The Unsolved Disappearance of Karlie Gusé

On October 13, 2018, 16-year-old Karlie Gusé vanished from her home in Chalfant Valley, California, leaving behind a mystery that continues to haunt her family, friends, and investigators. The night before, Karlie attended a party where she smoked marijuana, triggering a severe reaction that left her frightened and paranoid. Her stepmother, Melissa Gusé, brought her home safely, but by the next morning, Karlie was gone without a trace. Despite extensive searches, eyewitness accounts, and ongoing investigations, her disappearance remains one of the most perplexing missing person cases in recent history. This article dives deep into the facts surrounding Karlie Gusé’s disappearance, exploring her life, the events leading up to that fateful night, and the theories that keep this case alive at Phacts.

Who Was Karlie Gusé?

Karlie Lain Gusé was born on May 13, 2002, to parents Lindsay Fairley and Zachary Gusé. Growing up in California, Karlie was a typical teenager with a bright personality. Described as sweet, funny, and well-liked, she loved dancing, spending time with her two younger brothers, and watching scary movies. She attended Bishop Union High School and worked part-time at a tile company where her stepmother, Melissa, was employed. Karlie’s life seemed ordinary, filled with friends, a boyfriend, and the usual teenage adventures.

Karlie’s parents divorced when she was two, and she initially lived with her mother, Lindsay, before moving to live with her father, Zachary, and stepmother, Melissa, in Bishop, California, around eight to ten years earlier. In August 2018, the family relocated to Chalfant Valley, a small rural community of about 650 people, just 14 miles from Bishop. The move didn’t disrupt Karlie’s life much, as she stayed in the same school district and kept her close-knit group of friends. However, in the weeks leading up to her disappearance, friends noticed Karlie seemed unusually worried, expressing fears that someone was tracking her phone, though she never explained who or why.

The Night of October 12, 2018: A Party Gone Wrong

On the evening of October 12, 2018, Karlie told her parents she was heading to a high school football game in Bishop. Instead, she went to a small house party on Dixon Lane with her boyfriend, Donald Arrowood III, and a few other friends, including a teenager named Jaymes Dulin. This wasn’t unusual for Karlie, who, like many teens, occasionally stretched the truth about her plans. At the party, Karlie smoked marijuana, something she had done before but with mixed results. Friends noted she had experienced adverse reactions to weed in the past, sometimes becoming overly anxious or suspicious.

Around 8 p.m., Karlie’s behavior took a troubling turn. According to Donald, she became frightened of the music playing and even seemed scared of him. Witnesses described her as “acting really scared and paranoid,” a stark contrast to her usual cheerful demeanor. In a panic, Karlie called her stepmother, Melissa, begging to be picked up. “She was frantic,” Melissa later told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “She wanted me to pick her up.”

Melissa’s Response: Bringing Karlie Home

Melissa arrived in Bishop around 9 p.m. to find Karlie not at the party but running down a dark road nearly a mile away. “She looked pale as a ghost,” Melissa recalled to People magazine. Karlie’s paranoia was evident—she appeared disoriented and fearful. Melissa managed to get her into the car and drove her back to their home in Chalfant Valley. Once there, Karlie’s erratic behavior continued. She huddled in a corner, alternated between expressing love for her parents and fear that they might harm her, and even mentioned wanting to read the Bible. At one point, she accused Melissa of wanting to kill her, sobbing, “I’m just thinking all this demonic stuff. I can’t help it.”

Concerned, Melissa and Zachary suspected the marijuana Karlie smoked might have been laced with another substance, possibly LSD, given the intensity of her reaction. Marijuana alone can cause paranoia in some people, especially those with underlying mental health conditions, but Karlie’s extreme fear and delusions suggested something stronger. To document her behavior and use it as a teaching moment, Melissa recorded an eight-minute audio of their conversation. In the recording, Karlie can be heard asking Melissa to call 911 if something bad happened to her, expressing deep fear and confusion.

