The Strange Case of Karlie Gusé: A Teen’s Final Night Before Vanishing Without a Trace

·1 hr 15 min·5 clips

Karlie Gusé vanished without a trace in 2018 after a night of bizarre behavior, leaving investigators and her family with no answers.

The episode begins with hosts welcoming listeners back and introducing the case of Karlie Gusé, a 16-year-old who disappeared in October 2018. They recount her background: living in Bishop, California, with her father Zach, stepmother Melissa, and siblings, after her parents' divorce. Karlie was a popular teen who started smoking weed with her boyfriend Donald. On the night of October 12, 2018, Karlie smoked weed at a friend's house, became intensely paranoid, and called Melissa to pick her up. Melissa found Karlie running outside, pale with dilated pupils, and brought her home. Karlie exhibited bizarre behavior, calling salad 'devil's lettuce' and asking to go to church. Melissa recorded some interactions, hoping to show Karlie later. They went to bed together, but when Melissa woke up, Karlie was gone, leaving behind her phone, glasses, and wallet. A neighbor reported seeing Karlie walking at dawn, carrying a piece of paper. The search involved local authorities, the FBI, dogs, and helicopters, with her scent trail ending at Highway 6. Theories discussed include the weed being laced, cannabis-induced psychosis given family mental health history, trafficking on Highway 6, or abduction. The hosts note misinformation spread online, like a YouTube video falsely claiming to find Karlie. They also cover family tensions, with Karlie's birth mother Lindsay initially blaming Zach and Melissa, though later recanting. The episode concludes with contact information for tips and a hope Karlie might still be found.

As heard by us

A clear overnight timeline keeps Carly's disappearance grounded in careful, case-first detail.

Mile Higher stays tightly focused on the overnight sequence around Carly's disappearance, using the late text, the movie night, the checks on her eyes, and the point by morning when the house realized she was gone.

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Why you'd press play

Carly's last night before she vanished gets laid out clearly, step by step.

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