1987/1993 Stirling City Missing Sisters
On June 11, 1987, an eight-year-old girl by the name of Katrina Elkins disappeared from her home in Stirling City. The following was taken from a newspaper in the Stirling City area.
Police Have Few Leads in Missing Girl Case
By Will Higgins
Posted: June 15, 1987
Stirling City, CA -- A spokesman for the Stirling City Police Department admitted this week that there were no promising leads in the case of eight year old Katrina Elkins, who went missing from her home Thursday night.
"It's like she disappeared into thin air," said neighbor and family friend, Marybeth Carlisle.
Police were called to the residence at 6:30 AM on Friday morning by Katrina's father, David. He realized that Katrina was missing when he went into her bedroom to wake her for school and discovered that she was not in her bed.
The only possible witness was the victim's sister, ten year old Alice, with whom Katrina shares a bedroom. Alice has been unable to provide many details to investigators, however.
"It seems that [the girl] suffers from an overactive imagination," SCPD Sergeant William Hohne said, "she told us the last time she saw her sister, was through the window where she was 'hugging the tall man'."
According to witness statements, over the past several weeks a man had been coming to the girls' bedroom window at night, where he would tap on the glass, 'make faces', and watch the girls.
Police investigators initially dismissed the account as a dream, as the bedroom window is on the second story, with no support beneath it.
"[Alice] Elkins reported that, on the night of her sisters disappearance, they were again awakened by a tapping at the glass," Sergeant Hohne explained, "She heard her sister get out of bed, and have a short conversation. When she didn't hear her sister get back in bed after several minutes, she got up and went to the window, where she saw her sister in the side yard, 'hugging the tall man'. According to the witness, the man looked up at her, grinned, and indicated that she was to come down as well with a 'snaky arm'. It was at this point that Miss Elkins became extremely frightened, and returned to bed. The tapping continued for some minutes, but finally ceased."
Police scoured the Elkins' yard for clues, with no success.
When asked why Alice had not told her parents about the tall men before, she explained, "He scared me. He told us to not tell Mom and Dad, or we'd be in trouble. He told us that he was our friend, and that he would give us anything we wanted, but we had to keep his secret. His smile was scary... and his voice. He said nice things but he sounded mean."
Police believe that there is no link between the disappearance, and the vicious killing of the Elkin's cat by disemboweling in April.
In 2010, WikiLeaks leaked a number of government documents, once of which included a reference to Katrina. The following is an excerpt from that document, seemingly indicating that Katrina may still be alive and well somewhere.
Aug 30 2003
0835 Young girl positively identified as Katrina Elkins, age 8, victim 23 of 1987. See appendix B for all case files related to Katrina Elkins, and her current status. Note: She appears to still be 8 years old and healthy, with no obvious wounds.
In July of 1993, Katrina's younger sister Alice disappeared. The following is a transcript of the responding officer's questioning of Alice's friend Crystal Parkriner.
DATE: July 15th, 1993
RESPONDING TO A MISSING 16 YEAR OLD IN LAKE OROVILLE STATE RECREATION PARK, CA
Officer Jackson questioning missing girl's friend, Crystal Marie Parkriner
JACKSON: Please state your name and age.
PARKRINER: (clearly upset)I already told you...
JACKSON: Please...
PARKRINER: (sighs) Crystal Marie Parkriner, 16 years old... Why arent you out there looking for Alice!
JACKSON: Ma'm please calm down, we are looking for her, we just need to hear your story to maybe better help us find out what happened. What is your relationship to Miss Elkins?
PARKRINER: She was my friend...
JACKSON: What were you and her doing in the park.
PARKRINER: We were doing a late 16 birthday party... her parents flaked out on her since America's Most Wanted ran that story about her sister again.
JACKSON: Her sister?
PARKRINER: Yeah... couple years ago her sister was kidnapped, you know Katrina Elkins.
JACKSON: Was Alice upset or maybe sucidal?
PARKRINER: She... she wouldn't do that.
JACKSON: Ok, tell me what happened.
PARKRINER: So... men, Donnie...
JACKSON: Donnie?
PARKRINER: Donnie Parkriner, my brother. Sal... (sighs) Sally Danes and Richie Farms decided to take Alice to have a birthday party since her parents been putting off doing anything for Alice. So we got some things and decided to have a camp party...
JACKSON: What things did you bring with you for this party?
PARKRINER: (getting annoied) Beer... food... cigs...
JACKSON: Any drugs?
PARKRINER: No.
JACKSON: OK, go on
PARKRINER: We got there like 7 pm so we were setting up the tent and stuff... Alice seemed ok.
JACKSON: Was she drinking?
PARKRINER: No... she didn't drink. She was looking at the lake for awhile... It was like 9 pm when Alice started acting strange.
JACKSON: How?
PARKRINER: She... got quiet. Kept looking out at the woods... then she started walking into the darkness.
JACKSON: Did any of you follow her?
PARKRINER: I did... but it was like she was listening to someone else... like she was listening to directions by someone. I couldn't follow her. Donnie got a flash light and we went on... we started finding her clothes on the ground but we couldn't find her.... Please find her... (crying) she's out there missing and maybe hurt...
JACKSON: We are looking for her...
No sign of the two sisters has since surfaced.