The Vanishing at the Highlander Laundromat: The Unsolved Murder of Corinne Perry

On a quiet Sunday evening in April 1983, 17-year-old Corinne Perry walked into the Highlander Laundromat in Creston, Iowa, carrying a basket of dirty clothes. It was a routine task that the high school senior had done countless times before. But when she walked out of that laundromat between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m., followed by an unidentified man, it would be the last time anyone saw her alive.

What happened to Corinne Perry in those final moments outside the laundromat remains one of Iowa's most haunting unsolved mysteries. Her case would eventually lead to changes in how missing persons cases are handled across the state, but for her family, justice has remained frustratingly out of reach for more than four decades.

A Star Ready to Shine

Corinne Elaine Perry was born on August 28, 1965, at an air base in Libya where her father Donald was stationed with the Air Force. The Perry family had lived a nomadic military life, moving frequently as Donald's assignments changed. They had traveled across the globe before finally settling in Creston, Iowa, after Donald's retirement from the Air Force.

By 1983, Corinne had blossomed into everything a small town could hope for in a young woman. Standing 5 feet 7 inches tall with striking strawberry-blonde hair and gray eyes, she weighed just 110 pounds but possessed an outsized personality that drew people to her. Her sister Letitia would later describe her as "this vivacious, smart girl with long strawberry-blonde hair who loved being on the stage."

Theatre was Corinne's passion. She belonged to Creston High School's mime troupe, acted in several school plays, and competed in speech contests. Her talent and dedication had not gone unnoticed. Just weeks before her disappearance, Corinne had earned a scholarship to Simpson College in Iowa, where she planned to pursue a double major in psychology and acting. She was exactly one month away from graduation when her life was cut short.

Those who knew Corinne remember her as popular and well-liked, someone who genuinely enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She was the kind of student and daughter that every parent dreams of having, making what happened to her all the more incomprehensible.

A Family Bound by Love

The Perry family was close-knit, despite the challenges that military life had thrown their way. Corinne lived at home with her mother Barbara after her parents' divorce, while her older sister Letitia, then 19, had moved out and was taking classes at Southwestern Community College in Creston. The family also included two other older sisters, creating a bond between the four siblings that military moves and family changes had only strengthened.

In many ways, April 17, 1983, started like any other Sunday for the Perry family. Corinne and her mother shared a car, and that evening, Corinne needed to do laundry. At around 6:10 p.m., she took the keys and drove to the Highlander Laundromat on Highway 34, a coin-operated facility that served the local community.

The laundromat was a safe, familiar place. Creston was the kind of small Iowa town where people knew their neighbors and violent crime was rare. For a teenager like Corinne, doing laundry alone on a Sunday evening should have been as routine and unremarkable as any other household chore.

The Last Witnesses

What happened at the Highlander Laundromat that evening would haunt investigators for decades. According to witness accounts, Corinne finished her laundry and prepared to leave sometime between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. As she walked out of the laundromat, witnesses observed a man walking out behind her.

This man remains unidentified to this day. The witnesses who saw him could provide no detailed description, and he seemed to vanish as completely as Corinne herself. Whether he followed her intentionally or their timing was merely coincidental has never been determined, but his presence at that crucial moment makes him the closest thing investigators have to a suspect.

Corinne never made it home that night. When she failed to return, her family grew concerned. Barbara Perry and her daughters were not the type to panic over minor delays, but as the hours stretched on with no word from Corinne, they knew something was terribly wrong.

The Discovery of Abandonment

The next morning brought the first concrete evidence that something had happened to Corinne. Her car was found still parked outside the Highlander Laundromat, exactly where she had left it the night before. But it was what was inside the car that told the real story of interrupted plans and sudden violence.

Corinne's freshly laundered clothes were neatly folded on the seat, exactly as she would have arranged them after completing her task at the laundromat. The careful folding suggested she had finished her laundry and loaded her car, intending to drive home. Everything appeared normal except for one crucial detail: Corinne was nowhere to be found.

When the family contacted the Creston Police, they encountered a frustrating response that would become all too familiar in missing persons cases of that era. Authorities suggested that Corinne was likely a runaway, despite her family's insistence that this was completely out of character. The police seemed reluctant to launch an immediate, comprehensive search.

"It was really frustrating," Letitia told Dateline years later. "I just remember getting really upset with each question they asked. We were wasting time and I just wanted to find my sister."

The family's frustration was compounded by Iowa law at the time, which required many law enforcement agencies to wait 72 hours before requesting help from the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in missing persons cases. This delay would prove costly in terms of potential evidence and witnesses' memories.

A Mother's Purse Tells a Story

Several days after Corinne's disappearance, police made a discovery that shattered any remaining hope that she had simply run away. Her purse was found on a highway bridge approximately seven miles from the laundromat, positioned between the towns of Kent and Lenox, Iowa.

