May 12, 2025 • 43 mins
Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit reflect on the past 6 months of this investigation with Karen’s family, friends, and coworkers as Karen finally comes home and is laid to rest.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This podcast is based on information sourced primarily from police
and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details
may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons.
While the events in cases discussed are based on real investigations,
some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes.
(00:27):
Voice actors have been used to read from statements or documents.
All information presented is intended solely to inform and raise awareness.
Hosts may discuss theories regarding the cases examined in this podcast,
but such discussions are not intended to and should not
(00:47):
be considered by the listener to be legal conclusions. All
persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty and a
court of law is advised.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
This is Chief Anna Lally. Welcome to Somebody Knows Something,
a podcast from the Elgin Police Department's Cold Case Unit.
In this podcast, we will shed new light on cold
cases in the city of Elgin by sharing untold details
and by encouraging anyone with information to come forward. You
will come along with real cold case detectives as they
(01:25):
investigate active cold cases in real time and seek justice
for the victims and closure for their families. We believe
that the Elgin Police Department and our community can work
together to bring closure to cold cases because we know
that in these cases, somebody knows something.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Hello, and welcome to Somebody Knows something. The Elgent Police
Department Cold Case Podcast. My name is Detective Andrew Howden.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
And I'm Detective Matt Vartinian.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Last episode, we revealed new information from one of Karen's
former coworkers who saw Karen Lee pm Bentley's alone on
April sixteenth of nineteen eighty three, and we also detailed
the findings of our multiple experts after they assessed both
Karen's Toyota and her remains. In the end, both Matt
and I concluded that Karen's death was most likely a
very tragic accident.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
For this final episode of the season, we sat back
down with the same people who started this journey with us,
members of Karen's family and several of her friends to
reflect on this case, to also discuss what Karen finally
coming home means to them, and to remember Karen Lee
Sheeper's back.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
On March twenty sixth of twenty twenty five, when we
first delivered the news to Liz that we had confirmed
that we had found Karen. She immediately told the family
that she wanted to have a funeral for her daughter,
and so that's how it came to pass that on
April sixteenth, twenty twenty five, exactly forty two years to
the day after Karen disappeared, both Matt and I, along
(02:54):
with countless others, filed into the Sycamore United Methodist Church
for Karen's funeral. The church was adorn in deep purple
colors for Easter, a time of remembrance, rebirth, and celebration,
and for Karen's friends and family, it was a time
to celebrate the life of Karen Sheepers.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Walking into the church, we were met by a large
crowd of people. Liz was there, and so were all
eight of Karen's siblings. Gary and Susan, who still live
here in Illinois, were joined by Dale who flew in
from North Carolina, Michael, Scott and Andy who flew up
from Texas, and Laurie who came in from Colorado, and
(03:31):
also Ron, who made his trip all the way from Arizona.
Other family members also came in around the state and
from Iowa. As you would expect, Denise, Heidi, and Elouise
were all there too, along with the group representing the
Sycamore High School class of nineteen seventy seven who had
come to pay their respects to Karen, and also several
other members of her community.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
The church was filled with photographs of Karen. Matt and
I had seen several of these photographs, but we were
overwhelmed by the dozens of other photographs that we had
never seen, which depicted the brief and beautiful life of
Karen Sheeper's. One picture depicted Liz holding Karen as a
baby on the family farm. Others included Karen on her
first birthday, a single candle atop her birthday cake as
(04:12):
she sat in a high chair, mesmerized by the flickering candlelight.
Another showed her in grade school blowing out a number
of other candles on another birthday. There were pictures of
siblings with a horse at the barn in her family's farm,
a picture of Karen as a teenager sticking out her
tongue at the camera with one of her many friends,
pictures of her in Paris on a class trip, and
one of her doing a headstand on her bed. To
(04:33):
see the life of Karen that was taken from her
far too soon was moving and brought Karen to life
even more for both of us.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
The family also had a shadow box atop a table
in the church. Inside was the sapphire birthstone ring and
the metal tassel that we were covered in Karen's car,
along with a necklace that belonged to Karen that Liz
had kept. These keepsakes will be something that the family
treasures and uses to remember Karen, and we are very
honored to have played a small part in helping to
(05:00):
return them to the family.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The family chose a poem and placed it prominently in
the church along with all these treasured belongings in the
mini photographs of Karen. Both Matt and I felt that
this poem perfectly fit the occasion, so I wanted to
read a portion of it. Here. You must feel like
a bird that has been flying NonStop, searching high and low,
within the high winds, in the sun and the cold,
(05:23):
shivering in the deepest part of your soul, looking always looking,
Oh little bird, you can rest your heart. Now, you
can close your eyes and rest your little beating heart,
for the searching is needed no more.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Several family members spoke during the service and remembered Karen.
Dale sang a song in memory of his sister, while
Susan accompanied him on the piano, and several of her friends,
including Denise and Heidi, spoke lovingly of the friend they lost.
The congregations sang songs as well, something that we both
believe Karen would have loved, and the pastor spoke of
(06:00):
hope and grief as the congregation remembered Karen. As the
casket was removed, Sergeant Jim Lally of the Elgin Police
Department played the bagpipes at Liz's request to honor the
family's Irish heritage. Karen's family then escorted her to Elmwood
Cemetery for a private burial. Lard Funeral Home here in
(06:22):
Elgin graciously offered their services and also provided Karen's casket
to the family at cost to help offset the price
for the service, burial and Karen's headstone. We want to
thank them for their generosity and for helping Karen's family
navigate this emotional time.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
We can only imagine that the experience at the cemetery
was mixed with laughter and tears, whispers and hugs between
siblings and a mother who while separated by thousands of
miles and decades of time, were always together in spirit,
thinking about and wondering where their lost sister or daughter
was for over four decades. Well now they know.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
In the days after Karen's funeral, we met one more
time with those same family and friends that we have
been speaking with throughout this investigation to hear the reflections
on this case, their personal experiences with Karen's funeral, and
to understand what it is like for them now that
they finally have an answer about what happened to Karen.
We started with Karen's younger brother, Dale.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Dale was actually the first family member that we spoke
to when we started this investigation back in October of
twenty twenty four. In fact, he was the first phone
call we made for this case. Dale later shared with
us that he initially thought about hanging up the phone
on us when we called him to ask about the
family's thoughts regarding reopening Karen's case, but ultimately he decided
to talk to his mother, Liz and see what she
(07:44):
wanted to do. It was Liz who told him that
she wanted to do whatever it took to keep Karen's
investigation alive, so like any good son, Dale agreed to
honor his mother's wishes. Here's Dale reflecting on this incredible journey.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
Well, to me personally, my we we took flowers over
to that site and tossed them, number every one, one
for every one of the siblings, and and my sister
as well. And my reaction was that said, I'm sorry
(08:20):
that it took us as long. That's all I can say. So,
I'm sorry it took it took us, myself and everyone
else that's long to find you want to bring you
home at the end of the day. H M. It
does offer a very good sense of closure and peace
(08:42):
for us that she's now there. And and again my
mom is as we're bringing the casket over and setting
it and all that sort of stuff, she sits down
and points out to you know, the rest of brothers
and sisters there gathered at the graveside and says that
(09:07):
right there, right next to Karen, she said, that's my spot.