The Morning of October 13: Karlie Vanishes

Melissa stayed by Karlie’s side most of the night, comforting her as she struggled to calm down. Exhausted, Melissa dozed off around 5:45 a.m. while in Karlie’s room. When she woke up between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m., Karlie was gone. The front door was ajar, and Karlie’s cellphone, glasses, and cash were left behind on the kitchen counter. This was unusual—Karlie rarely went anywhere without her phone, especially given her recent fears about being tracked.

Panicked, Melissa and Zachary searched the neighborhood for two hours, hoping Karlie had gone for a walk. When they couldn’t find her, they called Karlie’s biological mother, Lindsay, in Yerington, Nevada, and contacted the Mono County Sheriff’s Office around 9:35 a.m. to report her missing. Karlie was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, gray sweatpants or jeans, and Vans shoes. At 5’7” and 110 pounds, with dark blonde hair, blue eyes, and a pierced left nostril, she was easy to recognize, yet no one could locate her.

Eyewitness Accounts: The Last Sightings

Three witnesses reported seeing a girl matching Karlie’s description walking near their home in the White Mountain Estates area of Chalfant Valley on the morning of October 13. One witness, Richard Eddy, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he saw a tall, slender girl with long hair walking past his house around daybreak, holding a 12-by-12-inch piece of paper and waving it in the air. Eddy found it odd, given the chilly weather and her light clothing. Around 8 a.m., when Melissa knocked on his door asking if he’d seen Karlie, Eddy realized the girl he saw was likely her. He hopped on his motorcycle to search a nearby canyon but found no trace of her.

The witnesses said the girl was walking south, about 30 yards east of Highway 6 and 100 yards south of Sierra View Road. Cadaver dogs later tracked Karlie’s scent to the edge of Highway 6, but the trail ended there, suggesting she may have entered a vehicle or moved beyond the dogs’ range. These sightings remain the last confirmed glimpses of Karlie Gusé.

The Search Efforts: A Community Mobilizes

The Mono County Sheriff’s Office launched an immediate search, deploying helicopters, scent dogs, off-road vehicles, and hundreds of volunteers to scour the high-desert terrain around Chalfant Valley. The area, bordered by the Sierra Nevada and the vast Mojave Desert, is rugged and desolate, making searches challenging. Despite their efforts, no significant clues were found. The sheriff’s office set up a checkpoint along Highway 6, but it yielded no leads. By October 25, 2018, the official search was scaled back, though private searches by family and volunteers continued.

The FBI joined the investigation, offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Karlie’s location. Investigators examined Karlie’s phone, social media, and computer but found no evidence of planned runaway or foul play. Interviews with family, friends, and party attendees, including Donald and Jaymes Dulin, corroborated Melissa and Zachary’s account. Cellphone data also supported their timeline, and both passed polygraph tests, ruling them out as suspects.

Theories Surrounding Karlie’s Disappearance

Karlie Gusé’s disappearance has sparked numerous theories, each with its own set of questions. Here are the most prominent ones:

Theory 1: Abduction

Zachary Gusé believes Karlie may have been abducted while walking along Highway 6. The fact that her scent trail ended at the highway suggests she could have entered a vehicle, either willingly or by force. The desolate area made her vulnerable, and a passing stranger or someone she knew could have taken advantage of her disoriented state. The FBI has not ruled out abduction, with Special Agent Sean Ragan stating, “People don’t disappear into thin air.”

Theory 2: Lost in the Desert

Another possibility is that Karlie, still under the influence of drugs, wandered into the desert and succumbed to the harsh environment. The Mojave Desert is unforgiving, with freezing nighttime temperatures and vast, open terrain. Zachary told the FBI he fears Karlie “crossed that desert so far that nobody found her.” However, extensive searches with dogs and helicopters found no trace of her, making this theory less likely.

