Eighteen and Gone

As a senior in high school, you have your entire adult life to look forward to. Throw in being beautiful and a talented athlete, then you have a recipe for success by many people's standards. Denise Pflum was 18, athletic and a senior at Connersville High School in Indiana.

Like most high school kids, it was not unusual for her to attend a party. The night prior to her disappearance, Denise had attended a party. When she got up the morning of March 28, 1986, she realized that she had misplaced her purse. She believed that she had left the purse at the house where the party had occurred the night before.

Denise got dressed that morning. She wore a medium red Montley Crue t-shirt. Her pants were size 11 stripped blue jeans, which she paired with white shoes. Instead of glasses, she wore contacts. She also wore her class ring, which was gold with a red stone in the setting.

Denise's family home was located in Everton. Before she left the house that morning, Denise told her parents that she would be going to get her purse from the house the party had been at. This was the last confirmed sighting of Denise.

The next time Denise's car was seen was by a farmer in Glenwood. He saw the car, but did not immediately report it because he thought the vehicle belonged to mushroom hunters. When the vehicle, a cream-colored, 2 door 1981 Buick Regal was still there parked near the edge of the road, the farmer contacted authorities. 

When the vehicle was processed, officers found no evidence of foul play. The car was locked and there was no sign of Denise. An air and K-9 ground search revealed no trace of her either. The vehicle was registered to her parents.

A girl came forward shortly after Denise's disappearance and stated that she had seen her in the Fashion Bug Store at the Connersville Plaza. Denise's mother believes that this witness was mistaken because the description of the clothing that was given did not match what Denise had put on that morning.

DNA and dental records have been submitted to numerous databases. DNA came from a baby tooth that Denise's mother had held on to. The DNA was not submitted until 2007, but upon the submission it produced no leads.

Numerous theorizes are circulating around the internet. Anything from alien abduction to falling victim to a traveling serial killer. Police refuse to release any information including suspects, details on evidence, or leads that are being followed. The case is considered to be very active.

Tips should be called in to the Indiana State Police Detective Scott Jarvis at (765)778-2121.

_______________________Sources___________________________________________________

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/03/01/indiana-missing-rumors-abound-but-no-leads-in-connersville-teens-disappearance/5831791/

http://www.rushvillerepublican.com/news/local_news/years-later-pflum-case-still-unsolved/article_d625c060-fa5a-57df-8d27-4814441f5ad9.html

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/10555

http://www.newsexaminer.com/news/local/decades-old-disappearance-back-in-public-eye/article_1c6f822e-0c4c-5278-9be5-a5ad7120829a.html

www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/pflum_denise.html