GA GA - Carlene Tengelsen, 16, Macon, 21 June 1972

[Ozoner]

My gut feeling is that Carlene was taken somewhere within the general area, most likely a wooded area, and probably was left unburied. If he buried her I would have expected the interior of the car to be dirty.

Unless......the deal with the car is all wrong. Maybe the perp never took her in her own family's car and the car was parked near the mall all along, although one of her sisters insists it was not. It was found with the keys inside and the windows rolled down. Carlene's family stated she would never have left the car that way. But if the info we have is accurate, and the car was not at that location earlier in the evening, it looks as if she was abducted along with the vehicle and the perp drove the vehicle back to town several hours later. I think he didn't steal the car because he didn't need it, either because he lived in the general area or because his own vehicle was parked in town. I think he had to drive it back for some reason. I think if I were him I wouldn't have come back so near the mall, but we will probably never know why.

If the sister is correct about the car's having been returned to the mall later, that fact alone strongly suggests that Carlene was harmed by someone whom she knew.

As others suggested, it's possible that the killer needed to return to his own vehicle, which was parked in the same lot, but that is unlikely.

 

[BethAnn777]

this is a shot in the dark and a long shot.. I happen to come across this page and saw this photo and the girl reminded me of Charlene for some reason.. so I thought I would post it here.. the photo was taken in Philadelphia in 1973 at a Burlesque Theater

https://theredlist.com/wiki-2-16-601-788-view-portrait-1-profile-slavin-neal.html

View attachment 127171View attachment 127173

This really does look like her. The noses are spot on!

 

[dogperson]

The Find-A-Grave posting for Carlene's dad. It has an Easter picture of the whole family in 1969.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40484830/arnold-whittington-tengelsen

 

[PGHJW]

That is really strange. It's actually a creepy shot when just seeing that person.

I don't think it's her at all, but most of the face does match up. The chins aren't the same.

I guess it's a better thought that she was taken and forced into that life under a wig than her being killed...but I still don't think she lived beyond the day she was taken.

Did you just happen upon that photo?

 

[dogperson]

Carlene has been missing forty-six years today.

 

[Mountain Mama]

Carlene has been missing forty-six years today.

I hope this year will bring justice to Carlene's family.

I don't have much to add but will give my two cents.

Carlene only recently learned to drive prior to her disappearance. This inexperience might have played a part in her abduction, I believe. If this crime that took place 46 years ago today is to be solved, it would be helped along if people who lived in Macon at the time would come forth with information. In all seriousness, if there were maladjusted types who were living in the area at that time whose whereabouts were unaccounted for on that particular summer solstice, perhaps family might be willing to come forward now. We need to keep in mind that Carlene was taken on the longest day of the year and it probably stayed light outside until nearly nine p.m. that night. The crime could have easily been committed in broad daylight. I hope someone remembers something.

The staging of her car near the Krispy Kreme makes me think she was attacked while in her car, or near the car & forced into it. I'd like to know where she encountered the attacker, whether it was in the parking lot, and if it was someone she knew or a stranger. Anyone else care to share their thoughts?

 

[Ozoner]

I hope this year will bring justice to Carlene's family.

I don't have much to add but will give my two cents.

Carlene only recently learned to drive prior to her disappearance. This inexperience might have played a part in her abduction, I believe. If this crime that took place 46 years ago today is to be solved, it would be helped along if people who lived in Macon at the time would come forth with information. In all seriousness, if there were maladjusted types who were living in the area at that time whose whereabouts were unaccounted for on that particular summer solstice, perhaps family might be willing to come forward now. We need to keep in mind that Carlene was taken on the longest day of the year and it probably stayed light outside until nearly nine p.m. that night. The crime could have easily been committed in broad daylight. I hope someone remembers something.

The staging of her car near the Krispy Kreme makes me think she was attacked while in her car, or near the car & forced into it. I'd like to know where she encountered the attacker, whether it was in the parking lot, and if it was someone she knew or a stranger. Anyone else care to share their thoughts?