Theory 3: Drug Overdose

Karlie’s biological mother, Lindsay Fairley, has publicly stated she believes Karlie may have died of a drug overdose that night. In a 2019 appearance on Dr. Phil, Lindsay suggested Melissa found Karlie dead and covered it up. She pointed to inconsistencies in Melissa’s story, such as changes in the timeline of when she last saw Karlie. Lindsay also speculated that Karlie’s behavior indicated she took something stronger than marijuana, like LSD. However, no evidence supports this theory, and Melissa and Zachary passed polygraph tests, clearing them of involvement.

Theory 4: Ran Away or Taken to Another Location

In 2023, a promising lead emerged when a recovering drug user claimed to have seen Karlie at a party in Tonopah, Nevada, about 100 miles from Chalfant Valley, in 2021. Mono County Sheriff’s investigator Jason Pelichowski confirmed authorities located a vehicle that may have transported Karlie from Highway 6 to Tonopah. This lead is still under investigation, but no further details, such as DNA evidence or vehicle specifics, have been released. If true, it suggests Karlie may have left voluntarily or been taken, possibly living under different circumstances.

Controversies and Public Scrutiny

Karlie’s case has drawn significant attention, fueled by media coverage on Dr. Phil, People Magazine Investigates, and Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. However, it has also sparked controversy, particularly around Melissa Gusé. After Karlie’s disappearance, Melissa posted Facebook Live videos to spread awareness, but some viewers found her demeanor suspicious, accusing her of being too calm or inconsistent. Online sleuths and social media users have targeted Melissa and Zachary, alleging they know more than they’re sharing. The Mono County Sheriff’s Office has publicly asked people to stop harassing the family, emphasizing that no evidence implicates them.

Lindsay Fairley’s accusations on Dr. Phil further fueled speculation. She claimed Melissa’s audio recording and text exchanges with Donald the morning Karlie vanished were suspicious. Dr. Phil confirmed the recording showed Karlie’s fear and paranoia, but it didn’t indicate foul play. The public’s focus on Melissa has often overshadowed the search for Karlie, adding pain to an already grieving family.

Ongoing Efforts and Hope for Answers

As of April 2025, Karlie Gusé remains missing, and her case is classified as an active missing person investigation. The FBI and Mono County Sheriff’s Office continue to follow leads, including the Tonopah sighting. Karlie’s family has not given up hope. “Every day, we’re still looking,” Zachary told People in 2023. Lindsay maintains a strong social media presence, posting regularly to keep Karlie’s case in the public eye. At Bishop Union High School, football game announcements include reminders to keep Karlie in thoughts and prayers.

The FBI describes Karlie as a White female, 5’7”, 110 pounds, with dark blonde hair and blue eyes. Her left nostril is pierced, and she may have been carrying a piece of paper when last seen. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Mono County Sheriff’s Office at (760) 932-5678 or the FBI Sacramento Office at (916) 746-7000.

Why Karlie’s Story Matters

Karlie Gusé’s disappearance is more than a mystery—it’s a reminder of how quickly life can change and how vulnerable anyone can be. At Phacts, we believe in uncovering the truth through facts, and Karlie’s story is a call to stay vigilant, support missing person cases, and seek answers. Whether she was abducted, lost, or caught in a tragic accident, Karlie deserves to be found, and her family deserves closure.

The case also highlights the dangers of substance use, especially for young people. Karlie’s reaction to marijuana, whether laced or not, underscores the need for education about drugs and their effects. It’s a lesson for parents, teens, and communities to have open conversations and act swiftly when someone shows signs of distress.

Call to Action: Help Bring Karlie Home

At Phacts, we’re committed to shining a light on stories like Karlie Gusé’s to keep hope alive and spark action. If you have any information about Karlie’s disappearance, no matter how small, please contact the Mono County Sheriff’s Office at (760) 932-5678 or the FBI at (916) 746-7000. Your tip could be the key to solving this case.

Share Karlie’s story on social media to spread awareness. Subscribe to our newsletter at phactsblog.com, and join our community to stay updated on Karlie’s case and other compelling stories. Together, we can make a difference. Let’s bring Karlie home.

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