The Unsolved Disappearance of Karen Louise Wilson - Missing Since March 1985

Missing Person: Karen Louise Wilson

Details from a government source (might be paraphrased): Wilson was last seen leaving The Tanning Hut on 1670 Central Ave - Colonie, NY at 7:20PM. A sighting of her walking down Fuller Rd in Colonie, NY (towards the SUNY Albany campus), was reported.

Last contact: March 27th, 1985, at 7:20PM according to NamUs. But there is a report that says she was seen almost an hour after that.

Last location: Colonie, New York, supposedly leaving a store called The Tanning Hut. More correctly, there was a government source that said that three separate individuals saw her that night and the sightings are considered credible.

Age when Karen Louise Wilson disappeared: 22

DOB: February 10th, 1963 but might be Feb. 2, 1963

Sex: Female

Height in inches: 63

Weight in pounds (lbs): 114

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Hair color: Brown, shoulder/medium length

Eye Color: Brown

Scar or distinctive characteristic: Nothing noted.

Link to Government Source: MP5695 (right-click to open)

Online information page: Karen Louise Wilson (right-click to open)

BMI means body mass index. It is meant to describe someone's healthy body weight relative to the individual's height. It is only food for thought because it does not account for all body types.

Karen Louise Wilson had a BMI of 20.19.

She was at a healthy weight by BMI standards at the time of her disappearance.

Karen Wilson, Missing Person Case: Last Known Clothing and Accessories Details

When Karen Louise Wilson was last seen on March 27th, 1985, in Colonie, New York, she was wearing faded Levi blue jeans, a light blue short-sleeve pullover Izod shirt, and a 3/4 length cream-colored women's raincoat. Her footwear consisted of sneakers and she may have been wearing glasses.

Her accessories included a size 5 1/2 14K gold ring with a blue stone (possibly zircon), a Seiko watch with a black face, plastic earrings, and a two-strand yellow and white necklace. Karen carried a gray cloth pocketbook containing a blue nylon wallet with Velcro, a white and green plastic bag from "Ups N Downs", and a blue knapsack holding a yellow dress.

Commentary and Research

By: Shane Lambert

Original time of writing: March 8th, 2025

Has Karen Louise Wilson been found?

Karen Louise Wilson remains missing. She was last seen in 1985 after leaving a business that I presume is a tanning salon, based on the name and increase in popularity for such businesses during that time frame.

They do have a composite sketch of an individual. At NamUs, he is described as someone who was in the area. Presumably, the authorities had a good reason to associate his likeness with the case.

What stood out to me with this case is the chance that Karen, the missing person, attracted a stalker on the night that she disappeared. She was at a tanning salon, she had a healthy BMI, I think a lot of men would describe her as attractive based on her photos, and she was in her early 20s.

Furthermore, from what I read, nothing suggested that she was in a friend's or relative's company. And then just the fact that there's a composite sketch of a male associated with the case made me think that she was likely stalked on the night she disappeared.

Karen's last known location wasn't really The Tanning Hut, as described at NamUs. Another government source has a PDF file online that details three eyewitness accounts of Karen's movements well after she left The Tanning Salon.

Karen Wilson Disappearance: Eyewitness Accounts from March 27, 1985

On March 27th, 1985, Karen Wilson, a SUNY Albany student, was last seen in Colonie, NY, through three eyewitness accounts along Fuller Road. At 8:15 PM, Witness #1 spotted her walking south near Sysco Food. In the area, there was also a slow-moving vehicle driven by a white male in his 40s with a beard, reddish-brown hair, and a long face.

As described, it sounds like the vehicle might be part of a stalking operation. However, this could be a red herring.

Between 8:10 PM and 8:15 PM, Witness #2 saw her south of Six Mile Waterworks, walking on grass with a smaller person (5’5”-5’8”, 120-140 lbs) urging her up an embankment. Karen's head was down and she appeared nervous. A white male in his early 20s, slim, with light hair and facial hair, trailed 50-100 feet behind, not closing the gap. Witness #2 also noted an unoccupied black sedan with a partial plate “239” and a possible bullet hole near Washington Ave Ext, which adds an eerie detail to the scene but could be a red herring.

At 8:20 PM, Witness #3 observed Karen at Fuller Road and Washington Ave, possibly waiting at a light, while a young male with sandy, messy hair, a jean jacket, and construction boots crossed nearby, not looking at her. A lime green Volkswagen Rabbit sat empty. The composite sketch of this male, aged 18-25, contrasts with the older, bearded man from the first sighting.