Speaker 6 (09:11):
We'll be together.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
I will also say that my mother has has gotten
about twenty years younger over the last several months. She
was not eating. She was, you know, kind of getting
thinner and thinner and kind of you know, withering away
in my opinion, and this has this experience has brought
(09:38):
new life to her as well. So she's she's benefited
a lot and probably hasn't realized it yet, but I'm
certain of it because I've seen the results.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Dale is a very stoic man who does not show
his emotions often, even when talking about this case or
about the family's experience with ca AND's disappearance. But there
was more to Dale than meets the eye. In fact,
it was Dale who selected and sang a song called
the Promise at Karen's funeral, and he had a very
emotional reason why he chose that song, specifically to honor
(10:15):
his big sister's life.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
It was a song that I heard on the Preasian
radio station that was to and as I listened to
that song, I said, that's it. You know, the promise
that we all have is something that is It transcends time,
It is there for everyone and anyone, and you know
(10:41):
it was it was a promise that you know, she
can hold on too when I can hold him to
anybody and everybody can hold on to that. You know.
There's the part of the song that was most touching
to me is the part where it says that you know,
someday sooner, excuse be some day sooner than you think
(11:03):
I'll see you face to face. And you know, for Karen,
you sooner than I think is at age twenty three,
and you know, for me it's at least age sixty four.
So I made it this far, but you know, my
day that I met my Lord and Savior face to face,
(11:26):
I'm guessing it will be sooner than I think. I
think I'm going to live to one hundred or so,
you know, whatever the number is that I put on
that that you know, there's there's a very likely that
that will be the same for me and for probably
most everybody. So that was that was a significance of
(11:48):
that song.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
We also met with Karen's sister, Susan, who has been
a close point of contact for both of us throughout
this case. Susan is always quick to answer respond to
a text for acall and she's just been wonderful to
deal with on this case. We both can't thank her
enough for how she and everyone else in the family
has treated us during this investigation. It really is a
testament to the family that they were even nearly forty
(12:09):
two years later, after a roller coaster up and downs
so wonderful to both the matt and to me, Susan
described what it was like to finally have an answer
in Karen's case.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
I guess I didn't realize just how important the closure
was of the circle of life. You know, you're born,
you live, you die, you have a funeral, and you
have a memory of people. And without that, it was
(12:39):
just an open circle. And it never closed until we
had the funeral, and it was very It was it
was comforting to know that her remains are someplace we
know where they're at, and now they're in a comfortable
place for her to rest. And I didn't I didn't
(13:02):
know that that was going to be as powerful as
it was at the at the time, because somewhere along
the way, after many years, you kind of accept the
fact that you're probably never going to see this person again.
You always hope that you're going to and that hope
was always out there, and then you think that that
(13:24):
hope being gone would be It is sad, but it's not,
as said, because you kind of knew that that's where
this was going to end, but you kind of thought
you'd never get that end. Of the circle and to
have the end of the circle was it was, it was,
(13:47):
It was good and everybody came and that was it was,
it was. It was impactful, and I think everybody was
you know, there's no no hesitation, you know, there were
we're here and and that was that was really good.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
We also asked Susan about her thoughts on the outcome
of this investigation and the number of people who came
together because of Karen.
Speaker 7 (14:15):
It was a miracle. I mean, it's an absolute miracle that
she was found and we have I mean, I have
nothing but gratitude that I don't even know how to
how to express. I don't know that there is enough
words of gratitude that can be said, because it just
(14:36):
it can't it can't end. It is unlimited amounts of
gratitude to everybody. I was writing down all the people
and I'm just like, you know, I don't want to
forget anybody in remembering who all was involved, all the
people that who knew that she would have the kind
(15:00):
of impact on people so far in the future, and
all the things that everybody did, and all the people
that they interacted with that they never would have interacted with.
I mean people that I've met, people that everybody else
in the family's met, people that you know, we've all
met that we never would have known about, and they're
(15:23):
touched by her too, And that's that's it's powerful.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
The last thing we asked Susan about was her advice
for other families like her own who've experienced a loss
without any answers, and she, like so many others in
this case, told us to keep the faith, keep pushing
for answers while also continuing to live your life in
a positive way.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
It's difficult to say, don't give up hope, but man,
if there's ever an example of why not to give
up hope, this is this. Is it something that you
never ever in a million years thought would happen can happen,
And it did And I still can't believe it. I
(16:10):
don't know about everybody else, but I think everyone in
the world would think this would never it would never happen,
and and the fact that it did happen is just incredible.
And I'd say, you know, I don't want to speak
for Mom, but but in the beginning, when Mom was
(16:30):
insistent on you know what we need, we need this
to be investigated further, this is not someone who ran
away and all that kind of stuff. If there is
anybody out there that is running up against that, keep
pushing back against it because you never know what might
what might happen.
Speaker 8 (16:51):
You just you know and.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
And you know, fight the fight. But at the same time,
don't loose yourself to it too, because you you do
have to keep on living and enjoying the life that
you have too, so, you know, striking a balance I
think is important.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
The last sibling that we spoke with was Karen's big
brother Gary. When we first met Gary, he was a
bit skeptical that anything would change in this case. But
after we sat with him, Liz and Susan back in
November of twenty twenty four, Gary told us that this
time things felt different, and he was right. This time,
the family finally got an answer.
Speaker 9 (17:35):
I have an entirely different view of the world since
the day that you came over, and well actually since
the moment that Sue called to say you were coming
over on that Monday night, because I said, some mom
Sue's coming over with the detectives, and she looks at
(17:57):
me with a straight face and says they found her
and nobody had told me any you know, nobody had
said anything, but she knew. And I was like, you know,
I was just thinking the exact same thing. And while
we were waiting for you all to show up, I
called my brother Dale and he said I would not
(18:19):
have believed that in a million years. They could not.
You know, it just it almost can't be. And you know,
you can sit and think, you know, this is way
you know, this is way too little, too late, but
that's because you don't understand how much.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
It really is.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Gary also talked about the funeral and how much more
impactful that experience was for him than he thought it
would be. Well, it has been forty two years. Even
time couldn't stop the emotions that came with finally being
able to have Karen home.
Speaker 9 (18:55):
I will say this, I got through that whole memorial
with a straight face right up until and she was
the one that volunteered her six brothers to be the pallbearers,
and that fits into the story a little bit. But
you know, after the ceremony, you go up there and
(19:18):
we're taking the casket out the door, and the second
that the sunshine hit me coming up from the thing
was when the bagpipe started, and I was like, that's
just not fair. I mean, I wasn't against it, but
it's like, you know, that's just not fair. So yeah,
(19:44):
the bagpipes will always get you.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Gary also vented his frustration with people who say that
Karen must just have been drunk and crashed her car
that night. He told us that the family just does
not believe that to be the case. And Gary told
us that a full time, dedicated cold case unit, along
with new technology, is the best way to help self
cases like Karen's. The last thing he told us was
one last reflection on his sister.
Speaker 9 (20:08):
You know, I did say to somebody the other day.
I was only half kidding when I said it. You know,
I always did feel like she was destined for stardom.
And we have the Chicago Tribune around here and she's
on the cover and just all the media play, all
the TV reporters, all the TV reports, everything else. Delayed reaction,
(20:33):
but stardom, it was. That's probably a good place to stop.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I have to say that Matt and I had the
pleasure of meeting all of Karen's siblings in the days
after Karen came home. While we did not interview all
of them for this podcast. The entire family we hope
has some sense of closure now that we finalize our investigation.
I know that we can't ever give them the answer
to every single question that they have about this case,
but hopefully through our investigation they have far more answers
(21:02):
than they've had for the last forty two years.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
I agree, it has just been an overwhelmingly positive experience
with the family. It really has been a true honor
and a privilege to work with the Sheeper's family on
Karen's case. After speaking with several of Karen's siblings, we
also wanted to talk with some of Karen's close friends
as we brought this story full circle, so we met
again with both Heidi and Denise, who have been deeply
(21:27):
involved in our investigation from the very beginning. Listeners will
remember that Karen was set to be the bridesmaid in
Heidi's wedding in August of nineteen eighty three, and that
they were very close. What we didn't initially share was
that Karen even lived with Heidi for a brief period
of time after she graduated high school. Heidi reflected on
that time in her life at Karen's funeral saying that
(21:48):
it was like having a big sister and a best
friend all wrapped up into one. Heidi later moved to
Texas to go to college, but stayed close with Karen,
and on April tenth of nineteen eighty three, six days
before she vanished, Karen called Heidi in Texas to wish
her dear friend a very happy birthday. It would be
the last time that Heidi would ever speak to her.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Heidi wanted to see the place where we found Karen,
so on a sunny April afternoon a few days after
Karen's funeral, we picked up Heidi and drove her past
Karen's old house over to PM Bentley's, and then we
drove her back on Duncan Avenue along the Fox River,
ending our drive at the site where we located Karen's car.
