#6 The Missing Pieces: The Mysterious Disappearance of Denise Pflum - Uncovering Decades of Unanswered Questions

What happened to Denise Pflum on that fateful day in 1986 when she left home in Connersville, Indiana to retrieve a forgotten purse and never returned? Discover the chilling twists and turns of this haunting case that has left a small Indiana town with unanswered questions for nearly four decades. From an abandoned car to a shocking confession years later, we unravel the enigmatic disappearance of a promising young woman whose life was abruptly halted. 

Join us as we navigate through the emotional landscape faced by Denise's family, particularly her parents, David and Judy Pflum, in their relentless pursuit of truth. We'll explore the theories that have emerged over the years, including the potential involvement of Denise's ex-boyfriend, Sean McClung, and the baffling lack of evidence despite his confession. This episode delves into the heartache of unanswered questions, the limitations of 1980s investigative tools, and the hope that still lingers in the search for closure.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

This is the Missing Pieces podcast, where we explore the stories of those who vanish, the unanswered questions, the gaps in time where lives are interrupted and the families left searching for truth. Today we turn our attention to Connersville, indiana, a small Midwestern town with a close-knit community where people know their neighbors and life moves at a slower, familiar pace. But even in a town like this, tragedies unfold, leaving behind missing pieces that refuse to fit. This is the story of Denise Flume, a promising young woman, an athlete, a scholar and a daughter, who disappeared on March 28, 1986, and was never seen again. Denise was just 18 years old, standing on the edge of adulthood, preparing to leave for Miami University in Ohio, where she planned to study microbiology. She had everything going for her a solid future, a loving family, a bright mind. But all of that ended on a quiet spring day when she left her home in Fayette County, indiana, and simply vanished. The missing pieces of her story remain scattered, elusive, just beyond reach, leaving behind nearly four decades of speculation, pain and unanswered questions. Let's go back to the day before her disappearance. It was a Friday night, march 27, 1986. Denise had attended a party, something that wasn't uncommon for a high school senior enjoying the last months before graduation. At some point that evening she forgot her purse at the party. It's a small detail, but in missing persons cases, small details matter. What was in that purse? Who noticed it was left behind? Did she leave in a hurry? Was she distracted? Was she upset? The next morning, march 28th, denise left home telling her parents she was going back to retrieve the purse. It was the last time anyone saw her. Her car, a cream-colored 1981 Buick Regal, was found abandoned later that same day on Tower Road, a desolate stretch in rural Fayette County. The vehicle was locked undisturbed, almost as if she had simply stepped out and walked away. But where would she go? There were no signs of a struggle, no tire tracks suggesting someone forced her off the road. It was as if she had evaporated into thin air. For her parents, david and Judy Flum, the nightmare was just beginning.

Speaker 1: 2:31

Denise was an extremely responsible girl. She was not the type to disappear or run away. There were no signs of distress in the days leading up to her disappearance. No troubling phone calls, no fights, no diary entries indicating she was afraid of someone or something. Police began their investigation, but in 1986, forensic tools were limited. There were no cell phone records to track her movements, no surveillance footage from businesses or street cameras. It was a time, before social media, where missing person alerts didn't spread instantly. Denise's family and friends handed out flyers, put up posters and pleaded for information.

Speaker 1: 3:11

And then came the theories. One of the first theories involved a possible abduction. Tower Road is isolated, surrounded by farmland and trees, a place where few people would pass by. Did someone pull over to help her, only to take her instead? Was it someone she knew, someone who knew she would be there? Then there was the ex-boyfriend. Denise had recently broken up with Sean McClung, a local young man. While there was no immediate evidence tying him to her disappearance, those closest to her believed the breakup was emotional. Could emotions have escalated? Could the meeting have turned violent? For years, rumors circulated, but no concrete evidence surfaced.

Speaker 1: 3:56

It wasn't until 2020, 34 years later, that a shocking development occurred. Sean McClung, Denise's ex-boyfriend, confessed to her murder, but before details could be fully examined, he died Just like that. The one person who may have had the missing pieces was gone. So what do we know? Police believe Denise was killed shortly after she disappeared, but there has never been a body no confirmed location, no burial site, no physical evidence to support McClung's confession. Some believe his confession was false, perhaps something he said in a moment of regret, guilt or even manipulation. Others believe he finally admitted to what many had suspected all along. And then there's another haunting question If McClung did kill Denise, did he act alone?

Speaker 1: 4:48

Denise's parents, david and Judy, never stopped searching. They filed lawsuits, pushed for property searches and urged police to keep the case open. But Indiana law requires more evidence to justify major excavation and without a clear lead they have hit legal roadblocks. They want to search farmland and areas they believe hold the answers, but they need permission permission they have not yet been granted. So here we are, nearly 40 years later, still asking what happened to Denise Flum. Where is she?

Speaker 1: 5:22

In my opinion, this case should have been solved decades ago. There were suspects, witnesses, rumors and even a confession, but because critical information was either ignored, hidden or lost over time, denise remains missing. In my opinion, the biggest failure in this case was time Time that allowed witnesses to forget. Time that let evidence fade. Time that gave suspects the opportunity to move on with their lives, while Denise's family remained stuck in 1986. But this case is not over. Denise deserves to come home and her family deserves peace.

Speaker 1: 5:59

If McClung really was responsible, then someone a friend, a witness, someone who saw something that night knows where she is. Denise was a daughter, a sister, a student, a friend. She was not just a missing person. She was a person and someone took that away. Her family is still looking, police are still investigating and maybe, just maybe, the missing pieces aren't so missing after all. If you have any information about Denise Plum's disappearance, please contact the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving a nearly 40-year mystery. This has been the Missing Pieces Podcast. Keep asking questions, keep searching for answers and never forget the ones who still need to be found.