Not the exact car. Indicative of what a lime-green Volkswagen Rabbit might have looked like but no consideration for year.

Could the man in his 40s with a beard be the same individual in the sketch, perhaps misjudged in age or altered in appearance? Or is the composite sketch of this latter man, who is younger?

Commentary: Time Slips and Doubts in Karen’s Timeline After Leaving The Tanning Hut

The second witness painted a concerning picture, one that implies that Karen Wilson faced imminent danger between 8:10 PM and 8:15 PM. As described, she was walking nervously with a smaller figure urging her up an embankment while a man trailed behind. This is ominous, in my opinion, especially since we know that the night ends with her never being seen again.

Yet, if we are to take all the eyewitness accounts as gospel, then just minutes later at 8:20 PM, the third witness described her standing calmly at a traffic light. This is an innocuous act that implies she emerged unscathed from the earlier encounter and that nothing was amiss.

In my opinion, she was likely an abductee when she was being led up the embankment. The man trailing behind was perhaps a concerned citizen who realized that something was amiss. He trailed behind to monitor the situation from afar, not wanting to get too involved nor wanting to ignore something that he noticed. If the smaller individual is Karen's abductor, then it could be that he noticed that there was a witness, which caused the pressure to return to the sidewalk.

From this perspective, Karen survived whatever Witness #2 observed, but since we know she has been missing for decades now, something does not make sense about it all.

In my opinion, it’s likely the times aren’t precise between the witnesses. Human memory often blurs under stress or hindsight, and witnesses may have guessed or rounded their estimates. A few minutes’ misjudgment could unravel the order of events.

But it's clear enough that she was abducted, in my opinion. If she was not abducted, then it would be hard to accept her absence over the last forty years. She would be in a hospital or she simply would have gotten home safe and sound. The individual leading her up the embankment is the most clandestine in the descriptions. Perhaps this is the same person who crosses the street near her in Witness #3's description.

Karen Wilson Case: Key Witnesses and Suspect Descriptions from 1985

Here’s a list of all individuals mentioned, besides Karen Wilson, in the PDF file from Trooper.ny.gov.

1. Witness #1 (Female)

2. Male Driver (Witness #1’s Sighting)

3. Witness #2

4. Smaller Person (Witness #2’s Sighting)

5. Following Male (Witness #2’s Sighting)

6. Witness #3 (Male)

7. Crossing Male (Witness #3’s Sighting)

Karen Louise Wilson Disappearance: Witnesses, Suspects, and Timeline (March 27th, 1985)

Karen Louise Wilson, a 22-year-old SUNY Albany senior, was last seen leaving The Tanning Hut at 1670 Central Ave, Colonie, NY (Google Maps: 42.723098, -73.840189) at 7:20 PM on March 27th, 1985.

She was walking south along Fuller Road toward the SUNY Albany campus, a route described as dark but it must have had moderate pedestrian and vehicle traffic, as evidenced from the descriptions of the area on the night Karen disappeared.

Below is an account of key witnesses, individuals observed near her, and her movements, based on a PDF file from Troopers.ny.gov.

Witness #1 (Female), Sighted Karen at about 8:15 PM

• Description: An unnamed female driving southbound on Fuller Road.
• Observation: At about 8:15 PM, 55 minutes after Karen left The Tanning Hut, Witness #1 saw the missing person walking south near the Workingman’s Friend Gas Station and Sysco Food (west side of Fuller Road, south of Central Ave). Karen was near a guide rail, continuing her presumed route to campus.
• Male Driver: A white male in his 40s, with a beard, reddish-brown hair, long nose, and an "intent look" on his face, drove a slow-moving vehicle nearby. Vehicle details are vague.
• Location Context: By 8:15–8:16 PM, Witness #1 had passed Karen near Railroad Ave (42.680686, -73.829972). This indicates Karen's steady progress south.

