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| 1997 Knechtel-Mero,Karin Feb 28,1997; McCloud 27 years old | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 25 2007, 10:15 AM (657 Views) | |
| oldies4mari2004 | Feb 25 2007, 10:15 AM Post #1 |
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http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/mero_karen.html Karen Elizabeth Knechtel Mero Above Images: Mero, circa 1997 Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance Missing Since: February 15, 1997 from McCloud, California Classification: Endangered Missing Date Of Birth: May 21, 1969 Age: 27 years old Height and Weight: 5'8, 170 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, green eyes. Mero has a scar on her face near her nose and a surgical scar on her lower abdomen from a liver transplant. Her upper front row of teeth are capped. Some agencies give her name as "Karen Knichtel Mero" or "Karin Elizabeth Mero." Details of Disappearance Mero was last seen in McCloud, California on February 15, 1997. She was apparently last seen at the residence of Ed Henline Sr. and his wife Deborah. The couple lived on East Minnesota Avenue in McCloud at the time and Mero formerly lived at their home as well. She has never been seen again. Mero was not reported as a missing person to law enforcement until October 1997, eight months after she disappeared. Another young woman, Hannah Zaccaglini, also vanished from the same locale as Mero in February 1997, four months after Mero's disappearance. The Henlines were questioned in both cases and their home was searched by law enforcement, but the couple has never been connected to either disappearance. Authorities maintain that the Henlines remain possible suspects in the cases, however. The couple was accused of writing fraudulent checks on Mero's bank account after she disappeared. They were also arrested on drug charges in 1999. Another possible suspect in both Zaccaglini and Mero's cases is Wesley Howard Shermantine. A photo of Shermantine is posted below this case summary. He was convicted in 2001 of four murders in California, including the presumed deaths of Chevelle Wheeler in 1985 and Cynthia Vanderheiden in 1998. It is not known if Shermantine is involved in either Zaccaglini or Mero's disappearances. Both cases remain unsolved. Above: Shermatine, circa 2001 Investigating Agency If you have any information concerning this case, please contact: Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office 530-841-2900 OR Federal Bureau Of Investigation Redding, California Office 530-223-6473 OR Siskiyou County Secret Witness 530-842-5564 Source Information The Siskiyou Daily News The Redding Record Searchlight The Carole Sund/Carrington Memorial Foundation Mayhem.Net California Attorney General's Office Updated 3 times sinces October 12, 2004. Last updated June 26, 2006; distinguishing characteristics updated. Charley Project Home |
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| oldies4mari2004 | Feb 25 2007, 10:15 AM Post #2 |
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| oldies4mari2004 | Feb 25 2007, 10:16 AM Post #3 |
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http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/in...showtopic=10454 |
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| PorchlightUSA | Feb 17 2010, 10:38 PM Post #4 |
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Mount Shasta, Calif. - It’s been 13 long, painful and frustrating years for the parents and families of two McCloud women who mysteriously disappeared without a trace in 1997. Time doesn’t always ease the pain of the loss; on the contrary, longterm missing persons can be devastating to families. Robert Knechtel, father of Karin Knechtel-Mero, one of the missing women, suffered a heart attack and developed other stress-related health problems shortly after his daughter’s disappearance. In a recent interview he said he and his wife Alice haven’t given up hope that their daughter will be found and the person or persons involved in her disappearance will be apprehended. “My wife and I are having faith in the justice system and we are hoping for a resolution, and that’s what we are praying for,” he said. Hannah Marie Zaccaglini, then age 15, disappeared four months after Mero. Both women were last seen at the home of Ed Henline Sr. and his wife Debbie. From the onset of the investigations, sheriff’s investigators were criticized by both families of the two women for what they perceived as a slow response to the disappearances. Hannah’s mother Jennifer has always maintained that false rumors around town saying she was a drug dealer not only hurt her but may have influenced initial reaction to her daughter’s case. In a recent interview, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department Captain John Villani, a former detective on both cases, said, “Mero was an adult and believing that she had probably moved away, or was in hiding, because of an outstanding search warrant, the Sheriff’s Department didn’t list her as missing till November 1997. “As