is disturbing. Her story began on December 29, 1989. Karen and her sister-in-law Cristy Spencer were driving along I-275 in Clermont County. In Miami Township, Karen had been living with her brother and sister-in-law.

According to the Charley Project website, the women argued over Karen’s plans to move to Florida with her brother and Christy after high school. Sometime around 3:00 a.m., Christy pulled over between the Montgomery Road and Ohio 28 exits. Karen then exited the vehicle. Whether Christy forced Karen to get out of her car or if Karen wanted to exit the car on her own is unknown.

According to Christy, Karen then began walking north. Christy then turned back to pick Karen up. She returned to find Karen gone. Witnesses reported seeing Karen walking along the highway. Karen was never seen alive again.

Her loved ones began searching for her. However, they found no sign of the missing high school student. Karen’s family said she had a job and was excited to move to Florida after graduating high school. This year marks the 33rd anniversary of Karen’s disappearance. There hasn’t been much information about the case over the years. There have been a few false leads that have not led to any information.

Though the family may hold on to some hope that Karen is still alive, law enforcement believes it’s unlikely. However, there was a man driving a red car who pulled over after seeing Christy’s car along the highway. The man asked the women if they needed help. Christy said they didn’t need help. The man then drove away. Law enforcement claimed that the man gave inconsistent answers and seemed suspicious. No further action was taken against him. In 2000, a man claimed to have known what had happened to Karen. According to him, her body was buried in Kentucky. Law enforcement arrested the caller for providing a false tip. Over the years, law enforcement has searched the Lake Isabella area and found nothing.

Christy may have been the last person to see Karen, but she passed a polygraph and is not considered a suspect. I searched for follow-up interviews with Christy, but found none. FOX19 reached out to her for an interview, but she declined.

Karen’s family must be frustrated after spending over three decades in search of information about her whereabouts. Law enforcement is unlikely to find out what happened to Karen without the public’s assistance. If you read this and can help the family, please call the Miami Township Police at 513-248-3721 or Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.

Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.