Witness #2 and Sighting at about 8:10–8:15 PM

• Description: An unnamed individual driving southbound on Fuller Road.
• Observation: Between 8:10–8:15 PM, 50–55 minutes after leaving The Tanning Hut, Witness #2 saw Karen south of Six Mile Waterworks (135 Fuller Rd, Albany, NY 12205), just north of the I-90 underpass. She was walking on grass off the sidewalk, appearing nervous, with her head down.
• Smaller Person: I presume him to be a male despite other sources saying the person's sex was unknown. He was 5’5”–5’8”, 120–140 lbs, walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Karen, and urged her up an embankment toward the Six Mile Waterworks area. They later returned to the sidewalk, walking normally south past the I-90 underpass (8:15–8:17 PM).
• Following Male: A white male, approximately 5’11”, slim, in his early 20s, with light hair (gold to red) and facial hair, trailed 50–100 feet behind at a steady pace, not closing the gap. He wore dark pants and a waist-length jacket (possibly beige). This individual might have been a concerned observer rather than a threat. If that is the case, then it would explain why Smaller Person and Karen returned to the sidewalk, if the former realized he was being watched by a concerned citizen.
• Additional Detail: Near Washington Ave Ext (south of the I-90 underpass), Witness #2 noted an unoccupied black sedan with a partial plate “239” and a possible bullet hole, adding an eerie but potentially unrelated element.

Witness #3 (Male) and Sighting at 8:20 PM

• Description: An unnamed male leaving work at SUNY Albany, waiting at a traffic light.
• Observation: At 8:20 PM, 60 minutes after Karen’s departure from The Tanning Hut, Witness #3 saw her standing alone on the northwest corner of Fuller Road and Washington Ave (42.686567, -73.821667), possibly waiting for the light to change. She was very close to SUNY Albany, suggesting she was nearly at her destination.
• Crossing Male: A white male, 18–25, of average height, with sandy or light brown messy hair and a couple days’ facial hair growth, crossed Fuller Road west to east near the I-90 underpass. He briefly stepped toward construction trailers before heading south, not looking at Karen. He wore a jean or aviator jacket, jeans, flannel shirt, and tan construction boots. This individual is linked to a composite sketch associated with the case.
• Additional Detail: As Witness #3 turned onto the I-90 entrance ramp (42.687398, -73.824028) at 8:20–8:21 PM, he noted an unattended lime green Volkswagen Rabbit parked nearby.

Analysis of Behavior and Timeline Enigma

Karen’s behavior across these accounts presents an enigma. At 8:10–8:15 PM (Witness #2), she appeared nervous while being urged up the embankment, suggesting possible distress or coercion by the smaller person.

Yet, by 8:20 PM (Witness #3), she stood calmly alone at the intersection, implying she was no longer in immediate danger. One possibility is that she escaped temporarily from a threatening situation near Six Mile Waterworks, reaching the intersection unscathed.

However, if she had been briefly abducted, logic suggests she might have called for help or shown visible signs of panic to passing motorists, which Witness #3 does not report.

What does the shift in demeanor within minutes—nervous to calm—mean? It could indicate imprecise witness timings, as human memory under stress often blurs details.

Alternatively, the embankment incident might not have been an abduction attempt, though her ultimate disappearance suggests something sinister occurred. I think the key points in all of this is simply that THREE different witnesses are providing details. With that, you cannot expect timing to be accurate to the minute.

Key Locations Summary

• The Tanning Hut: 1670 Central Ave, Colonie, NY; Karen left at 7:20 PM.
• Fuller Road (General Stretch): Her southbound route from Central Ave to SUNY Albany.
• Near Sysco Food/Workingman’s Friend: Sighted at 8:15 PM by Witness #1.
• South of Six Mile Waterworks/Embankment: Sighted at 8:10–8:15 PM by Witness #2, with the smaller person and following male.
• Fuller Road and Washington Ave: Last sighted at 8:20 PM by Witness #3, near SUNY Albany.

Conclusion

Karen Wilson’s last confirmed location was the Fuller Road and Washington Ave intersection at 8:20 PM, steps from SUNY Albany. No evidence confirms she reached campus. The presence of multiple males and unattended vehicles (black sedan, Volkswagen Rabbit) near her path raises questions, but the shift in her behavior—from nervous to calm—remains unresolved, highlighting an enigma in the eyewitness accounts. This also serves to complicate the process of forming theories of her fate.

Nearby Serial Killers Incarcerated During Karen Louise Wilson's Disappearance

There are not any solid connections to known serial killers in the area. Any one that you might look at was imprisoned at the time, by my research.

Serial Killer	Incarceration Status in March 1985	Ruled Out Reason	Ruled Out
Arthur Shawcross	Incarcerated (until April 1987 parole)	In prison during Karen’s disappearance	X
David Berkowitz	Incarcerated (since August 1977)	In prison during Karen’s disappearance	X
Richard Biegenwald	Incarcerated (since 1983 arrest)	In prison during Karen’s disappearance	X
Lemuel Smith	Incarcerated (since 1981 arrest)	In prison during Karen’s disappearance	X