On Independence Day 1974, 19-year-olds Carlene Brown and her friend Christine ‘Christy’ Ann Gross vanished while enjoying the holiday celebration held with the Little Britches Rodeo at the local fairgrounds.
Carlene was a local girl, having graduated from Rawlins High School in May that same year. Her parents were divorced and Carlene was living in Rawlins with her dad and brother at the time though she often went back and forth between her parents. Carlene is remembered by her high school friends as being successful in school, a member of many extra-curricular groups (sports, band, debate) and graduating with good grades.

Christy was from out of town, vising on vacation from Bowdle, South Dakota. Prior to her graduation the year before, Christy was known to be very active in her high school’s extra-curricular activities including the school band, choir, track team, and cheer-leading.  It is unclear how Christy had ties to the Rawlins area, but reports say she was in town visiting friends during the summer break.  It is also unclear where Christy was staying while in town.

Christy, Carlene, and a third friend had planned to meet up and celebrate the Fourth of July festivities together, starting with the Little Britches Rodeo.  It was allegedly the first time in several years that the town had been able to put on a fireworks show, so it is likely they intended to finish their day attending that event.

Both Christy and Carlene drove separate vehicles to the event (Source), arriving at the fairgrounds where they were seen hanging out together.  The third friend became ill and did not come that day.  By the time the festival wound down later in the evening, there was no sign of the girls.

*Some sources suggest they were riding in a single vehicle; who’s is not clear.

Carlene was a relatively independent young woman, who sometimes quarreled with her parents and shifted between their homes.  Her family was not initially surprised when she failed to return home, assuming she was heading to Colorado to visit her mother or just running around with Christy. Christy had already planned a long-term trip and spoke of visiting friends in the northern towns of Worland (about 200 miles away) or Sheridan (about 260 miles away). [see the map under the More Details tab]

When the girls did not return, their parents became worried. Neither friends nor family (including friends in Worland) had heard from them since the Fourth of July, and no one knew where they might have gone. Missing persons reports were filed, and eventually, their vehicles were found. Some reports indicate a vehicle was discovered at the fairgrounds, while others mention it was found in Worland. It’s unclear whether this means there were two separate vehicles (one in each location) or if the reports are inconsistent. This confusion makes it difficult to determine whether the girls disappeared directly from the fairgrounds or after leaving the rodeo.

The car was later recovered abandoned and empty, located at either the fairgrounds or in Worland, a town about 200 miles north (sources are inconsistent).

Although the case was initially tagged as a runaway, the disappearance of two other young women shortly afterward helped raise concerns of foul play.

Several years later, in the fall of 1983,  Christy’s skeletal remains were unfortunately found about 3 miles south of the neighboring town of Sinclair.  The cause of death was determined to be homicide, Christy had been struct twice on her head.

There is no sign of Carlene at the crime scene; however, DNA testing may be complicated in her case.  Carlene was adopted and her birth parents are unknown. It does appear however that her dental records may be on file.