Clues to 1974 vanishing of three girls may be at bottom of Benbrook Lake

FORT WORTH - It's a mystery that's remained unsolved for nearly half a century.

Just before Christmas back in 1974, three girls vanished from what was then known as Seminary South Shopping Center in Fort Worth. They've never been found.

But now, some clues to solve the mystery may lie at the bottom of Benbrook Lake.

It's one of the oldest mysteries in Fort Worth. Three girls vanished in 1974. A diving expedition may produce the answers families have been waiting for.

Crews Friday evening prepared for a dive that will hopefully lead to closure. They're training in Burger's Lake before they dive into Benbrook Lake next month. They're anticipating zero visibility.

The divers’ plan is to raise three submerged cars they hope will contain clues to the disappearance of three girls from a Fort Worth mall nearly 45 years ago.

Rusty Arnold was 11 when his 17-year-old sister Rachel Arnold Trlica disappeared. She went Christmas shopping in December 1974 with her 14-year-old friend, Renee Wilson, and 9-year-old Julie Ann Moseley. They were never seen again.

"We're never going to give up. Never going to go away. Somebody out there knows what happened to these girls,” Rusty said. “They're not going to go quietly.  They’re gonna go kicking and screaming if someone took them by force. I think they went with somebody they knew and they trusted."

Rusty has been following clues all his life adult life. He says he can't talk about specifics, but his search has led him to the three cars in Benbrook Lake.

"I learn more about what these cars are as we dive on them and find out more information. It’s starting to get more interesting,” he said.

Rusty says police have told him there's not enough evidence to go down there. So diver Jeff Burns with North Teas Marine Salvage & Recovery will.

"We don't know. They don't know,” Burns said. “Everybody's been wondering what's down there. We're gonna find out."

This is a privately funded effort. It will cost about $10,000.

Rusty says they have more to go, but so far the support has been good as more people get behind the dive.