time passed the likelihood she had left town on her own lessened and our efforts to find her accelerated,” he said. “Hannah running away didn’t gel with me,” said her former McCloud High School teacher Susan Villarreal in a recent telephone interview. “Hannah played the bass guitar in a band at a school concert the night before she disappeared, then played again during a school assembly the day of her disappearance. That was the last time I saw her. “She was totally stoked, very happy and very excited, because the kids had been invited to play at the race track in Yreka the following week. That would be their first gig. “She was a very outgoing, very strong-willed, intelligent and a very creative girl. So sad,” Villarreal added. Siskiyou County Sheriff Rick Riggins said that two years ago the department hired part-time, retired detective sergeant Nick Schwall to reinvestigate the Mero case. “I felt somebody that wasn’t involved with the case originally might see something that might have been missed,” Riggins said. “He is doing an excellent job and we are extremely happy with him.” “I would really personally find extreme satisfaction that the two cases be solved and that there be some kind of closure for the families,” said Villani. “If I could wish anything in the world I would like to see some resolution because I’ve had an opportunity to get close to the families and see what residual effects it’s had on them. I pray that for them.” A missing woman timeline about their disappearances was published in Southern Siskiyou Newspapers in 2003. It included events in 1997 and 1998. • Feb. 14, 1997 — Bob and Alice Knechtel of Mount Shasta see their daughter Karin Knechtel-Mero at the home of Ed Henline Sr. and his wife Debbie Henline at East Minnesota Avenue in McCloud. Mero was 27 at the time of her disappearance and was last seen Feb. 14, 1997 at the Henline residence. Mero was living there with her boyfriend Ed Henline Jr. • May 21, 1997 — The Knechtels have heard nothing from their daughter since February. Her 28th birthday passes and they still don’t hear from her. The Knechtels continue to try to notify the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco after her disappearance. The hospital handled Mero’s anti-rejection medicine and prescriptions after she had a liver transplant in 1994. The Sheriff’s Department tells the Knechtels that Mero is an adult so she can leave when she wants. Deputies also have a warrant out for her arrest so they think she is hiding. • June 4, 1997 — McCloud High School student Hannah Zaccaglini, 15, disappears from McCloud. Deputies say the last person to see her was Ed Henline Sr. outside his house. • Late June 1997 — Sheriff’s detectives ask FBI agents for assistance in the Zaccaglini case. • Summer 1997 — Detectives do about four consent searches at the Henline home. • Oct. 16 1997 — Sheriff’s detectives tell the Knechtels that detectives can’t get information on whether their daughter is receiving her medicine without a missing report. The Knechtels are finally able to make a report. FBI agents also help on the Mero case. • November 1997 — Authorities cancel Mero’s medical disability money and she still doesn’t contact anyone. • April 16, 1998 — Sheriff’s detectives serve a search warrant at the Henline home. This is the first search warrant served concerning the Zaccaglini/Mero cases. Ed and Debbie Henline are arrested on suspicion of welfare fraud. They are suspected of writing checks on Mero’s account from the time she disappeared to December 1997 and failing to report the extra income. • April 30, 1998 — Ed and Debbie Henline plead guilty to perjury in connection to the fraudulent acquisition of funds from the checking account of Mero. The Henlines are sentenced to pay $2,000 and placed on three years probation. • May 1998 — The Knechtels retrieve two of their daughter’s rings that had been sold to Jon Thomas Jewelry in Mount Shasta. • June 8 and 9, 1998 — Authorities serve two search warrants at the Henline home. These are the second and third search warrants served there. Two body-searching cadaver dogs scour the home and other areas of McCloud for two days. McCloud resident Ron Berryman, in a recent interview, said, “I personally think it is very likely there are people still living in this area that know what happened to those two young ladies but are remaining quiet for obvious reasons.” “I can only imagine what must go through the parents’ minds on a daily basis. My sympathies lie with the families that haven’t gotten closure for their loved ones. Mostly what we need is someone to come forward,” Berryman added. McCloud resident Barbara Korb said, “I suppose only if someone with direct knowledge spills the beans will the cases ever be closed. Maybe someone will be tired of secrets and speak up.” “The Henlines remain as “persons of interest,” according to Detective Schwall, who is assigned to both Zaccaglini and Mero cases, but is presently focused on the Mero case. Anyone with any information regarding either case is urged to call the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department at (530) 841-2900. http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x13289447...-still-unsolved |
