The Strange Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi
Her fate has been one of the Bay Area’s biggest mysteries for more than two decades.
Kristen Modafferi was planning to have the best summer of her life. She just finished her freshman year at North Carolina State University, and was enrolled in a summer photography class at the University of California at Berkeley. Her parents hadn’t been thrilled at the thought of their daughter spending a summer so far away from home, but Kristen wanted to prove she could support herself without their help. She searched the internet and found a room to rent in an old Victorian home in Oakland, and arrived in California on June 1, 1997.
Within a few days of her arrival, Kristen managed to secure two part-time jobs; the combined income would allow her to easily pay all her bills. She started working right away, and spent her afternoons exploring the city. She worked her normal shift at Spinelli’s coffee shop in the Crocker Galleria on June 23rd, and when her shift was over she asked her coworkers for directions to Baker Beach, which was located near Land’s End Beach and was a popular spot for tourists. Her photography class was starting the next day, and she wanted to take some pictures there ahead of time. Her coworkers explained how to get there on public transportation, and Kristen was confident…