Heidi stepped out and took some private time to reflect.
(22:31):
She placed some flowers that she had grown in her
backyard into the river in Karen's memory, and then came
back and sat with us on a bench overlooking the
spot to remember her friend and recount how this case
has impacted her. The first thing that Heidie talked about
was what it was like when Matt and I called
her to tell her we had finally found Karen's car,
and all the emotions that followed throughout that entire week.
Speaker 10 (22:52):
When you first told me that you had found her car,
and was exciting because you think all these years, you
know she's probably not alive.
Speaker 11 (23:05):
And then after.
Speaker 10 (23:07):
I after you got the car out.
Speaker 11 (23:09):
And let me know that there were the maids inside,
I felt.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
This horrible loss, which I didn't expect because I thought
I had already grieved her loss.
Speaker 11 (23:23):
But I always had that little bit of hope that.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
She would still be alive somewhere, and that closed that
folk and I didn't.
Speaker 11 (23:33):
It took me a while to process that. I couldn't
understand why I was feeling so sad, and then when
I thought about it, I thought, that's got to be why.
You know that that was really.
Speaker 6 (23:49):
Unexpected for me, So I can't imagine what it would
have been like for a family.
Speaker 11 (23:55):
So that was a shock for her.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
How do you also reflect it? I'm caring visitation and funeral,
which brought so many friends and family together to remember Karen.
Speaker 11 (24:06):
Yeah, there were it was nice to hear people talk
about her.
Speaker 6 (24:09):
And when we were working on the photo array, and
we were sharing memories and it was it was.
Speaker 11 (24:15):
Really fun and happy, you know, and I learned things
about it that I didn't know from other friends and fairs.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
So yeah, I just remember her as happy, smiling, thoughtful,
you know.
Speaker 11 (24:39):
Sharing.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Part of our goal in finding Karen was to hopefully
provide answers and some closure to Karen's family and friends,
so we also asked Heidi if this experience brought her
any closure after all these years. As you can imagine,
it does bring some closure, but Heidie still feels an
understandable sense of loss and grief mixed with that closure.
Speaker 11 (25:02):
Yeah. Yeah, it's nice to know kind of what you
think happened.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
And I'm glad it wasn't all play.
Speaker 11 (25:12):
You know that it's probably accidental. Yeah, I know that
we'll never knows for sure, but yeah, that's that's comforting.
It is right.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
She'll always be twenty three, you know, forever young like
the song. I just I always wonder why it would
have been like if she'd grown old with us, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Heidi ended our conversation with her best advice for other
families who've lost loved ones. She says that family and
friends should always, always, always remember those lost loved ones
and hold on to hope that one day you will
find an answer.
Speaker 11 (25:55):
I guess you just have to keep caring on and
remember them as.
Speaker 6 (26:00):
They were and hopefully would get a good outcome, because
you just never know. I mean, you would have thought
this could have happened, and it took so many like
you said, it took so many different things to go
just right, and it was a miracle.
Speaker 12 (26:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (26:18):
So yeah, and I guess just miracles can happen.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Another one of Karen's very close friends, Denise, was very
emotional throughout this entire investigation. She met Karen in nineteen
seventy four at a band camp at the University of Iowa,
and over the next nine years they forged a close
bond that she still remembers to this day. Denise lived
out of state for years, but moved back here to
(26:45):
Elgin just a few years ago. And it was Denise
who told us in our very first meeting that she
believed that Karen was ready to come home. We were
very happy to say that Denise was right.
Speaker 13 (26:55):
I think this whole process not that it brings it
all full circle, because I don't think you ever closed
the book, you know, the book of Karen will always
be open because she'll always be part of our lives
even though she wasn't here. I think it brought even
more of us together in a Karen inclusive type of way.
(27:19):
It also brings home the fact that there are people
that are in your life that no matter even if
they're no longer with you, they're always with you based
on the positive impact that.
Speaker 11 (27:30):
They put on your life.
Speaker 13 (27:31):
Right, so you always have that opportunity to reflect on
not only.
Speaker 11 (27:38):
Who she was, but who she was with you as a.
Speaker 13 (27:41):
Friend, and always take that as a positive moving forward.
I mean, as you know by now, she was witty,
she was smart, obviously a very hard worker, inclusive, and
just then the whole family being who they are.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
We also asked Denise what it was like for her
when she learned that Karen was finally coming home and again,
as you can imagine, it was a complex set of
emotions for Denise.
Speaker 13 (28:13):
I think the day, the day when she was recovered,
plus building all up to that. For me, the only
way I can explain it is kind of like a
relief grief. It's not like a relief like oh, this
is all over, but it's more like you still grieve
(28:34):
it and wonder all of what could have been, what
wasn't been, But.
Speaker 11 (28:40):
I said to live.
Speaker 13 (28:42):
The couple days after you brought her home, I was
out at the farm and I said, you know, all
these years I've been missing, I've been missing my friend.
But I realized, really, she's really kind of been here
through you.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
As I think of all the people that we met
throughout this investigation, Denise was one of the people who
always maintained a positive attitude regarding the outcome of this case.
From the very first time that we met with her,
she was certain that Karen would be home soon. We
asked her how she kept such a positive outlook on
this case, because, quite frankly, it was just remarkable, And
(29:18):
we asked what advice that she would give to others
seeking answers in cases like Karen's.
Speaker 13 (29:24):
Oh, I knew, I knew at some point, yes, And
I don't know if I could give you a definite
answer and why I felt that way other than the
power of prayer and that spiritual belief that there would
be answers. When you initially called, after Liz called me
(29:47):
and said you were be reaching out to me, I
just really had a sense of peace, that there you
would find the answers. Oh, keep the faith, keep the
faith answers, and always to keep that person, not to
(30:08):
give up on him. I guess that's it, and I
don't think any of us ever gave up that she
would come home.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
In addition to Karen's friends Heidi and Denise, Matt and
I also got to know her coworker Eloise very well
throughout this process. Eloise was the one who organized that
Karen Sheeper's Action Committee back in nineteen eighty three, kept
a box of articles in information for over forty years,
and always hoped that one day Karen's case would be solved.
We drove out to meet Eloise one more time so
(30:39):
that she too could reflect on Karen and Karen's case.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Eloise prepared a statement for us talking about how helpless
it felt back in nineteen eighty three when Karen went missing.
She and her coworkers tried to help and tried to
be involved, but it was a different time communicating what
the police meant literally talking to them in person or
catching them on the phone at their desk. Plus, she
and her coworkers were not experts in missing persons cases.
(31:06):
I'll always describe why this investigation felt different to her.
Speaker 8 (31:10):
You guys, from the very first question of the interview,
please tell us about Karen. You want to know her.
You were easy to talk with and really pay attention.
When you digitize my file folder about all of Karen's
(31:31):
newspaper articles and documents, it made me feel like I
was finally contributing something to help Karen. Then you followed
up on the articles and the file and also the
information I gave you during the interview. On your third
follow up call to me, I started to believe that
(31:53):
there was a chance, maybe of finding Karen. I said,
you guys are giving me hope, and then I had
to hang up fast before my voice broke and I
started to cry.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
He Luis also talked about what it was like on
March twenty fourth when we first called her to tell
her that we had found Karen's car in the Fox River.