For Letitia, the discovery of the purse was devastating evidence that something terrible had happened to her sister. "My heart sank," she recalled. "My little sister was all about the way she looked. She loved makeup and she never left the house without makeup. And her purse... well, it was filled with her makeup. To find that purse with her makeup just proves that she didn't run away."

The location of the purse was significant. While Corinne's father Donald lived in Kent, there was no reason she would have been on that particular highway bridge, especially without her car. The placement seemed deliberate, suggesting someone had disposed of it there to misdirect the investigation or simply to get rid of evidence.

A Community Mobilizes

As the days stretched into weeks with no sign of Corinne, her family and friends refused to give up hope. They organized search parties, distributed flyers throughout the area, and raised money for a reward fund. The close friends with whom Corinne had spent much of her time were instrumental in these efforts, demonstrating the impact she had made on those who knew her.

Three weeks after Corinne's disappearance, Gerald Shanahan, chief of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, announced a $2,500 reward for information that would help authorities locate the missing teenager. The announcement was a sign that law enforcement was finally taking the case seriously, but by then, precious time had already been lost.

The case also attracted attention at the highest levels of state government. One month after Corinne's disappearance, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad approved a proposal to remove the 72-hour waiting period that had delayed the DCI's involvement in missing persons cases with suspected foul play. The change was made partly in response to the Perry family's frustration and was signed alongside other families dealing with missing children, including the parents of Des Moines paperboy Johnny Gosch.

Governor Branstad also signed a proclamation declaring May 25 as National Missing Children's Day, an observance that continues today in honor of missing children across the nation. For the Perry family, these policy changes were bittersweet; they might help other families, but they came too late to help Corinne.

The Grim Discovery

For nineteen agonizing months, the Perry family lived in limbo. They held onto hope that Corinne might still be alive somewhere, even as logic suggested otherwise. That hope was finally, cruelly extinguished on November 3, 1984.

Hunters discovered human remains in a shallow grave near a creek bed south of Creston, in the same general area where Corinne's purse had been found between Kent and Lenox. The location was eerily close to the highway bridge where her purse had been discovered more than a year earlier.

Letitia was in another part of Iowa visiting a friend when she received the devastating phone call from her mother. "She told me Corinne's body had been found," Letitia remembered. "I hit the floor. I dropped the phone. I couldn't breathe or think. My sister was gone."

The remains were identified as Corinne's through dental records, confirming what the family had feared but hoped against for more than a year and a half. Only partial remains were recovered: her skull, hip, leg, and neck bones. Despite extensive searches of the surrounding area, no additional bones, personal items, or clothing were found.

The condition of the remains made determining a cause of death difficult. The advanced decomposition and the fact that only certain bones were recovered meant that investigators could not definitively establish how Corinne had died. This would prove to be another frustrating obstacle in a case already marked by lost time and missed opportunities.

A Legacy of Change

While justice for Corinne remained elusive, her case catalyzed important changes in how missing persons cases are handled in Iowa. The elimination of the 72-hour waiting period that had delayed the initial investigation was a direct result of the Perry family's experience and advocacy.

Creston High School honored Corinne's memory by establishing a drama scholarship in her name, ensuring that her passion for theater would live on through future students who shared her love of the stage. It was a fitting tribute to a young woman whose light had been extinguished just as she was preparing to shine on bigger stages.

The Investigation Continues

Despite decades of investigation, Corinne Perry's murder remains unsolved. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has continued to work the case as new leads develop and as technological advances allow for additional forensic testing of original evidence.

When the DCI established a Cold Case Unit in 2009, Corinne's murder was among approximately 150 cases listed on their website as cases they hoped to solve using the latest advancements in DNA technology. Although federal grant funding for the Cold Case Unit was exhausted in December 2011, the DCI continues to assign agents to investigate cold cases as resources allow.

DCI Assistant Director Mitch Mortvedt has emphasized that no piece of information is too small or irrelevant in a cold case investigation. "Oftentimes people feel that the information they have is not worthy of law enforcement attention or it is not relevant," Mortvedt explained. "My statement to them is let law enforcement be the judge of that and no piece of information is ever 'not worthy or irrelevant' in an investigation and especially a cold case investigation."

Over the years, the family has encountered tantalizing possibilities that never led anywhere. When they learned that a man who used to live in Southwest Iowa was discovered to have killed several women in Kansas City, they alerted the DCI, but no definite connections were ever established. Each lead that fails to pan out is another disappointment in a case marked by too many of them.

The Toll on a Family

The unsolved nature of Corinne's murder took a devastating toll on the Perry family. Her father Donald died in 2001, and her mother Barbara died in 2017, both passing away without ever learning who killed their daughter or why. For parents who had already endured the trauma of losing a child, the added burden of never knowing what happened or seeing justice served was almost unbearable.

Letitia has carried the torch for her sister's case, maintaining contact with investigators and keeping Corinne's story alive in the public consciousness. She created a Facebook page called "Share memories of Corinne Perry" to collect memories and keep her sister's case visible. The page serves both as a memorial to Corinne and as a platform for sharing information that might still lead to a breakthrough.

