Zelma Allen was 17 when she disappeared from Akron, Ohio on August 4, 1972. Her remains were recovered nearly two years later, on May 18, 1974, in the rear of the Ace Rubber Company in Akron. The investigation determined she had been fatally shot, but the exact date of death is uncertain because of the long interval between her disappearance and the discovery of her body.

Allen’s death is classified as an unsolved homicide and the case remains open. The Akron Police Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation have continued work on the file, and detectives have re-examined her case as part of a broader review of unsolved Summit County homicides. The gap in time before her remains were found has complicated the investigation and limited available evidence.

If anyone has information that could help shed light on Zelma Allen’s disappearance or the circumstances of her death, please contact the Akron Police Department or the investigators handling the case.