Katharina Buczek
In 1978, Theresa Corley of Bellingham, Massachusetts, was a college student with commendable drive and big dreams.
At only 19-years-old, she had already embarked on her second year of schooling at Holliston Junior College– where she was studying to become a medical assistant.
Theresa also worked her way through school in order to pay her tuition as a part-time worker at a factory known as the Penthouse in Franklin, Massachusetts.
She hailed from a large family, growing up with seven sisters and one brother. The teen also loved volleyball, enjoyed participating in the drama club, and had an ultimate goal of becoming a pediatrician.
Prior to working at Penthouse, Theresa was also employed at Star Market. There, she left her mark on a coworker named Bob Ward– who is now a journalist with Boston 25 News.
“The last time I remember seeing Theresa Corley, I was working my minimum wage, part-time job at Star Market in Franklin, Massachusetts. I was straightening a store shelf in one of the aisles. Theresa smiled and said hi to me as she passed by, probably on her way to the back room to punch out of her shift at the end of her work day,” Bob recalled.
“It’s a fleeting memory of a pretty girl, full of life, who shared a little greeting as she bounced down a supermarket aisle headed to whatever adventure awaited.”
Tragically, though, the young and bright woman never got to realize her dreams of completing college or pursuing medicine. Instead, in December of 1978, Theresa’s life was brutally taken from her.
The day before the teen disappeared began as usual. Theresa had left her job at Penthouse at about 7:00 p.m. before stopping in at a nearby bar with her boyfriend.
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