Police, loved ones seek answers in 20-year-old disappearance of a DC mom

WJLA
Rebecca Turco
December 19, 2024

Metropolitan Police and loved ones are asking for the public’s help in a missing person case from 20 years ago.

Gwendolyn Carswell was last seen near her home in the Brookland neighborhood by 18th and Otis Street Northeast around August 17, 2004. She was 44 years old when she went missing.

“Gwen was very outgoing, very sociable, very helpful,” her sister, Yvonne Carswell, said. “She was a loving person. Everyone loved Gwen.”

She described Gwen as a devoted mother, which is one of many reasons why it was so unexpected she left home one night and never came back.

“She had told my mother that she was going to a party, and it was a couple of days she hadn’t shown up,” Yvonne explained, saying her mother and brother then filed a missing person report.

“From time to time, several officers would come around and ask my mother, ‘Had she had come back home, or anyone had seen her?’ And from that day, we hadn’t heard from Gwen.”

Police believe Gwen has been targeted, likely by someone who knew her.

Senior Detective Mike Fulton, the lead detective on this case, told 7News that Gwen was the victim of a violent crime in the late 80’s. He said his team is looking into whether that’s linked.

“Somebody knows the person that did this,” he said. “You don’t know that they did this, but they did do this.”

He said police reopened the cold case about four years ago when someone came forward with information. Now his team with the Cold Case-Major Case Unit is working to get the word out in hopes more people come forward.

“The hope is that if somebody does know something, that they’ll see this, or they’ll hear somebody talking about it, and they’ll reach out and provide us the information that may help us give the family the answers they need and bring Gwen home,” said Detective Fulton. “That’s the ultimate goal.”

He said his unit is also working with the Black and Missing Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring awareness to missing persons of color, provide resources and tools to their families and friends, and educate the minority community on personal safety.

Police are asking anyone with information on Gwen and this case to call 202-727-9099 or text the tip line at 50411. You can remain anonymous.

Photo credit: WJLA