Speaker 8 (32:15):
When you called, I was expecting the status report. Oh,
we searched a couple miles of river, and we're going
to get out there again tomorrow. And when you said
we found Karen's car and license plate, it shocked me
and took away my breath and my voice. I could
(32:35):
only listen and try to process the good news. Immediately after,
I contacted the two people that were there at the
Bentley celebration with the news. It was hard for all
of us to believe after all this time. One said
they were happy for her family maybe, and I said, yes,
(32:57):
her family certainly, but don't discount us as friends.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
And co workers.
Speaker 8 (33:03):
Her visits and communication with family, of course are first.
But we were with her for forty hours a week
for four years, and that's important too. We all wanted closure.
I did not realize that closure would be physically and
(33:25):
emotionally painful. That night, I got a headache and body
aches that lasted through a sleepless night. I went to
church early the next morning to thank God for answering
our prayer.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Elouise also said that it has taken some adjusting to
come to terms with the fact that Karen is finally home,
and she told us that it is amazing how many
people Karen is still bringing together even after all this time.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
I'm looking at all the joy that Karen brought to
so many lives, and she still is. She's still making
new friends in you, Andrew and Matt as you learned
about her during your investigation. She's still bringing friends back
together while participating in the investigation and podcast as well
(34:17):
as her visitation and funeral service. And she's making her
family laugh again at a picture of her addressed as
Ronald McDonald from a nineteen seventy nine costume party, or
with the singing of the Bumblebee song at the funeral.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
The last thing we asked Eloise about was the same
thing we asked everyone else about. What was her advice
for someone still searching for a loved one or searching
for answers for a loved one on a cold case,
homicide or missing person. This is what Eloise had to say.
Speaker 8 (34:53):
I would say, if an opportunity to do a follow
up cold case or any other way exists, participate and
share as much information as.
Speaker 11 (35:08):
You can, because.
Speaker 8 (35:12):
The gift that might result of finding this person or
finding out what happened to the person, that would be
a wonderful gift. But just knowing that all aspects of
the potential disappearance or crime are getting a fresh look.
Speaker 11 (35:34):
From a very.
Speaker 8 (35:37):
Overall perspective, not zooming in on one theory or one
way of looking at things, but looking at the big
picture and giving equal weight to everything until you can
rule it out, and that's a real gift too, So
I would say participate if you can, and pray a lot.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
The last person we wanted to talk to for this
final episode was Liz. Liz is an exceptional woman. She
spent decades as a labor and delivery nurse and raised
nine children, Karen being one of them. From the first
time we met Liz to our most recent visit, she
has been nothing but gracious and kind to both of us,
and I can only say that it has been a
(36:24):
true honor for Andrew and me to help bring her
lost daughter home.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
It was Liz who kept Karen's story alive all these years,
writing letters, hanging flyers, giving interviews, and ultimately agreeing to
do this podcast and reopen Karen's case one more time.
Liz is really the glue that holds this entire story together.
She never gave up any hope and never stopped searching
for her daughter. It is because of Liz's hard work,
(36:49):
her tenacity, her dedication to her daughter's case that we
are here recording this podcast today, and she is the
real reason that Karen is finally home.
Speaker 12 (36:58):
Well, I feel like the circle is closed too, that
the hole that was there that you couldn't go past
and do anything else, it is now not there anymore.
So hmm, you could sell the place, couldn't you?
Speaker 9 (37:17):
You could.
Speaker 7 (37:20):
I feel like you look like a weight has come
off you.
Speaker 12 (37:25):
It is the show. You know, the weight is off
your shoulders, and that's a good feeling. But there's also
sad feelings that come here and there, and that's just
looking at these pictures that keeps sitting here. So but
they're nice too though.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Liz also talked to us about being able to finally
bury her daughter. She later told angreew and I that
while it is very sad that Karen is gone, she
does know where her daughter is and that helps her.
She also reflected on her favorite aspect of Karen's funeral.
Speaker 12 (38:03):
We talked about that a little bit, and I think
the police chief's husband playing the bag pipe was a
very good finish to being at the church and then
being at the cemetery. It was just like otherwise you
would have heard this minister speech, prayer and stuff like
(38:27):
that and walked away, but you had the bagpipe playing
like taps for the soldiers, So that was very unique.
I thought that was good.
Speaker 5 (38:41):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (38:44):
A few weeks after Karen's burial, Andrew and I made
our own special trip out to Elmwood Cemetery to visit
Karen one last time. Karen's final resting place is now
a marked and sacred place, and her family has somewihear
to visit when they want to remember her, or talk
to her, or just reflect in the life that she had.
As for us, we simply wanted to pay our last
(39:05):
respects to an amazing woman who we both feel like
we know, even though we never got the pleasure of
actually meeting her.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
The sun was beginning to set as we entered the
cemetery through a large metal gate and passed by the
lines of headstones marking places where other families have come
for decades to remember their lost loved ones. Now Karen
is among them, no longer lost and never forgotten, Karen
Lee Sheepers can finally rest in peace, knowing that she
has been found. Matt and I left the cemetery and
(39:35):
decided to make one more stop at Karen's childhood home
on our way back to Elgin. Liz was there waiting
to greet us as always, and so was Susan and
we made one final request of Susan. We asked her
to play Karen's.
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Piano for us. As our first season comes to a close,
we want to thank everyone involved in Somebody Knows Something?
Season one? Where Is Karen? And everyone who assisted us
(40:10):
with Karen's case. There are too many people to think
and you all know who you are, but we do
want to make a few specific thank you here as
we close out the season.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
First and foremost, to Karen's family. You have been amazing.
We cannot thank you enough for trusting us, taking this
journey with us, and believing that we would finally bring
Karen home. To the wonderful team at the Kane County
Corper's Office who handled Karen with such love and care
throughout this entire process, thank you. Your work helps so
many other families and we appreciate your hard work and
(40:42):
compassion throughout this case. And to all the evidence technicians
and officers who assisted us with Karen's recovery and this case,
thank you. You helped us bring Karen home and helped
us recover jewelry and other belongings that Karen's family can
now treasure forever. This investigation was truly a team Effort.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
Two Chaos Divers. Thank you for your expertise and compassion.
Without you, guys, we would not have had the successful
outcome that we did on this case for Karen, her family,
and her friends. We are truly forever grateful for your
help and thankful for the new friendships that we have
made with you throughout this investigation. To our partners at
WRMN fourteen ten, you have been instrumental in the success
(41:24):
of this podcast. Thank you, especially to our producer Ben
Boquist for helping us create the best content possible and
for all the technical things you did for us behind
the scenes. This podcast would not have been possible without you.
And to Chief Anna Lally, thank you for trusting us
with this new assignment and for pushing us to step
outside of our comfort zone and embrace new technology and media.
(41:48):
Without your foresight and support, this cold case unit would
not exist, this podcast would not exist, and Karen would
not be home.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Finally, to all of our listeners, thank you for following
Karen's case, thinking about Karen and her family, and thank
you for all the tips that you provided. When Matt
and I started this podcast, we could not have anticipated
the interest that Karen and this investigation would inspire in
so many people. It is truly a testament to Elgin
as a community and we hope to be able to
share more cases and stories with you in the future, because,
(42:18):
just like with Karen's case, we know that in all
of our cases, somebody knows something.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
If you, or anyone you know has information about this
case or any other cold case in Elgin, please contact
the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Email at cold Case
tips at elginil dot gov or the cold Case tip
line at eight four seven two eight nine cold. You
can also review cold case information on the Elgin Police
(42:56):
Department's Transparency Hub by going to Elgin gov and navigating
to the Elginnpolice Department's Transparency Hub, where every cold case,
homicide and missing persons case is listed with photographs and
information about each case.
