Carol Anne Gandelman:1979, Oberlin, Ohio

  

   Carol Anne Gandelman was born on June 20th, 1960. She grew up in the Chicago area. She graduated from New Trier West High School in Northfield, Illinois. She was active in high school and was a dancer. She missed the picture day for her dance troupe there. But she was obviously interested in dance and music.

  After high school she began college at Oberlin College and Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio. It is a fairly prestigious music and liberal arts school. When I was in high school band in the 1980’s if you heard that someone got accepted to Oberlin you were in awe. For musicians and performers, Oberlin is a top choice. It definitely seemed way out of my reach. 

   Oberlin, Ohio is located west of Cleveland. It’s a small town that pretty much only exists because the college was founded there. 

   Oberlin College is famous for its beautiful architecture and art. People who are into medieval architecture and gothic architecture are often drawn to Oberlin. It’s a beautiful place. 

   Carol was 19 in September of 1979. She was studying at Oberlin and getting around the small town on a bicycle. On Monday September 17th, 1979, Carol had taken her bike out to get a few groceries at a small local bakery and grocery store called Gibson’s. That store is still in business today. 

   It was around 9 p.m. when she was making her way back to her place. It should have been a simple bike ride home. The distance between the store and Keep Cottage was only a couple of blocks. 

Keep Cottage

   Carol was struck by a car on North Main Street near Langston Middle School. That’s right across the street from her Keep Cottage Residence. She was so close to home. The impact was loud enough that people inside their homes heard this crash. 

  One witness said he heard what sounded like a young white male say “She came out of nowhere! Let’s get the hell out of here!” 

   Witnesses saw a large green American made car that had square shaped lights. It had also been traveling Northbound on N. Main Street and sped away from the scene. Witnesses said they thought the car turned east on Walnut street. 

   I immediately thought of those big 1970’s land yachts. American car makers seemed to be in a competition to make the longest and heaviest cars then. That didn’t go so well when the gas prices skyrocketed in the late 1970’s. 

  One type of vehicle that had square lights was a 1970 Oldsmobile. There could have been many others.  I am not a car expert. But, perhaps the car looked like this. 

  Despite the searches by law enforcement for the car; it was never located. Did the driver of the car have it repaired or repainted? Did he go so far as to have it scrapped? 

  Carol Anne Gandelman was severely injured in this crash. I imagine the driver might have been going too fast or wasn’t paying attention. Carol was transported to a local hospital and passed away five days later. 

  Was the driver another Oberlin student?  It’s possible. It could have also been a high school student from the area. 

  I would imagine that several people know exactly who was in that car. Maybe they have children and grandchildren of their own now. 

  Hopefully someone will come forward with information.  The driver and passenger or passengers would be in their retirement years now. Maybe they would like to unburden themselves. Maybe they would only get a light sentence like house arrest. But, they would be free of that burden they have been carrying around since 1979. That fear that someone would find out would finally be gone. 

   Carol Anne was only 19. She was just starting out in the world. Her family probably felt so reassured that she was studying in a small town that felt so safe and idyllic. 

  Carol’s mother, Marilyn Weinstein, passed away in December 2024 without knowing who killed her daughter and ran. 

   If you have a tip that can aid investigators in Carol Anne’s case please contact the Oberlin Police at (440) 774-1061. 

  Or submit a tip to the Ohio Unsolved Cold Case website at: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Gandelman

  Rest In Peace Carol.