People are naturally drawn to mysteries, especially when someone vanishes without a trace. Disappearances stir curiosity and fear, reminding us of the unknown lurking in our world. This listicle chronicles 30 bizarre and unresolved cases of people who disappeared under strange circumstances. From high-profile cases to lesser-known tragedies, each story remains an enduring mystery.
30. Dorothy Arnold (1910) – New York City, New York, USA
Dorothy Arnold, a wealthy socialite, vanished while walking in Manhattan. Despite extensive searches, including dredging rivers and investigating family connections, no trace of her was found. Theories range from an accidental death to an abduction or secret life. Her family remained hopeful for years, but the truth remains elusive.
29. Glen and Bessie Hyde (1928) – Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
Newlyweds Glen and Bessie Hyde disappeared while attempting to navigate the Colorado River. Their boat was later found intact with their supplies, but the couple was never seen again. Speculation includes drowning, foul play, or a staged disappearance. Some believe Bessie may have started a new life alone, but no evidence supports this. Had the couple succeeded running the rapids, Bessie Hyde would have been the first woman known to accomplish this feat.
28. Amelia Earhart (1937) – Pacific Ocean
Amelia Earhart, the pioneering aviator, disappeared while attempting to circumnavigate the globe. Despite extensive U.S. Navy and Coast Guard searches, no conclusive evidence of her fate has been found. Theories range from crashing at sea to being captured by the Japanese or surviving on a remote island.
27. Sodder Children (1945) – Fayetteville, West Virginia, USA
Five of the ten Sodder children vanished during a Christmas Eve house fire. Despite extensive searches and various theories, no remains were found in the ashes. Theories include abduction and human trafficking. Decades later, a photograph resembling one of the boys emerged, but it did not lead to conclusive answers.
26. Paula Jean Welden (1946) – Bennington, Vermont, USA
Paula Jean Welden, a college student, disappeared while hiking on the Long Trail. Despite extensive searches involving local police and the FBI, no trace of her was found. Theories range from foul play to her becoming lost in the wilderness. Her case prompted Vermont to establish its state police force.
25. Evelyn Hartley (1953) – La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
Teenager Evelyn Hartley disappeared while babysitting at a family friend’s house. Signs of a struggle, including a broken window and blood stains, were found. Despite massive searches and public appeals, no solid leads emerged. The case remains one of Wisconsin’s most disturbing mysteries, with theories ranging from kidnapping to homicide.
24. Jim Thompson (1967) – Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
Jim Thompson, an American businessman known as the “Silk King,” vanished while on a walk in the Malaysian highlands. Despite extensive searches by locals, police, and the military, no trace was found. Theories include animal attack, kidnapping, or choosing to disappear. His sudden disappearance remains one of Southeast Asia’s most baffling cases.
23. D.B. Cooper (1971) – Portland, Oregon, USA
The mysterious hijacker known as D.B. Cooper vanished after parachuting from a plane with $200,000 in ransom money. Despite decades of investigation, including the discovery of some of the ransom bills in 1980, no conclusive evidence has surfaced regarding his identity or fate. The case remains one of America’s greatest mysteries.
22. Jimmy Hoffa (1975) – Bloomfield Township, Michigan
Jimmy Hoffa, the prominent labor union leader, vanished on July 30, 1975, after meeting with two men outside the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Township, Michigan. Despite extensive investigations and numerous theories—ranging from mafia involvement to his body being hidden in a stadium—Hoffa’s disappearance remains one of America’s greatest unsolved mysteries.
21. Etan Patz (1979) – New York City, New York, USA
Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy, disappeared on May 25, 1979, while walking alone to his school bus stop for the first time. His case became a national sensation and one of the first to feature a missing child on milk cartons. Decades later, Pedro Hernandez was convicted of his murder, but some still question whether the real perpetrator was found.
20. Emanuela Orlandi (1983) – Vatican City
Emanuela Orlandi, a Vatican citizen, vanished while walking home from a music lesson. Various conspiracy theories link her disappearance to the Vatican, the mafia, and international intrigue, but none have been proven. Despite numerous tips and alleged sightings, her fate remains one of the Vatican’s most enduring mysteries.
19. James F. McCarty (1986) – Phoenix, Arizona, USA
James F. McCarty, a 39-year-old man, disappeared from his Phoenix, Arizona home on February 16, 1986. He was last seen leaving his house early in the morning, reportedly heading to a local bar. His car was later found abandoned, but no sign of him existed. Despite extensive searches, McCarty’s disappearance remains one of Arizona’s most perplexing mysteries.
