Coralville, IA – September 1, 1975
On Labor Day, two young motorcyclists made a grim discovery near Marina 218 at the Coralville Reservoir: the charred bodies of two individuals inside a burned pickup truck. The victims were later identified as 27-year-old Karen Ann Christensen from Cedar Rapids and her cousin, 25-year-old Larry Gordon Wells from Marathon, Iowa.
The discovery was made around 11 a.m. by Berkley Stordahl, 17, of Marion, and Virgil Elsbury, 18, of Cedar Rapids. The duo had noticed the truck in the area a few days earlier. While taking a break near the vehicle, they peeked inside and immediately contacted the authorities upon realizing there were bodies inside.
When law enforcement arrived, they found the remains severely burned, initially leading them to believe there was only one body present. However, further investigation revealed that there were indeed two victims. Authorities traced the pickup truck to Larry Wells and contacted his sister, Marilyn, who then informed them that Karen was also involved. Dental records later confirmed the identities of the deceased.
Investigators noted that the extent of the fire damage was inconsistent with the typical combustibles found in a pickup truck. The gas cap had been removed, and it appeared that gasoline had been used to accelerate the fire. Matches were also discovered in the truck’s bed. The two victims are believed to have died on the evening of August 26, just days before they were found. Notably, the surrounding tall grasses were not scorched, raising further questions about the circumstances of their deaths.
Karen Christensen, who would have turned 28 the day after her death, was a dedicated librarian with a passion for poetry and nature. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Northern Iowa in 1969. Larry Wells, born on November 19, 1949, was an intelligent and athletic young man who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. At the time of their deaths, he was living in the family home in Marathon, where Karen was helping him restore antique woodwork.
Family members believe that the cousins may have been en route to visit Marilyn, a student at the University of Iowa, when tragedy struck. Karen’s sister, Carole, speculates they might have stopped near the reservoir to search for wildflowers, a shared passion of theirs.
This devastating case remains under investigation as authorities seek to uncover the truth behind this tragic double homicide.