I'd like to see people come forward, but providing information on "maladjusted types" might not be particularly helpful. We often see murders solved where it turns out that the killer kept up a front of being a normal family man. We've seen murderers who were ministers, cops, high school principals, etc.

 

[dogperson]

If a real investigation had been done by police at the time I think there's a good chance they might have solved this, especially if Carlene was taken by a local resident. If it was a crime of opportunity by a stranger then the odds of solving it then or now are slim. After this many years the perpetrator could very well be deceased.

 

[Mountain Mama]

bumping for Carlene

 

[RedCharlieBrown]

This really does look like her. The noses are spot on!

The girl in the picture is not Carlene.

 

[madamx]

The girl in the picture is not Carlene.

How do you know?

 

[RedCharlieBrown]

How do you know?

I knew her personally.

 

[madamx]

I knew her personally.

Oh omg so sorry. Sorry for your loss and all these years.and yep who better than you do say if she looks like her or not. Thank you for being in this thread and still looking for your friend!

 

[BethAnn777]

I knew her personally.

Sorry about your friend going missing. Do you have any ideas/clues/theories on what may have happened to Carlene?

 

[dogperson]

I knew her personally.

I'm so glad you're here, RedCharlieBrown. I've been hoping for many years that someone would show up who actually knew Carlene.

Are you a relative or a school friend? Do you recall what the speculation was in the community when she disappeared? Do you know whether her boyfriend or any ex-boyfriends were ever suspected?
I know she disappeared during the summer, but a thing like this is so unusual that I would expect the highschoolers to still be talking about it when school started back.

 

[dogperson]

Every June 21st I think of Carlene. She's been missing 47 years today.

 

[PGHJW]

48 years today for Carlene. I guess because it seems like so little attention was ever given to the case from authorities nor does it seem there were ever any leads, that I think of her case most often. It was the perfect crime. Carlene deserved better. All of the victims do.

 

[dogperson]

48 years today for Carlene. I guess because it seems like so little attention was ever given to the case from authorities nor does it seem there were ever any leads, that I think of her case most often. It was the perfect crime. Carlene deserved better. All of the victims do.

I was just thinking of Carlene yesterday but didn't get a chance to come on Websleuths to post anything in this thread. I think maybe if more attention had been given by LE to her case right at first then there would have been more hope in solving it but they treated it casually like she was a runaway instead.

 

[Suglo]

Bumping for Carlene.

 

[Richard]

Carlene Sessions Tengelsen
Missing since June 21, 1972 from Macon, Bibb County, Georgia
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

• • Age at Time of Disappearance: 16 years old
  • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'9"; 115 lbs.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Curly, brown hair; hazel eyes. She ironed her hair straight. Tanned complexion. Skinny.
  • Marks, Scars: A mole on her left cheek. A brown fleck beneath her chin, on her neck.
  • Clothing: A blue dress shirt; blue jeans and a Mickey Mouse watch on her right wrist. She wore a bracelet on the other, which bore the name of a Vietnam POW. She also wore her boyfriend's class ring, white gold with his initials engraved.
  • Dentals: Braces. She had a chipped front tooth.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Carlene Tengelsen was last seen on June 21, 1972 at Westgate Shopping Center in Macon. Carlene was supposed to tool up the family station wagon and later pick her younger sister up from day camp at Mercer University. It was her first time driving anywhere alone, and she'd had her license for two weeks.

Charlene never arrived, and the 1963 Pontiac station wagon was located in the Westgate mall parking lot at 01.45, the night she disappeared, with the windows down and its doors unlocked.

Carlene was a rising junior at Southwest High at the time of her disappearance.

Investigators

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Macon Police Department
912-751-7505

Agency Case Number: 97MP123808

Source Information:

The Macon Telegraph
The Doe Network: Case File 2837DFGA