She Went to the Laundromat Alone — Then a Man Followed Her Out, and She Was Never Seen Alive Again

3 weeks ago

Corinne Perry. Credit :

Creston Police Department

NEED TO KNOW

Corinne Perry, 17, vanished successful 1983; her assemblage was recovered complete a twelvemonth later
Despite eyewitness accounts, nary arrests person been made successful nan case
Her sister Letitia still seeks justice, urging anyone pinch accusation to travel forward

On an April evening successful 1983, 17-year-old Corinne Perry near location to do laundry successful Creston, Iowa. She ne'er returned. Her neatly-folded apparel were recovered successful her car; her assemblage was discovered complete a twelvemonth later.

The lawsuit remains unsolved.

It was a quiet Sunday erstwhile Corinne, a precocious schoolhouse elder known for her agleam grin and passion for theater, walked retired nan doorway for a regular chore. She was headed to nan Highlander Laundromat conscionable a fewer blocks away, a acquainted errand successful nan mini southwest Iowa municipality wherever she lived pinch her mother and sister.

But what began arsenic an mean evening would soon go 1 of nan region's astir haunting acold cases.

According to reporting by NBC News, Corinne's car was recovered nan adjacent time extracurricular nan laundromat, her apparel cleanable and folded inside. But nan teen was gone.

Police initially suspected that she had tally away, an presumption that delayed what would later go a full-scale investigation.

Witnesses later told authorities that Corinne near betwixt 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. and that a man walked retired down her. They described seeing her talking to a man pinch glasses and brownish hair, believed to beryllium successful his 20s aliases 30s. But that man was ne'er identified.

Her sister, Letitia Perry, has spent decades urging authorities and nan nationalist not to hide astir Corinne.

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"I cognize thing was incorrect immediately," she told NBC News. "My sister wouldn't conscionable leave."

Two weeks aft Corinne vanished, her purse was recovered miles distant connected a bridge, undisturbed, pinch her glasses, constitution and individual belongings still inside. For much than a year, nan Perry family waited successful agony for answers.

Then, connected November 3, 1984, hunters stumbled upon a shallow grave, astir six miles from Creston and adjacent wherever Corinne's purse had been recovered. Inside were quality remains later confirmed to beryllium Corinne's

The remains, conscionable bones, had to beryllium identified utilizing dental records, per nan Associated Press. Due to nan information of nan body, a origin of decease could not beryllium determined.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) reopened nan lawsuit successful 2009, hoping that advancements successful forensic exertion mightiness yet lead to a break successful nan case. But truthful far, nary suspects person ever been named publicly, and nary arrests person been made.

Letitia believes personification successful nan organization knows what happened -- and whitethorn person moreover spoken pinch Corinne that night. Now successful her 50s, Letitia says she won't springiness up until location are answers.

“At nan 30-year people of her death, I benignant of discontinue having expectations,” Letitia told NBC. “But I can’t springiness up. She was my small sister and I’m not going to springiness up.”

The lawsuit remains open. The Iowa DCI encourages anyone pinch accusation to telephone (515) 725-6010 aliases taxable an anonymous extremity done their website.