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| PorchlightUSA | Mar 15 2010, 04:51 PM Post #5 |
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Siskiyou County Sheriffs Department Detective John Villani 530-841-2900 Agency Case Number: 97-2573 NCIC Number: M-088188481 |
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| PorchlightUSA | Mar 15 2010, 04:52 PM Post #6 |
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MISSING PERSON Karin Elizabeth Mero * Report Type: Voluntary Missing Adult * Sex: Female * Race: White * Hair: Brown * Eye Color: Green * Height: 5 ft. 08 in. * Weight: 170 lbs. * Date of Birth: 5/21/1969 * Last Seen: 2/28/1997 * Scars/Marks/Tattoos: Scar on lower abdomen, Scar on face near her nose. * Dental X-rays Available: Yes Karin was last seen February 28, 1997 in Mc Cloud, CA. CONTACT Agency: Siskiyou County Sheriffs Department Phone Number: (530) 841-2900 Case Number: 97-2573 http://dojapp.doj.ca.gov/missing/detail.as...N=5459800700230 |
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| PorchlightUSA | Feb 18 2011, 07:17 AM Post #7 |
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Investigators in Siskiyou County say they may be close to solving a pair of suspicious disappearances that have gone unsolved for 14 years. Newly elected Sheriff Jon Lopey said Thursday that his detectives recently asked Siskiyou County District Attorney Kirk Andrus to review possible charges in the disappearance of 27-year-old Karin Knechtel Mero. Andrus said his office is considering filing murder charges. "I know there's been progress," Andrus said. "We are getting close." Knechtel Mero disappeared on Feb. 14, 1997 after being spotted at a home in McCloud. Less than five months later, on June 4, 1997, 15-year-old Hannah Zaccaglini similarly vanished after last being seen at the same McCloud home. Detective Sgt. Mark Hilsenberg said he couldn't comment on the specifics of the case or identify the suspects, due to the sensitivity of the investigation. He said the potential suspects in the case still live in the area, but detectives haven't been able to locate the bodies of the two women. "There is a possibility there's a connection between both girls' disappearances," Hilsenberg said. Though cautiously optimistic, Knechtel Mero's father, Bob Knechtel, 67, of Yreka, said Thursday he was surprised the case had suddenly progressed after so long. But he was trying to stay calm to keep his weakened heart steady. Knechtel partially blames the stress from his daughter's disappearance for years of poor health. "Hopefully, there will be some resolution of it in my lifetime," he said. Lopey said that since he's been elected he's made solving the disappearances, as well as a number of cold case murders, a priority. Lopey said his office plans to bring in federal and state help, forensic specialists and technology that was not available at the time of the disappearances. He's also freeing up resources inside the sheriff's department to work on the cases. "This thing has festered in this county for a long time," he said. The two young women were last seen at the East Minnesota Avenue home of Deborah and Ed Henline Sr. Mero had been living at the Henline home with her boyfriend, Ed Henline Jr., before she disappeared. Zaccaglini was last seen leaving the Henline home about 10 p.m. a few months later. The Henlines were questioned and their home was searched by sheriff's detectives, FBI agents and body-hunting experts, but no one was declared a suspect in the disappearances. Deputies initially discouraged Mero's parents from reporting their daughter's disappearance, but they finally reported her missing in October 1997, nine months after she had last been seen. Detectives said at the time they thought she was in hiding because of a warrant for her arrest on drug-related charges. Similarly, for the first two weeks after Zaccaglini disappeared, investigators originally thought she was a runaway, depressed about breaking up with her boyfriend. But detectives later determined that the girl wouldn't have struck out on her own and labeled the disappearance suspicious. They thought the aspiring model would never leave behind her hairbrush, pocketbook, money and her prized bass guitar. Detectives asked anyone with information about the two women's whereabouts to call the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office at 841-2900. © 2011 Record Searchlight. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. http://www.redding.com/news/2011/feb/17/op...disappearances/ |
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| PorchlightUSA | Feb 18 2011, 07:23 AM Post #8 |