This podcast is based on information sourced primarily from police
and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details
may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons.
While the events in cases discussed are based on real investigations,
some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes.
(00:27):
Voice actors have been used to read from statements or documents.
All information presented is intended solely to inform and raise awareness.
Hosts may discuss theories regarding the cases examined in this podcast,
but such discussions are not intended to and should not
(00:47):
be considered by the listener to be legal conclusions. All
persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty and a
court of law is advised.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
This is Chief Anna Lally. Welcome to Somebody Knows Something,
a podcast from the Elgin Police Department's Cold Case Unit.
In this podcast, we will shed new light on cold
cases in the city of Elgin by sharing untold details
and by encouraging anyone with information to come forward. You
will come along with real cold case detectives as they
(01:25):
investigate active cold cases in real time and seek justice
for the victims and closure for their families. We believe
that the Elgin Police Department and our community can work
together to bring closure to cold cases because we know
that in these cases, somebody knows something.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Hello, and welcome to Somebody Knows something. The Elgent Police
Department Cold Case Podcast. My name is Detective Andrew Howden.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
And I'm Detective Matt Vartinian.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Last episode, we revealed new information from one of Karen's
former coworkers who saw Karen Lee pm Bentley's alone on
April sixteenth of nineteen eighty three, and we also detailed
the findings of our multiple experts after they assessed both
Karen's Toyota and her remains. In the end, both Matt
and I concluded that Karen's death was most likely a
very tragic accident.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
For this final episode of the season, we sat back
down with the same people who started this journey with us,
members of Karen's family and several of her friends to
reflect on this case, to also discuss what Karen finally
coming home means to them, and to remember Karen Lee
Sheeper's back.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
On March twenty sixth of twenty twenty five, when we
first delivered the news to Liz that we had confirmed
that we had found Karen. She immediately told the family
that she wanted to have a funeral for her daughter,
and so that's how it came to pass that on
April sixteenth, twenty twenty five, exactly forty two years to
the day after Karen disappeared, both Matt and I, along
(02:54):
with countless others, filed into the Sycamore United Methodist Church
for Karen's funeral. The church was adorn in deep purple
colors for Easter, a time of remembrance, rebirth, and celebration,
and for Karen's friends and family, it was a time
to celebrate the life of Karen Sheepers.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Walking into the church, we were met by a large
crowd of people. Liz was there, and so were all
eight of Karen's siblings. Gary and Susan, who still live
here in Illinois, were joined by Dale who flew in
from North Carolina, Michael, Scott and Andy who flew up
from Texas, and Laurie who came in from Colorado, and
(03:31):
also Ron, who made his trip all the way from Arizona.
Other family members also came in around the state and
from Iowa. As you would expect, Denise, Heidi, and Elouise
were all there too, along with the group representing the
Sycamore High School class of nineteen seventy seven who had
come to pay their respects to Karen, and also several
other members of her community.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
The church was filled with photographs of Karen. Matt and
I had seen several of these photographs, but we were
overwhelmed by the dozens of other photographs that we had
never seen, which depicted the brief and beautiful life of
Karen Sheeper's. One picture depicted Liz holding Karen as a
baby on the family farm. Others included Karen on her
first birthday, a single candle atop her birthday cake as
(04:12):
she sat in a high chair, mesmerized by the flickering candlelight.
Another showed her in grade school blowing out a number
of other candles on another birthday. There were pictures of
siblings with a horse at the barn in her family's farm,
a picture of Karen as a teenager sticking out her
tongue at the camera with one of her many friends,
pictures of her in Paris on a class trip, and
one of her doing a headstand on her bed. To
(04:33):
see the life of Karen that was taken from her
far too soon was moving and brought Karen to life
even more for both of us.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
The family also had a shadow box atop a table
in the church. Inside was the sapphire birthstone ring and
the metal tassel that we were covered in Karen's car,
along with a necklace that belonged to Karen that Liz
had kept. These keepsakes will be something that the family
treasures and uses to remember Karen, and we are very
honored to have played a small part in helping to
(05:00):
return them to the family.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The family chose a poem and placed it prominently in
the church along with all these treasured belongings in the
mini photographs of Karen. Both Matt and I felt that
this poem perfectly fit the occasion, so I wanted to
read a portion of it. Here. You must feel like
a bird that has been flying NonStop, searching high and low,
within the high winds, in the sun and the cold,
(05:23):
shivering in the deepest part of your soul, looking always looking,
Oh little bird, you can rest your heart. Now, you
can close your eyes and rest your little beating heart,
for the searching is needed no more.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Several family members spoke during the service and remembered Karen.
Dale sang a song in memory of his sister, while
Susan accompanied him on the piano, and several of her friends,
including Denise and Heidi, spoke lovingly of the friend they lost.
The congregations sang songs as well, something that we both
believe Karen would have loved, and the pastor spoke of
(06:00):
hope and grief as the congregation remembered Karen. As the
casket was removed, Sergeant Jim Lally of the Elgin Police
Department played the bagpipes at Liz's request to honor the
family's Irish heritage. Karen's family then escorted her to Elmwood
Cemetery for a private burial. Lard Funeral Home here in
(06:22):
Elgin graciously offered their services and also provided Karen's casket
to the family at cost to help offset the price
for the service, burial and Karen's headstone. We want to
thank them for their generosity and for helping Karen's family
navigate this emotional time.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
We can only imagine that the experience at the cemetery
was mixed with laughter and tears, whispers and hugs between
siblings and a mother who while separated by thousands of
miles and decades of time, were always together in spirit,
thinking about and wondering where their lost sister or daughter
was for over four decades. Well now they know.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
In the days after Karen's funeral, we met one more
time with those same family and friends that we have
been speaking with throughout this investigation to hear the reflections
on this case, their personal experiences with Karen's funeral, and
to understand what it is like for them now that
they finally have an answer about what happened to Karen.
We started with Karen's younger brother, Dale.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Dale was actually the first family member that we spoke
to when we started this investigation back in October of
twenty twenty four. In fact, he was the first phone
call we made for this case. Dale later shared with
us that he initially thought about hanging up the phone
on us when we called him to ask about the
family's thoughts regarding reopening Karen's case, but ultimately he decided
to talk to his mother, Liz and see what she
(07:44):
wanted to do. It was Liz who told him that
she wanted to do whatever it took to keep Karen's
investigation alive, so like any good son, Dale agreed to
honor his mother's wishes. Here's Dale reflecting on this incredible journey.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
Well, to me personally, my we we took flowers over
to that site and tossed them, number every one, one
for every one of the siblings, and and my sister
as well. And my reaction was that said, I'm sorry
(08:20):
that it took us as long. That's all I can say. So,
I'm sorry it took it took us, myself and everyone
else that's long to find you want to bring you
home at the end of the day. H M. It
does offer a very good sense of closure and peace
(08:42):
for us that she's now there. And and again my
mom is as we're bringing the casket over and setting
it and all that sort of stuff, she sits down
and points out to you know, the rest of brothers
and sisters there gathered at the graveside and says that
(09:07):
right there, right next to Karen, she said, that's my spot.
Speaker 6 (09:11):
We'll be together.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
I will also say that my mother has has gotten
about twenty years younger over the last several months. She
was not eating. She was, you know, kind of getting
thinner and thinner and kind of you know, withering away
in my opinion, and this has this experience has brought
(09:38):
new life to her as well. So she's she's benefited
a lot and probably hasn't realized it yet, but I'm
certain of it because I've seen the results.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Dale is a very stoic man who does not show
his emotions often, even when talking about this case or
about the family's experience with ca AND's disappearance. But there
was more to Dale than meets the eye. In fact,
it was Dale who selected and sang a song called
the Promise at Karen's funeral, and he had a very
emotional reason why he chose that song, specifically to honor
(10:15):
his big sister's life.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
It was a song that I heard on the Preasian
radio station that was to and as I listened to
that song, I said, that's it. You know, the promise
that we all have is something that is It transcends time,
It is there for everyone and anyone, and you know
(10:41):
it was it was a promise that you know, she
can hold on too when I can hold him to
anybody and everybody can hold on to that. You know.