The passage of time has not diminished Letitia's determination to find answers. Nearly four decades after that fateful night at the laundromat, she continues to hope that someone with information will finally come forward.

Theories and Speculation

While investigators have been careful not to reveal all the details of their investigation, several theories have emerged over the years about what might have happened to Corinne. The presence of the unidentified man who followed her out of the laundromat remains the most significant piece of evidence, suggesting that her encounter with him was not coincidental.

Some have speculated about connections to other crimes in the region. The 1980s saw several unsolved murders of young women in Iowa and surrounding states, leading to questions about whether a serial killer might have been operating in the area. However, no definitive links have been established between Corinne's case and other crimes.

The location where her remains were found, near where her purse was discovered, suggests that her killer was familiar with the local area. This has led investigators to focus on the possibility that her murderer was someone from the community rather than a passing stranger.

The careful folding of her clothes in the car and the placement of her purse on the bridge suggest someone who was organized and methodical, taking time to arrange evidence rather than fleeing in panic. This detail has been noted by investigators as potentially significant in understanding the perpetrator's mindset.

A Case That Refuses to Die

Today, more than 40 years after Corinne Perry walked out of the Highlander Laundromat for the last time, her case remains as compelling and frustrating as ever. The basic facts are clear: a promising young woman with everything to live for was abducted and murdered by someone who has never been held accountable for their crime.

What makes Corinne's case particularly haunting is how ordinary the circumstances were. She was doing something as mundane as laundry in a town where she felt safe. The random nature of her victimization makes it both more frightening and more difficult to solve.

The laundromat where Corinne was last seen has since been converted to a bank, erasing the physical reminder of that fateful night. But for those who remember Corinne, and for investigators who continue to work her case, the memory of what happened there remains vivid.

Modern DNA technology offers hope that evidence collected at the time might eventually yield new leads. Advances in forensic science have solved cold cases from the same era, giving investigators and the Perry family reason to hope that Corinne's case might still be solvable.

The killer, if still alive, would now be much older, possibly dealing with health issues or other life changes that might make them more likely to confess or be identified by someone who knows their secret. Time can be an ally in cold cases, as circumstances change and people who were once protective of secrets may finally be willing to speak.

An Enduring Mystery

Corinne Perry's story represents both the best and worst of small-town America. The best is evident in the way her community rallied around her family, the dedication of friends who helped search for her, and the lasting memorial created in her honor. The worst is reflected in the initial dismissal of her disappearance as a runaway situation and the fact that her killer has walked free for four decades.

Her case also illustrates how one person's death can catalyze important changes that benefit others. The policy changes that resulted from her family's advocacy have likely helped other missing persons cases receive more immediate attention, potentially saving lives and solving cases that might otherwise have gone cold.

For Letitia and the extended Perry family, Corinne's case represents an ongoing wound that has never fully healed. While they have found ways to honor her memory and continue their lives, the absence of closure remains a constant presence. Every anniversary, every birthday, every family gathering carries the shadow of what might have been.

The question of who killed Corinne Perry and why continues to haunt those who knew her and those who have worked her case. Somewhere, someone knows what happened during those crucial minutes after she left the laundromat. Whether that person is the killer himself or someone who has protected his secret, the truth remains hidden.

As investigators continue to apply new technologies and follow up on tips, there is still hope that Corinne's case will eventually be solved. The DCI remains committed to working the case, and advances in DNA analysis and other forensic techniques continue to open new possibilities.

For now, Corinne Perry remains frozen in time as a vibrant 17-year-old with dreams of college and a career in theater. Her story serves as a reminder that justice delayed is not necessarily justice denied, and that families like the Perrys deserve answers, no matter how much time has passed.

The young woman who walked into that laundromat with a basket of clothes and dreams of her future deserves to have her story told and her killer brought to justice. Until that day comes, her case remains one of Iowa's most enduring mysteries, a puzzle waiting for the right piece to finally make the picture complete.

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Sources

1. NBC News Dateline - "Woman still searching for justice in sister Corinne Perry's murder nearly 40 years after she was killed after leaving Iowa laundromat" by Andrea Cavallier (April 11, 2020)

2. Iowa Cold Cases - "Corinne Perry" case summary by Jody Ewing (September 20, 2022)

3. Yahoo News - "Decades-old murder of Iowa teen in 1983 remains unsolved" (April 10, 2020)

4. Cold and Missing Podcast - "Corinne Perry" episode (September 5, 2022)

5. Find a Grave Memorial - "Corinne Elaine Perry (1965-1983)"

6. Secrets in the Cornfield: Iowa's Unsolved - "The disappearance and murder of Corinne Perry" podcast

7. The Des Moines Register - Various articles from 1983-1984 regarding the disappearance and discovery of remains

8. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cold Case files

9. Facebook - "Share memories of Corinne Perry" memorial page created by family

10. Iowa Cold Cases Facebook page posts and updates