CHALFANT, CA — Sometime before dawn on October 13, 2018, Karlie Guse disappeared from her home in California. The 16-year-old had reportedly spent the previous evening hanging out with friends and, after saying she didn’t feel good, calling her stepmother Melissa for a ride home at around 9 p.m.

From there, Melissa said, Karlie ate dinner and went to bed. Zachary Guse, Karlie’s father, later remarked that his daughter seemed “disoriented” before going to sleep. The next morning, Melissa said she saw Karlie in her room at about 5:45, but when she checked back a little later, the teenager was gone.

Zachary and Melissa thought perhaps Karlie had gone out for a walk. The couple spent the next two hours searching for her to no avail. They then alerted the authorities, as well as Lindsay Fairley, Karlie’s mom, who immediately drove nine hours to California from Nevada.

Three separate witnesses reportedly told police they saw Karlie walking toward Highway 6 that morning, but that was the last time she was seen. Deputies say there was also a tip she was seen near White Mountain Estates as well. The utter lack of physical evidence has proven frustrating.

On Facebook, the Mono County Sheriff’s Office posted, “We have deployed multiple resources, including helicopters, search dogs, Search and Rescue teams and off-road vehicles, to thoroughly search the surrounding neighborhoods and high-desert terrain. Interviews of family and friends have been conducted, as well as forensic investigation into her social media and electronic devices.”

Sheriff Ingrid Braun went on to add this is still a missing person investigation and there is a deputy dedicated to finding Karlie and following up with leads.

TRAITS & CHARACTERISTICS:

• Weight: 110 pounds
• Height: 5 feet 7 inches
• Sex: Female
• Race: Caucasian
• Hair: Dark blonde
• Eyes: Blue
• Date of birth: May 13, 2002
• Current age (as of 2023): 21
• Location last seen: Bishop, California
• Date last seen: October 13, 2018

For more on this case, stream People Magazine Investigates: "The Strange Disappearance of Karlie Gusé" on Max.