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Sheriff Lopey says solving cold cases is a priority By Anonymous Mount Shasta Area Newspapers Posted Feb 17, 2011 @ 03:27 PM Print Comment Yreka, Calif. — The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department announced Thursday, Feb. 17, that they have submitted the Karen Mero case to the District Attorney’s office for review of criminal charges stemming from her disappearance in 1997 in the McCloud area. In conjunction with the Mero case, Sherriff Jon Lopey announced that his investigation division is actively investigating the Hannah Zaccaglini case that focuses on the disappearance of the 15 year old girl who also disappeared from the McCloud area in that same time period. Sheriff Lopey stated that the Department will be bringing in federal and state assistance that will include forensic specialists and technology that was not available at the time of the girl’s disappearance. Lopey has made it a priority to solve these cases as well as the other “cold cases” that are in the Sheriff Department, according to a press release from his office. He said he is also placing additional resources into the investigations to help the assigned detectives including the Secret Witness program and “using innovative techniques to help assist in the investigations of these cases.” “We are going to relentlessly pursue the person or persons responsible for the disappearance of these young women,” Sheriff Lopey is quoted as saying in the release. “Often times, young women and children are the most vulnerable in our society and too often fall victim to criminals. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office will never forget these victims or their families. We will not stop investigating these cases until they are solved. Our department personnel are actively working with other law enforcement agencies and the district attorney, Kirk Andrus, to vigorously pursue every investigative lead and legal tool at our disposal to ensure justice is realized for these crime victims and their families who have waited far too long for closure and a just outcome.” Both the Zaccaglini and Mero case are believed to be suspicious in nature and the girls are believed to have been the victims of possible criminal actions, the Sheriff’s Department states in the release. Anyone with any information on the listed cases is strongly urged to contact Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department Detective Jeff Moser at 841-2900. Copyright 2011 Mount Shasta Herald. Some rights reserved http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x15684454...s-is-a-priority |
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| tatertot | Jul 30 2011, 06:09 AM Post #9 |
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http://www.redding.com/news/2011/jul/28/re...ths-recent-two/ Human remains found in Siskiyou; Chico State anthropologists aid investigators Two bodies are not thought from cold cases By Sean Longoria, Scott Mobley Posted July 28, 2011 at 11:36 p.m. Human remains found earlier this week by Siskiyou County sheriff's deputies are not thought to be related to any of the county's cold cases, a spokesperson said Thursday. Deputies checking a reported abandoned truck near Happy Camp on Monday found the remains nearby. On Tuesday, deputies continued their search with help from Chico State University anthropologists and Jackson County Search and Rescue, and found more remains, apparently of a second person, about 300 yards from the truck. Wild animals have disturbed the remains, making it difficult for investigators to identify the two peopleor determine how and when they died, said Allison Giannini, Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office spokesperson. Authorities are treating the case as a homicide until they can get a better idea what happened, deputies said. On Thursday, Giannini said deputies think the two people died recently, butan exact time frame is undetermined. "It's just hard to tell how recently," she said. Giannini also said the sheriff's office doesn't suspect the remains are connected to any missing-person cases or cold case murders in Siskiyou County. Sheriff Jon Lopey has said that since his election, he has made solving long-standing disappearances and a number of cold case murders a priority. Siskiyou County sheriff's deputies arrested a Hornbrook man in June in connection with the 22-year-old cold-case investigation into the possible murder of Kimberly Kantonen, who disappeared March 8, 1989, at age 19. Her body was never found. Deputies arrested Arnold Aggas Sr., 66, on suspicion of killing Kantonen. He's in Siskiyou County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail and is awaiting an Aug. 9 hearing on his challenge to the charges. Investigators in Siskiyou County have said they also might be close to solving a pair of disappearances unsolved for 14 years. Karin Knechtel Mero, 27 at the time, and Hannah Zaccaglini, 19 at the time, disappeared in 1997. The sheriff's office identified suspects in the disappearances and forwarded the information to the District Attorney's Office for review earlier this year, but no charges have been filed. |
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| oldies4mari2004 | May 3 2012, 07:48 PM Post #10 |
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Another picture of Karin |
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