Missing Karin Elizabeth Knechtel Mero

Description at Time of Disappearance:

Date Missing: February 15, 1997 from McCloud, Siskiyou County, California.
Date of Birth: May 21, 1969
Age at Disappearance: 27
Height: 5'8
Weight: 170 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Race/Sex: White, Female
AKA/Alias: Karen
Karin has a scar on her abdomen and was on anti-rejection medicine for a liver transplant that was
performed in 1994. She also has a scar on her face near her nose and her top front teeth are capped.
Her dental records are available.

Details:
Karin was not reported missing until October 1997, eight months after she disappeared. She was last
seen at the home of Ed Henline Sr. and his wife Debbie at East Minnesota Avenue in McCloud, California
on Feb. 14, 1997. She was residing there with her boyfriend Ed Henline Jr.
Ed and Debbie Henline denied involvement in Karin's disappearance but were later arrested on suspicion
of welfare fraud for writing checks on Karin's account after she disappeared. They eventually plead guilty
to perjury in connection to the fraudulent acquisition of funds from that account. As a result they were
fined and sentenced to 3 years probation.
According to Detectives the Henlines remain as "persons of interest" and the investigation is ongoing.

On June 4, 1997 a McCloud High School student Hannah Zaccaglini, 15, disappeared after being seen
outside the Henline family's home. She too has not been seen or heard from since.

Agency Contact:
Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department
(530)841-2900
Case # 97-2573