On the evening of August 31, 1991, 18-year-old Karol Marlene Sullens was at her job as an exotic dancer at the Valley of The Dolls nightclub on 7th Street in Galena, Kansas. During a break, she was seen in the nightclub's parking lot talking to an unidentified man near his dark-colored pickup truck that had a camper shell. Shortly after this conversation, Karol vanished, leaving behind her purse and other personal belongings at the bar. She has not been seen or heard from since that night.
At the time of her disappearance, Karol was described as a white female with blonde hair and green eyes, standing at 5'3" and weighing around 100 pounds. She had a scar from an appendectomy on her abdomen and her ears were pierced. She was last seen wearing her dance costume, which was a long, green, dress-like shirt.
Authorities have long believed that Karol likely died of a drug overdose on the night she went missing and that the individuals who supplied her with the drugs concealed her body. This theory guided the investigation for years, leading to extensive searches in both Kansas and Oklahoma, but these efforts did not lead to the discovery of her remains. In 2001, a decade after Karol's disappearance, a man named Donald D. Kidwell was charged in connection with her case. The warrant for his arrest stated that he "unintentionally" caused her death through "reckless" actions. Another man, Donald E. Davis, was charged with aggravated battery and cooperated with authorities in the case against Kidwell.
In 2002, Donald D. Kidwell accepted a plea agreement, pleading guilty to battery and obstruction of official duty. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $1,500. Kidwell admitted responsibility for her death but maintained that he did not sexually assault her and that her death was not intentional. Despite this legal development, Karol's body has never been found. Her family continues to seek answers and closure, holding gatherings to remember her on what would have been her birthdays. The case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for her loved ones and the community, an enduring mystery centered on a young woman who vanished one summer night. Over the years, privately funded rewards have been offered for information leading to the location of her remains, as investigators continue to hope that someone with knowledge of her whereabouts will finally come forward.Last Seen: Aug 31, 1991
