Mary Jo Lee Long, a 16-year-old girl, was last seen on February 22, 1981, in Gardena, California. Originally from Austin, Minnesota, where she lived with her mother and attended Austin High School, Long had moved to Gardena in the spring of 1981 to live with her father against her mother's wishes. Upon her arrival in California, she enrolled at Gardena High School.
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are somewhat unclear due to a significant delay in reporting her missing. Long had returned to Minnesota for Christmas in 1980 before going back to California. Approximately two months after her return to Gardena, she vanished. School records indicate that she was absent for several days and did not graduate with her class. At the time of her disappearance, Mary Jo was described as being 5'5" tall and weighing 115 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
A formal missing person report was not filed in California at the time of her disappearance. It wasn't until 1988 that her mother officially reported her missing in Minnesota. This delay has contributed to a lack of leads in the investigation. Tragically, her mother died in a car accident in 1989. Her father was later reported to be living in Arizona in poor health. The Austin Police Department in Minnesota is interested in her whereabouts, and family members continue to seek answers regarding her disappearance. Authorities have also expressed interest in identifying and speaking with a boyfriend Long had in California at the time.Last Seen: Feb 22, 1981
