Kristi Suzanne Krebs lived in Fort Bragg, California, with her parents Bob and Susan. After graduating high school in 1989, Kris began working at a local pizza parlor, the Round Table Pizza.
She soon became obsessed with one of her co-workers, a married man. She began to create scenarios in her head in which the two were married and had children. She would often drive around town in a euphoric daze imagining what their lives would be like together.
During one of those drives around Redwood Forest, her car got stuck in mud and she had a mental breakdown. For an unknown reason, the car caught fire but she managed to exit the vehicle in time.
The next morning, Kris was found dazed and confused walking along railroad tracks. One of the railroad workers knew who she was and called her parents. Bob and Susan immediately noticed their daughter was acting abnormally and drove her to the hospital.
At first they thought she was on drugs, however, she was diagnosed with having a psychotic and traumatic breakdown. Kris spent the next six months in the hospital with some sort of amnesia. When she was released, her therapists allowed her to go back to work but only part-time.
Three years later, Kris was doing much better. She had two jobs, one at the pizza parlor and the other at Burger King. She worked 10 to 12 hours a day.
On August 9, 1993, Kris left work at 10 PM. She had been acting hyper during her shift and told her friends she was going home. Sadly, the 22-year-old never arrived at her parents’ house.
Instead, Kris had gone on one of her drives to MacKerricher State Park. Her Toyota Tercel was found the next morning, 7 miles away from where her car had caught fire three years earlier. Kris’ car had gotten stuck in mud again.
The car’s headlights were broken, the radio had been ripped out, and there were small traces of blood on the dashboard and front seat. Torn up photographs and identification documents were found near the car.
It is believed Kris changed out of her work clothes into the gym clothes she usually kept in her car — this means she left the scene wearing pink gym shorts. Her work clothes were in the backseat of the car, soaking wet and neatly folded. Her underwear, bra, wallet, and driver’s license were also in the car.
Authorities conducted searches but no leads came up. Nonetheless, there have been various reported sightings. The day after she vanished, there were reports of a girl in pink shorts hitchhiking along two California highways, Highway 1 and Highway 20.
A few days after Kris went missing, Alicia Larson picked up a hitchhiker in Salt Lake City, Utah, who identified themselves as ‘Kris’. Alicia was able to describe Kris’ pink shorts which had not been public information at the time.
There are a few reasons as to why Kris’ parents believe this girl was their daughter. The first thing the girl had said to Alicia was, “You’re looking at the happiest girl in the world”. This was something Kris often said.
When Alicia asked the girl why she was so happy, she started talking about the trucker she had recently met and fallen in love with. She claimed they were meeting in Amarillo, Texas, to get married. The girl also mentioned being paranoid of the police, who were supposedly after her.
Alicia dropped the young woman off near a McDonalds in Park City. As she exited the car she commented, “Burger King is better”.
On June 30, 1994, off duty highway worker Mike Case picked up a hitchhiker near Visalia, California. Mike thought the woman was on drugs but after having a conversation with her he realized she had mental issues.
According to Mike, she was in her own world and when he asked about the two scars on her wrists, she said they were from when she had a breakdown. He dropped her off in Hanford and is certain the young woman was Kris.
Kris’ right thumb is deformed — the knuckle is thick and the tip curves inward. She also speaks with a slight lisp.
Kristi Krebs’ family believes she is still alive, lost and unaware of her true identity. She is now 53-years-old.
