Missing
Karl Terry Karbowski
Karbowski, approximately 2002
Date and time person was reported missing : 08/03/2002
Missing location (approx) :
Houston, Texas
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
White
DOB : 02/23/1939 (82)
Age at the time of disappearance: 63 years old
Height / Weight : 5'7 - 5'9, 145 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A burgundy shirt, blue jeans and dark-colored canvas slip-on shoes.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian male. Graying brown hair, blue eyes. Karbowski wears eyeglasses and is balding. He may be known by his middle name, Terry.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : 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 manAge at the time of disappearance: d 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.
Other information and links : ncy
Harris County Sheriff's Department
713-967-5810
September 2021 updates and sources
Texas Equusearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team
Texas Department of Public Safety
The Victoria Advocate
KSHN Radio
October 12, 2004. October 24, 2010; Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : updated.
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
