Carmen Maria Burhans Garcia, a 41-year-old woman, has been missing since March 15, 1982, from Los Angeles, California. At the time of her disappearance, she was 5'6" tall and weighed approximately 210 pounds, with black hair and black eyes. Carmen was last seen with her husband, Diego Garcia, and her 8-year-old daughter, Barbara Burhans. The family resided in the Glassell Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, in a home they shared with Carmen's mother who lived in an upstairs unit.
On the morning of her disappearance, Carmen's mother saw her crying at breakfast but did not inquire as to why. Around noon, the family was seen leaving their home in their 1977 brown Toyota Corolla. They departed without taking any personal belongings, leaving behind clothing, luggage, and even their dog.
More than a month after their disappearance, on April 25, 1982, the family's Toyota Corolla was discovered at the bottom of a steep gorge in the San Gabriel Mountains, near Big Pines, California. The vehicle was found buried under five feet of snow. The car's roof was crushed, but there was no blood or other evidence of foul play found inside the vehicle. The road near where the car was found had been closed since March 16, the day after the family was last seen. Investigators have considered the possibility that the car was pushed into the gorge in an attempt to hide it, or that it was accidentally knocked off the road by a snowplow.
The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Carmen and her family remain a mystery, and foul play is suspected. Over the years, various theories have emerged. One theory suggested that Diego Garcia may have been involved in criminal activity, forcing the family to flee to Miami. Another line of inquiry involved rumors that Carmen, who had recently converted to Mormonism, had become involved in a cult-like religion that practiced animal sacrifice, though this has not been substantiated. Despite some reported sightings of Carmen after she went missing, none were ever confirmed, and there have been no confirmed sightings of Diego or Barbara. The case remains unsolved, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.Last Seen: Mar 15, 1982
