A comprehensive chronology of Karlie Guse’s disappearance, search efforts, FBI involvement, investigative developments, media coverage, and ongoing efforts to find answers
Last Updated: June 2026
On October 13, 2018, sixteen-year-old Karlie Lain Guse disappeared from her family’s residence in Chalfant Valley, California. In the years since, local, state, and federal investigators, search-and-rescue personnel, volunteers, journalists, and advocates have worked to determine what happened.
This timeline documents the known chronology of Karlie’s disappearance, the search efforts that followed, investigative developments, significant witness accounts, law enforcement activity, media coverage, and major public updates. The timeline is based on official statements, public records, investigative reporting, and American Crime Journal’s ongoing coverage of the case. It will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.
Friday, October 12, 2018
After School
Karlie tells her family she plans to attend a football game in Bishop. Instead, she attends a gathering with friends and her boyfriend.
At some point during the evening, Karlie reportedly smokes marijuana. According to later statements from her boyfriend, she becomes increasingly frightened, paranoid, and fearful.
Approximately 8:00–9:00 p.m.
Melissa Guse calls Karlie and offers her a ride home.
Karlie initially declines, stating that her boyfriend will drive her home. Approximately twenty minutes later, Karlie calls Melissa back sounding frantic and asks to be picked up.
While Melissa is driving toward Bishop, Karlie calls again and instructs her to pick her up farther up the road.
Melissa later reports seeing Karlie running down the roadway. She appears pale, frightened, and paranoid. Karlie admits she smoked marijuana.
Approximately 9:00 p.m.
Karlie and Melissa return to the family’s residence in White Mountain Estates.
Both Melissa and Zach Guse later describe Karlie as extremely fearful and paranoid.
Melissa begins audio recording portions of Karlie’s behavior with the intention of showing Karlie how she had been acting once she recovered.
Melissa prepares Karlie a salad and a Power Bar. Karlie reportedly refers to the salad as “devil’s lettuce.”
Throughout the evening Karlie cries, apologizes repeatedly, and says she cannot get “demonic thoughts” out of her head.
The family attempts to watch a movie together, but Karlie remains visibly distressed.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Overnight Hours
Karlie asks Melissa if she can sleep beside her.
According to Melissa, Karlie never fully settles down.
Throughout the night she reportedly alternates between coloring, reading the Bible, painting her nails, and talking.
Approximately 1:00 a.m.
Melissa continues checking on Karlie throughout the night.
Karlie remains nervous, fearful, and unable to sleep.
Melissa texts Karlie’s boyfriend asking him to “pray hard.”
Approximately 5:45 a.m.
Karlie’s boyfriend responds to Melissa’s text.
Melissa later reports Karlie was asleep beside her at this time.
Melissa falls back asleep.
Approximately 6:30–6:45 a.m.
A retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employee reports seeing a young woman matching Karlie’s description walking through White Mountain Estates.
He later describes her as looking upward toward the sky while walking.
A second witness who personally knows Karlie also reports seeing her walking through the neighborhood.
Both witnesses describe her clothing as a white T-shirt and dark or gray pants.
Approximately 7:20 a.m.
A woodcutter driving through the area reports seeing Karlie standing behind a barbed-wire fence near Highway 6.
The witness also describes her as wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants.
This becomes one of the last publicly reported sightings associated with Karlie’s disappearance.
Approximately 7:30 a.m.
Melissa wakes and discovers Karlie is no longer in bed.
The front door is slightly open.
Karlie’s cellphone, purse, money, identification, and other personal belongings remain inside the residence.
Melissa wakes Zach and the family immediately begins searching for Karlie.
Approximately 9:30 a.m.
Zach contacts Karlie’s mother, Lindsay Fairley, and informs her that Karlie is missing.
Approximately 10:00 a.m.
A 911 call is placed reporting Karlie missing.
Approximately 4:00 p.m.
Lindsay Fairley arrives at the Guse residence.
6:00 p.m.
Mono County Sheriff’s Office publicly requests assistance locating Karlie.
Search operations begin immediately.
October 14, 2018
The FBI joins the investigation.
Investigators obtain Karlie’s electronic devices.
Neighbors are interviewed.
Ground teams, air resources, and scent dogs search the property, surrounding neighborhood, and nearby desert terrain.
Investigators begin interviewing family members and friends.
October 15, 2018
Search-and-rescue personnel continue searching the area surrounding White Mountain Estates and terrain across Highway 6.
Searches are conducted by foot, air, and ATV.
Investigators complete interviews with family members and friends.
October 16, 2018
A possible sighting in Lebec, California is investigated and ruled out.
The FBI obtains additional devices from family and friends.
Low-altitude helicopter searches continue.
Between sixty and seventy personnel from multiple agencies participate in ground-search operations.
Karlie is added to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children database.
