Kathaleen Elizabeth Folk-Hine, a 51-year-old mother of five, disappeared on January 15, 1972, from Parrish, Florida. She was last seen by her husband, Gilbert Charles Hine, who claimed to have dropped her off at the Manatee County Fairgrounds in Palmetto, where she was supposed to assist with a poultry exhibit. However, no one at the fairgrounds reported seeing her that day, raising suspicions about her whereabouts. Kathaleen left behind personal items such as her purse, prescription glasses, and necessary medication, which she would not have abandoned voluntarily given her health conditions, including a lung disorder and arthritis.
Foul play is strongly suspected in her disappearance. Her husband never reported her missing, and it was her father and daughter-in-law who did so five days later. Disturbingly, after her disappearance, her husband took control of jointly owned property using documents that allegedly bore Kathaleen’s signature, despite her having been missing for years. Additionally, one of Kathaleen’s daughters recalls receiving a distressing phone call from her mother on the day of her disappearance, during which Kathaleen screamed before the line went dead. Signs of a struggle were later found at her home, including overturned furniture, but neither she nor her revolver, which was also missing, has ever been located.
Gilbert Hine has not cooperated with the investigation in recent years, and the case remains unsolved. Authorities continue to suspect foul play, but no charges have been filed.
Last Seen: Jan 15, 1972