There's the part of the song that was most touching
to me is the part where it says that you know,
someday sooner, excuse be some day sooner than you think
(11:03):
I'll see you face to face. And you know, for Karen,
you sooner than I think is at age twenty three,
and you know, for me it's at least age sixty four.
So I made it this far, but you know, my
day that I met my Lord and Savior face to face,
(11:26):
I'm guessing it will be sooner than I think. I
think I'm going to live to one hundred or so,
you know, whatever the number is that I put on
that that you know, there's there's a very likely that
that will be the same for me and for probably
most everybody. So that was that was a significance of
(11:48):
that song.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
We also met with Karen's sister, Susan, who has been
a close point of contact for both of us throughout
this case. Susan is always quick to answer respond to
a text for acall and she's just been wonderful to
deal with on this case. We both can't thank her
enough for how she and everyone else in the family
has treated us during this investigation. It really is a
testament to the family that they were even nearly forty
(12:09):
two years later, after a roller coaster up and downs
so wonderful to both the matt and to me, Susan
described what it was like to finally have an answer
in Karen's case.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
I guess I didn't realize just how important the closure
was of the circle of life. You know, you're born,
you live, you die, you have a funeral, and you
have a memory of people. And without that, it was
(12:39):
just an open circle. And it never closed until we
had the funeral, and it was very It was it
was comforting to know that her remains are someplace we
know where they're at, and now they're in a comfortable
place for her to rest. And I didn't I didn't
(13:02):
know that that was going to be as powerful as
it was at the at the time, because somewhere along
the way, after many years, you kind of accept the
fact that you're probably never going to see this person again.
You always hope that you're going to and that hope
was always out there, and then you think that that
(13:24):
hope being gone would be It is sad, but it's not,
as said, because you kind of knew that that's where
this was going to end, but you kind of thought
you'd never get that end. Of the circle and to
have the end of the circle was it was, it was,
(13:47):
It was good and everybody came and that was it was,
it was. It was impactful, and I think everybody was
you know, there's no no hesitation, you know, there were
we're here and and that was that was really good.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
We also asked Susan about her thoughts on the outcome
of this investigation and the number of people who came
together because of Karen.
Speaker 7 (14:15):
It was a miracle. I mean, it's an absolute miracle that
she was found and we have I mean, I have
nothing but gratitude that I don't even know how to
how to express. I don't know that there is enough
words of gratitude that can be said, because it just
(14:36):
it can't it can't end. It is unlimited amounts of
gratitude to everybody. I was writing down all the people
and I'm just like, you know, I don't want to
forget anybody in remembering who all was involved, all the
people that who knew that she would have the kind
(15:00):
of impact on people so far in the future, and
all the things that everybody did, and all the people
that they interacted with that they never would have interacted with.
I mean people that I've met, people that everybody else
in the family's met, people that you know, we've all
met that we never would have known about, and they're
(15:23):
touched by her too, And that's that's it's powerful.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
The last thing we asked Susan about was her advice
for other families like her own who've experienced a loss
without any answers, and she, like so many others in
this case, told us to keep the faith, keep pushing
for answers while also continuing to live your life in
a positive way.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
It's difficult to say, don't give up hope, but man,
if there's ever an example of why not to give
up hope, this is this. Is it something that you
never ever in a million years thought would happen can happen,
And it did And I still can't believe it. I
(16:10):
don't know about everybody else, but I think everyone in
the world would think this would never it would never happen,
and and the fact that it did happen is just incredible.
And I'd say, you know, I don't want to speak
for Mom, but but in the beginning, when Mom was
(16:30):
insistent on you know what we need, we need this
to be investigated further, this is not someone who ran
away and all that kind of stuff. If there is
anybody out there that is running up against that, keep
pushing back against it because you never know what might
what might happen.
Speaker 8 (16:51):
You just you know and.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
And you know, fight the fight. But at the same time,
don't loose yourself to it too, because you you do
have to keep on living and enjoying the life that
you have too, so, you know, striking a balance I
think is important.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
The last sibling that we spoke with was Karen's big
brother Gary. When we first met Gary, he was a
bit skeptical that anything would change in this case. But
after we sat with him, Liz and Susan back in
November of twenty twenty four, Gary told us that this
time things felt different, and he was right. This time,
the family finally got an answer.
Speaker 9 (17:35):
I have an entirely different view of the world since
the day that you came over, and well actually since
the moment that Sue called to say you were coming
over on that Monday night, because I said, some mom
Sue's coming over with the detectives, and she looks at
(17:57):
me with a straight face and says they found her
and nobody had told me any you know, nobody had
said anything, but she knew. And I was like, you know,
I was just thinking the exact same thing. And while
we were waiting for you all to show up, I
called my brother Dale and he said I would not
(18:19):
have believed that in a million years. They could not.
You know, it just it almost can't be. And you know,
you can sit and think, you know, this is way
you know, this is way too little, too late, but
that's because you don't understand how much.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
It really is.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Gary also talked about the funeral and how much more
impactful that experience was for him than he thought it
would be. Well, it has been forty two years. Even
time couldn't stop the emotions that came with finally being
able to have Karen home.
Speaker 9 (18:55):
I will say this, I got through that whole memorial
with a straight face right up until and she was
the one that volunteered her six brothers to be the pallbearers,
and that fits into the story a little bit. But
you know, after the ceremony, you go up there and
(19:18):
we're taking the casket out the door, and the second
that the sunshine hit me coming up from the thing
was when the bagpipe started, and I was like, that's
just not fair. I mean, I wasn't against it, but
it's like, you know, that's just not fair. So yeah,
(19:44):
the bagpipes will always get you.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Gary also vented his frustration with people who say that
Karen must just have been drunk and crashed her car
that night. He told us that the family just does
not believe that to be the case. And Gary told
us that a full time, dedicated cold case unit, along
with new technology, is the best way to help self
cases like Karen's. The last thing he told us was
one last reflection on his sister.
Speaker 9 (20:08):
You know, I did say to somebody the other day.
I was only half kidding when I said it. You know,
I always did feel like she was destined for stardom.
And we have the Chicago Tribune around here and she's
on the cover and just all the media play, all
the TV reporters, all the TV reports, everything else. Delayed reaction,
(20:33):
but stardom, it was. That's probably a good place to stop.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I have to say that Matt and I had the
pleasure of meeting all of Karen's siblings in the days
after Karen came home. While we did not interview all
of them for this podcast. The entire family we hope
has some sense of closure now that we finalize our investigation.
I know that we can't ever give them the answer
to every single question that they have about this case,
but hopefully through our investigation they have far more answers
(21:02):
than they've had for the last forty two years.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
I agree, it has just been an overwhelmingly positive experience
with the family. It really has been a true honor
and a privilege to work with the Sheeper's family on
Karen's case. After speaking with several of Karen's siblings, we
also wanted to talk with some of Karen's close friends
as we brought this story full circle, so we met
again with both Heidi and Denise, who have been deeply
(21:27):
involved in our investigation from the very beginning. Listeners will
remember that Karen was set to be the bridesmaid in
Heidi's wedding in August of nineteen eighty three, and that
they were very close. What we didn't initially share was
that Karen even lived with Heidi for a brief period
of time after she graduated high school. Heidi reflected on
that time in her life at Karen's funeral saying that
(21:48):
it was like having a big sister and a best
friend all wrapped up into one. Heidi later moved to
Texas to go to college, but stayed close with Karen,
and on April tenth of nineteen eighty three, six days
before she vanished, Karen called Heidi in Texas to wish
her dear friend a very happy birthday. It would be
the last time that Heidi would ever speak to her.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Heidi wanted to see the place where we found Karen,
so on a sunny April afternoon a few days after
Karen's funeral, we picked up Heidi and drove her past
Karen's old house over to PM Bentley's, and then we
drove her back on Duncan Avenue along the Fox River,
ending our drive at the site where we located Karen's car.