October 17, 2018
Melissa walks from the residence to Highway 6, timing the route at approximately twenty-four minutes.
Investigators conduct additional neighborhood canvasses.
Sixty searchers sweep terrain east of Highway 6 from White Mountain Estates to the county line.
October 18, 2018
Additional aerial searches are conducted from Chalfant to Laws and back across Highway 6.
October 19, 2018
Melissa and Zach participate in aerial search operations covering extensive portions of the Owens Valley region.
Analysis of Karlie’s electronic devices continues.
October 20, 2018
Organized ground-search operations conclude.
Investigators announce that scent dogs tracked Karlie’s scent to Highway 6 before losing the trail.
Officials report that miles of surrounding desert terrain have been searched by foot, helicopter, ATV, heat-sensing equipment, and K-9 resources.
Participating agencies include:
- FBI
- Mono County Sheriff’s Office
- Inyo County Sheriff’s Office
- California Highway Patrol
- California National Guard
- Bureau of Land Management
- U.S. Forest Service
- California Fish and Wildlife
- South Lake Tahoe Police Department
- Bishop Police Department
- NCMEC
- Numerous SAR organizations
Investigators state there is no evidence of an abduction.
October 21, 2018
Investigators continue analyzing electronic devices.
Officials report difficulties obtaining Snapchat data due to platform restrictions.
October 23, 2018
A $10,000 reward is announced for information leading to Karlie’s safe return.
October 30, 2018
Mono County Sheriff’s Office publicly states there is no evidence Karlie was abducted or that a crime occurred, while emphasizing the investigation remains active.
November 3–4, 2018
Additional searches are conducted involving Mono County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, ATV teams, search dogs, and volunteer resources.
Human-remains-detection dogs are deployed.
Additional K-9 teams join the search effort.
November 9–10, 2018
Volunteer search efforts intensify.
Mounted horseback searches are conducted.
Fifty-one volunteers participate in organized foot searches covering additional terrain surrounding White Mountain Estates.
November 13, 2018
Mono County Sheriff’s Office issues a one-month update.
Karlie remains missing.
Investigators continue requesting public assistance.
November 17, 2018
Drone imagery is collected for future enhancement and analysis.
Volunteers continue searching by vehicle, horseback, foot, and drone.
Community search efforts continue well beyond the conclusion of official ground operations.
March 2019
Dr. Phil
Karlie’s disappearance is featured in a two-part Dr. Phil special, introducing the case to a national audience and generating renewed public attention.
2019–2020
Expanding Investigation
American Crime Journal launches a series of investigative reports examining search efforts, witness information, public narratives, misinformation, and investigative developments.
The publication’s Riddle of the Roads series becomes one of the most comprehensive examinations of the case.
October 2020
The Things They Carry
The FBI and Mono County Sheriff’s Office launch The Things They Carry, a public-awareness campaign focused on Karlie’s disappearance.
Sheriff Ingrid Braun states that finding Karlie remains a priority.
FBI officials emphasize that someone may possess information critical to solving the case.
2023
Tonopah Lead
Public reporting reveals investigators pursued information associated with Tonopah, Nevada.
According to reporting by Doug Kari and statements made by investigators, Mono County and the FBI examined a witness account alleging Karlie may have been seen in Tonopah after her disappearance.
Authorities have never publicly disclosed the outcome of the lead.
Present Day
Karlie Guse remains missing.
The FBI continues to offer a reward for information leading to her location.
The investigation remains active.
2023–Present
Continued Investigation
Law enforcement agencies continue to encourage the public to submit information regarding Karlie’s disappearance.
American Crime Journal continues to investigate developments connected to the case through its ongoing Karlie Guse coverage and investigative series.
The FBI continues to offer a reward for information that may lead to Karlie’s location.
Major ACJ Investigations
Readers seeking a deeper understanding of the case should explore:
- The Disappearance of Karlie Guse
- The Definitive Timeline of the Disappearance of Karlie Guse
- Riddle of the Roads (Introduction)
- Riddle of the Roads Part I
- Riddle of the Roads Part II
- Riddle of the Roads Part III
- Riddle of the Roads Part IV
- Riddle of the Roads Part V
- Has the FBI Failed Karlie Guse?
- Karlie’s Angels: Facts Not Included…
- Top Scientist Joins Team Karlie
- The Tonopah Lead, Highway 6, and the Statistical Problem with Assumptions
Unanswered Questions
Nearly eight years after Karlie’s disappearance, significant questions remain:
- What occurred after Karlie left her residence on October 13, 2018?
- What is the complete chronology of witness sightings?
- What conclusions, if any, resulted from the Tonopah lead?
- Are there additional witnesses who have not yet come forward?
- What information remains known only to investigators?
Case Status
Missing
Karlie Guse has not been located.
The investigation remains open and active.
