Friends Seek Missing Realtor

Friends and co-workers of a missing real estate agent spent much of Tuesday papering El Segundo and Manhattan Beach with fliers as detectives tried to solve the mystery of her sudden disappearance.

Julia Buchanan Keller, known to many as “Deede,” was last seen Thursday at her home in the 500 block of Richmond Street in El Segundo. Friends said they were shocked by the disappearance of Keller, a popular Realtor who has worked in the area for more than a dozen years.

El Segundo Police Det. Ken Mulroney said Keller’s date had dropped her off at home at 11:30 p.m. Thursday. On Sunday night, her son, Mike, called police after his mother missed several business and social appointments. Police found her purse in the house and the television on, but Keller’s car, a silver 1999 Mercedes Benz E320 with the license plate 4ENR010, was gone.

Mulroney said the circumstances were suspicious and the department suspected foul play, although there were no signs of forced entry into Keller’s home.

Keller, 55, works as a real estate agent at the Shorewood Realtors Manhattan Beach office. Her manager, Chris Plank, said Keller was very professional and often worked extra hours. He said it was not unusual that she hadn’t been in the office Friday or Saturday because she usually shows properties then. But he said he knew something was wrong when she missed her client appointments and her son found her three dogs unattended and unfed.

Plank said the company put up a $25,000 reward Monday and invited employees to add to it. Since then, the funds have more than doubled, and flowers have flooded the office where she works.

“She’s just really a great woman,” Plank said. “She is probably one of the easiest-going, professional real estate agents in the business.”

Candice Carpenter, a friend and co-worker, contributed $1,000 to the reward.

“It kind of takes your breath away thinking of something this tragic,” she said. “It’s surreal. It’s like a bad dream.”

Carpenter said she, Keller and other employees talked a lot about their dogs and frequently went to dinner together. Carpenter said many people in town knew Keller, often stopping her in public to strike up a conversation.

Carpenter and others spent much of the day posting fliers, drumming up donations for the reward fund and urging their colleagues in other real estate firms to keep an eye out for Keller.

Police do not have a suspect in Keller’s disappearance.

Her ex-husband was met by U.S. State Department officials for questioning after arriving in La Paz, Bolivia, to visit relatives this week. Police said they were trying to question all family members and close friends.

Keller is 5 feet 6 and about 140 pounds. She has short, light brown hair and hazel eyes. Police said she was last seen wearing dark pants and a tan shirt.