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Case Description
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Karl Terry Karbowski, a 63-year-old business owner, was last seen at his office in the Reeveston area of Houston, Texas, on August 3, 2002. His employees reported him missing on August 5 when he failed to show up for work at the fence company he owned. At the time of his disappearance, Karbowski was described as a white male, 5'7" to 5'9" tall, weighing around 145-150 pounds, with graying brown hair, blue eyes, and a balding pattern. He was last seen wearing a burgundy shirt, blue jeans, and dar ...Read More
Last Seen: Aug 03, 2002
Links to Additional Sources (2)
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Victim Details

Jan 28, 2026

Jan 28, 2026

Karl

Terry Karbowski

63

63

5'7 - 5'9 inches

145 lbs

White

Male

Karl was last seen at his office in the Reeveston area of Houston, Texas. He was reported missing by his employees on August 5 when he didn't show up for work. He owned a fence company in Reeveston. On August 12, nine days after his disappearance, Karl's Ford F-250 was found abandoned at the corner of Wayside and Interstate 10 in Houston. There was no sign of him at the scene and there were indications that a struggle had taken place. On November 18, four months after Karl's disappearance, his estranged wife, Mariela Quinonez Karbowski, was charged in his murder. Mariela went to the police and confessed to the crime. She claimed Karl visited her on the day of his disappearance and she beat him to death with a two-slice toaster. Then she dumped the body, the toaster, and a gun into the Trinity River. The river is close to the River Bend Tavern, a bar near the Interstate 90 bridge which is owned by Karl and managed by his son. Police uncovered unspecified DNA evidence to support Mariela's confession, but the charges against her were eventually dropped for lack of evidence. Karl remains missing. He owned the Oasis Tavern in Liberty, Texas in addition to the River Bend Tavern. Foul play is suspected in his case due to the circumstances involved.

Aug 03, 2002

Houston

Texas

Houston

3

Harris County Sheriff's Departmen

713-967-5810

01/28/2026