Heidi stepped out and took some private time to reflect.
(22:31):
She placed some flowers that she had grown in her
backyard into the river in Karen's memory, and then came
back and sat with us on a bench overlooking the
spot to remember her friend and recount how this case
has impacted her. The first thing that Heidie talked about
was what it was like when Matt and I called
her to tell her we had finally found Karen's car,
and all the emotions that followed throughout that entire week.
Speaker 10 (22:52):
When you first told me that you had found her car,
and was exciting because you think all these years, you
know she's probably not alive.
Speaker 11 (23:05):
And then after.
Speaker 10 (23:07):
I after you got the car out.
Speaker 11 (23:09):
And let me know that there were the maids inside,
I felt.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
This horrible loss, which I didn't expect because I thought
I had already grieved her loss.
Speaker 11 (23:23):
But I always had that little bit of hope that.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
She would still be alive somewhere, and that closed that
folk and I didn't.
Speaker 11 (23:33):
It took me a while to process that. I couldn't
understand why I was feeling so sad, and then when
I thought about it, I thought, that's got to be why.
You know that that was really.
Speaker 6 (23:49):
Unexpected for me, So I can't imagine what it would
have been like for a family.
Speaker 11 (23:55):
So that was a shock for her.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
How do you also reflect it? I'm caring visitation and funeral,
which brought so many friends and family together to remember Karen.
Speaker 11 (24:06):
Yeah, there were it was nice to hear people talk
about her.
Speaker 6 (24:09):
And when we were working on the photo array, and
we were sharing memories and it was it was.
Speaker 11 (24:15):
Really fun and happy, you know, and I learned things
about it that I didn't know from other friends and fairs.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
So yeah, I just remember her as happy, smiling, thoughtful,
you know.
Speaker 11 (24:39):
Sharing.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Part of our goal in finding Karen was to hopefully
provide answers and some closure to Karen's family and friends,
so we also asked Heidi if this experience brought her
any closure after all these years. As you can imagine,
it does bring some closure, but Heidie still feels an
understandable sense of loss and grief mixed with that closure.
Speaker 11 (25:02):
Yeah. Yeah, it's nice to know kind of what you
think happened.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
And I'm glad it wasn't all play.
Speaker 11 (25:12):
You know that it's probably accidental. Yeah, I know that
we'll never knows for sure, but yeah, that's that's comforting.
It is right.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
She'll always be twenty three, you know, forever young like
the song. I just I always wonder why it would
have been like if she'd grown old with us, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Heidi ended our conversation with her best advice for other
families who've lost loved ones. She says that family and
friends should always, always, always remember those lost loved ones
and hold on to hope that one day you will
find an answer.
Speaker 11 (25:55):
I guess you just have to keep caring on and
remember them as.
Speaker 6 (26:00):
They were and hopefully would get a good outcome, because
you just never know. I mean, you would have thought
this could have happened, and it took so many like
you said, it took so many different things to go
just right, and it was a miracle.
Speaker 12 (26:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (26:18):
So yeah, and I guess just miracles can happen.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Another one of Karen's very close friends, Denise, was very
emotional throughout this entire investigation. She met Karen in nineteen
seventy four at a band camp at the University of Iowa,
and over the next nine years they forged a close
bond that she still remembers to this day. Denise lived
out of state for years, but moved back here to
(26:45):
Elgin just a few years ago. And it was Denise
who told us in our very first meeting that she
believed that Karen was ready to come home. We were
very happy to say that Denise was right.
Speaker 13 (26:55):
I think this whole process not that it brings it
all full circle, because I don't think you ever closed
the book, you know, the book of Karen will always
be open because she'll always be part of our lives
even though she wasn't here. I think it brought even
more of us together in a Karen inclusive type of way.
(27:19):
It also brings home the fact that there are people
that are in your life that no matter even if
they're no longer with you, they're always with you based
on the positive impact that.
Speaker 11 (27:30):
They put on your life.
Speaker 13 (27:31):
Right, so you always have that opportunity to reflect on
not only.
Speaker 11 (27:38):
Who she was, but who she was with you as a.
Speaker 13 (27:41):
Friend, and always take that as a positive moving forward.
I mean, as you know by now, she was witty,
she was smart, obviously a very hard worker, inclusive, and
just then the whole family being who they are.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
We also asked Denise what it was like for her
when she learned that Karen was finally coming home and again,
as you can imagine, it was a complex set of
emotions for Denise.
Speaker 13 (28:13):
I think the day, the day when she was recovered,
plus building all up to that. For me, the only
way I can explain it is kind of like a
relief grief. It's not like a relief like oh, this
is all over, but it's more like you still grieve
(28:34):
it and wonder all of what could have been, what
wasn't been, But.
Speaker 11 (28:40):
I said to live.
Speaker 13 (28:42):
The couple days after you brought her home, I was
out at the farm and I said, you know, all
these years I've been missing, I've been missing my friend.
But I realized, really, she's really kind of been here
through you.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
As I think of all the people that we met
throughout this investigation, Denise was one of the people who
always maintained a positive attitude regarding the outcome of this case.
From the very first time that we met with her,
she was certain that Karen would be home soon. We
asked her how she kept such a positive outlook on
this case, because, quite frankly, it was just remarkable, And
(29:18):
we asked what advice that she would give to others
seeking answers in cases like Karen's.
Speaker 13 (29:24):
Oh, I knew, I knew at some point, yes, And
I don't know if I could give you a definite
answer and why I felt that way other than the
power of prayer and that spiritual belief that there would
be answers. When you initially called, after Liz called me
(29:47):
and said you were be reaching out to me, I
just really had a sense of peace, that there you
would find the answers. Oh, keep the faith, keep the
faith answers, and always to keep that person, not to
(30:08):
give up on him. I guess that's it, and I
don't think any of us ever gave up that she
would come home.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
In addition to Karen's friends Heidi and Denise, Matt and
I also got to know her coworker Eloise very well
throughout this process. Eloise was the one who organized that
Karen Sheeper's Action Committee back in nineteen eighty three, kept
a box of articles in information for over forty years,
and always hoped that one day Karen's case would be solved.
We drove out to meet Eloise one more time so
(30:39):
that she too could reflect on Karen and Karen's case.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Eloise prepared a statement for us talking about how helpless
it felt back in nineteen eighty three when Karen went missing.
She and her coworkers tried to help and tried to
be involved, but it was a different time communicating what
the police meant literally talking to them in person or
catching them on the phone at their desk. Plus, she
and her coworkers were not experts in missing persons cases.
(31:06):
I'll always describe why this investigation felt different to her.
Speaker 8 (31:10):
You guys, from the very first question of the interview,
please tell us about Karen. You want to know her.
You were easy to talk with and really pay attention.
When you digitize my file folder about all of Karen's
(31:31):
newspaper articles and documents, it made me feel like I
was finally contributing something to help Karen. Then you followed
up on the articles and the file and also the
information I gave you during the interview. On your third
follow up call to me, I started to believe that
(31:53):
there was a chance, maybe of finding Karen. I said,
you guys are giving me hope, and then I had
to hang up fast before my voice broke and I
started to cry.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
He Luis also talked about what it was like on
March twenty fourth when we first called her to tell
her that we had found Karen's car in the Fox River.
Speaker 8 (32:15):
When you called, I was expecting the status report. Oh,
we searched a couple miles of river, and we're going
to get out there again tomorrow. And when you said
we found Karen's car and license plate, it shocked me
and took away my breath and my voice. I could
(32:35):
only listen and try to process the good news. Immediately after,
I contacted the two people that were there at the
Bentley celebration with the news. It was hard for all
of us to believe after all this time. One said
they were happy for her family maybe, and I said, yes,
(32:57):
her family certainly, but don't discount us as friends.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
And co workers.
Speaker 8 (33:03):
Her visits and communication with family, of course are first.
But we were with her for forty hours a week
for four years, and that's important too. We all wanted closure.
I did not realize that closure would be physically and
(33:25):
emotionally painful. That night, I got a headache and body
aches that lasted through a sleepless night. I went to
church early the next morning to thank God for answering
our prayer.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Elouise also said that it has taken some adjusting to
come to terms with the fact that Karen is finally home,
and she told us that it is amazing how many
people Karen is still bringing together even after all this time.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
I'm looking at all the joy that Karen brought to
so many lives, and she still is. She's still making
new friends in you, Andrew and Matt as you learned
about her during your investigation. She's still bringing friends back
together while participating in the investigation and podcast as well
(34:17):
as her visitation and funeral service. And she's making her
family laugh again at a picture of her addressed as
Ronald McDonald from a nineteen seventy nine costume party, or
with the singing of the Bumblebee song at the funeral.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
The last thing we asked Eloise about was the same
thing we asked everyone else about. What was her advice
for someone still searching for a loved one or searching
for answers for a loved one on a cold case,
homicide or missing person. This is what Eloise had to say.
Speaker 8 (34:53):
I would say, if an opportunity to do a follow
up cold case or any other way exists, participate and
share as much information as.
Speaker 11 (35:08):
You can, because.
Speaker 8 (35:12):
The gift that might result of finding this person or
finding out what happened to the person, that would be
a wonderful gift. But just knowing that all aspects of
the potential disappearance or crime are getting a fresh look.
Speaker 11 (35:34):
From a very.
Speaker 8 (35:37):
Overall perspective, not zooming in on one theory or one
way of looking at things, but looking at the big
picture and giving equal weight to everything until you can
rule it out, and that's a real gift too, So
I would say participate if you can, and pray a lot.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
The last person we wanted to talk to for this
final episode was Liz. Liz is an exceptional woman. She
spent decades as a labor and delivery nurse and raised
nine children, Karen being one of them. From the first
time we met Liz to our most recent visit, she
has been nothing but gracious and kind to both of us,
and I can only say that it has been a
(36:24):
true honor for Andrew and me to help bring her
lost daughter home.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
It was Liz who kept Karen's story alive all these years,
writing letters, hanging flyers, giving interviews, and ultimately agreeing to
do this podcast and reopen Karen's case one more time.
Liz is really the glue that holds this entire story together.
She never gave up any hope and never stopped searching
for her daughter. It is because of Liz's hard work,
(36:49):
her tenacity, her dedication to her daughter's case that we
are here recording this podcast today, and she is the
real reason that Karen is finally home.
Speaker 12 (36:58):
Well, I feel like the circle is closed too, that
the hole that was there that you couldn't go past
and do anything else, it is now not there anymore.
So hmm, you could sell the place, couldn't you?
Speaker 9 (37:17):
You could.
Speaker 7 (37:20):
I feel like you look like a weight has come
off you.
Speaker 12 (37:25):
It is the show. You know, the weight is off
your shoulders, and that's a good feeling. But there's also
sad feelings that come here and there, and that's just
looking at these pictures that keeps sitting here. So but
they're nice too though.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Liz also talked to us about being able to finally
bury her daughter. She later told angreew and I that
while it is very sad that Karen is gone, she
does know where her daughter is and that helps her.
She also reflected on her favorite aspect of Karen's funeral.
Speaker 12 (38:03):
We talked about that a little bit, and I think
the police chief's husband playing the bag pipe was a
very good finish to being at the church and then
being at the cemetery. It was just like otherwise you
would have heard this minister speech, prayer and stuff like
(38:27):
that and walked away, but you had the bagpipe playing
like taps for the soldiers, So that was very unique.
I thought that was good.
Speaker 5 (38:41):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (38:44):
A few weeks after Karen's burial, Andrew and I made
our own special trip out to Elmwood Cemetery to visit
Karen one last time. Karen's final resting place is now
a marked and sacred place, and her family has somewihear
to visit when they want to remember her, or talk
to her, or just reflect in the life that she had.
As for us, we simply wanted to pay our last
(39:05):
respects to an amazing woman who we both feel like
we know, even though we never got the pleasure of
actually meeting her.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
The sun was beginning to set as we entered the
cemetery through a large metal gate and passed by the
lines of headstones marking places where other families have come
for decades to remember their lost loved ones. Now Karen
is among them, no longer lost and never forgotten, Karen
Lee Sheepers can finally rest in peace, knowing that she
has been found. Matt and I left the cemetery and
(39:35):
decided to make one more stop at Karen's childhood home
on our way back to Elgin. Liz was there waiting
to greet us as always, and so was Susan and
we made one final request of Susan. We asked her
to play Karen's.
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Piano for us. As our first season comes to a close,
we want to thank everyone involved in Somebody Knows Something?
Season one? Where Is Karen? And everyone who assisted us
(40:10):
with Karen's case. There are too many people to think
and you all know who you are, but we do
want to make a few specific thank you here as
we close out the season.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
First and foremost, to Karen's family. You have been amazing.
We cannot thank you enough for trusting us, taking this
journey with us, and believing that we would finally bring
Karen home. To the wonderful team at the Kane County
Corper's Office who handled Karen with such love and care
throughout this entire process, thank you. Your work helps so
many other families and we appreciate your hard work and
(40:42):
compassion throughout this case. And to all the evidence technicians
and officers who assisted us with Karen's recovery and this case,
thank you. You helped us bring Karen home and helped
us recover jewelry and other belongings that Karen's family can
now treasure forever. This investigation was truly a team Effort.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
Two Chaos Divers. Thank you for your expertise and compassion.
Without you, guys, we would not have had the successful
outcome that we did on this case for Karen, her family,
and her friends. We are truly forever grateful for your
help and thankful for the new friendships that we have
made with you throughout this investigation. To our partners at
WRMN fourteen ten, you have been instrumental in the success
(41:24):
of this podcast. Thank you, especially to our producer Ben
Boquist for helping us create the best content possible and
for all the technical things you did for us behind
the scenes. This podcast would not have been possible without you.
And to Chief Anna Lally, thank you for trusting us
with this new assignment and for pushing us to step
outside of our comfort zone and embrace new technology and media.
(41:48):
Without your foresight and support, this cold case unit would
not exist, this podcast would not exist, and Karen would
not be home.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Finally, to all of our listeners, thank you for following
Karen's case, thinking about Karen and her family, and thank
you for all the tips that you provided. When Matt
and I started this podcast, we could not have anticipated
the interest that Karen and this investigation would inspire in
so many people. It is truly a testament to Elgin
as a community and we hope to be able to
share more cases and stories with you in the future, because,
(42:18):
just like with Karen's case, we know that in all
of our cases, somebody knows something.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
If you, or anyone you know has information about this
case or any other cold case in Elgin, please contact
the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Email at cold Case
tips at elginil dot gov or the cold Case tip
line at eight four seven two eight nine cold. You
can also review cold case information on the Elgin Police
(42:56):
Department's Transparency Hub by going to Elgin gov and navigating
to the Elginnpolice Department's Transparency Hub, where every cold case,
homicide and missing persons case is listed with photographs and
information about each case.
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com