18. Tara Calico (1988) – Belen, New Mexico, USA
Teenager Tara Calico vanished during a bike ride. A year later, a photo surfaced in a convenience store parking lot in Port St. Joe, Florida, showing a girl resembling Tara bound and gagged. Despite investigations and possible sightings, her fate remains unknown. Theories include abduction and human trafficking. The photograph remains a haunting clue but has never been definitively linked to Tara.
17. Tiffany Sessions (1989) – Gainesville, Florida, USA
Tiffany Sessions, a 20-year-old University of Florida student, disappeared while out for a jog on February 9, 1989. Despite an extensive search, no evidence of her whereabouts has ever been found. Authorities have speculated about her possible abduction, and there have been reports of a serial killer possibly being involved, Paul Eugene Rowles, because he notated #2 2/9/89 in his book about his victims. However, the case remains unsolved.
16. Michael Dunahee (1991) – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Four-year-old Michael Dunahee disappeared from a playground while his parents were nearby. Despite one of the most extensive police investigations in Canadian history, no trace of him was found. His case remains active, with occasionally surfacing tips, but the mystery has endured for over three decades.
15. Richey Edwards (1995) – Severn Bridge, Wales, UK
Richey Edwards, lyricist and guitarist for the Manic Street Preachers, disappeared on February 1, 1995, the day he and bandmate James Dean Bradfield were scheduled to fly to the U.S. for a promotional tour. In the two weeks prior, Edwards withdrew £200 daily, totaling £2,800. His car was found abandoned near the Severn Bridge, a known suicide spot, but his body was never recovered. Despite being declared legally dead in 2008, his fate remains a mystery.
14. Jodi Huisentruit (1995) – Mason City, Iowa, USA
Jodi Huisentruit, a news anchor, vanished from her apartment complex. Evidence suggested a struggle, including her belongings scattered on the ground. Despite numerous leads and ongoing media attention, no trace of her has ever been found. Theories include abduction and foul play, but the case remains unsolved.
13. Kristen Modafferi (1997) – San Francisco, California, USA
Kristen Modafferi, an 18-year-old North Carolina State University student, vanished on June 23, 1997, in San Francisco.After finishing her shift at Spinelli’s coffee shop in the Crocker Galleria around 3:00 p.m., she mentioned plans to visit Baker Beach. Approximately 45 minutes later, coworkers saw her with an unidentified blonde woman; this individual has never been identified.
12. Amy Bradley (1998) – Curaçao, Caribbean
Amy Bradley, a 23-year-old American woman, disappeared on March 24, 1998, from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas while docked near Curaçao. Amy was last seen in her cabin, but she was gone when her family woke up. There have been unconfirmed sightings of Amy in the years following her disappearance, suggesting a possible trafficking situation. Despite ongoing investigations, her case remains unsolved.
11. Asha Degree (2000) – Shelby, North Carolina, USA
Asha Degree, a 9-year-old girl, disappeared from her home in Shelby, North Carolina, on the night of February 14, 2000. Her family discovered she was missing when they woke up, and there were no signs of a struggle. Witnesses later claimed to have seen a young girl resembling Asha walking down a highway, but extensive searches and new leads have failed to uncover her whereabouts.
10. Maura Murray (2004) – Haverhill, New Hampshire, USA
Maura Murray, a 21-year-old nursing student, disappeared on February 9, 2004, after crashing her car into a snowbank in Haverhill, New Hampshire. Despite being involved in a minor accident, Maura left the scene on foot, and her whereabouts remain unknown. Her case is surrounded by numerous theories, including running away or a mental breakdown, but no conclusive evidence has ever surfaced.
9. Ray Gricar (2005) – Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, USA
Ray Gricar, the district attorney of Centre County, Pennsylvania, disappeared on April 15, 2005. He was reported missing after failing to return from a road trip. His car was found in Lewisburg with his cell phone inside. Later, his laptop and hard drive were discovered in the Susquehanna River, with the hard drive found separately, suggesting it was removed before the laptop was discarded. No further trace has been found.
8. Natalee Hollaway (2005) – Oranjestad, Aruba
Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old American high school graduate, disappeared on May 30, 2005, during a graduation trip to Aruba. She was last seen leaving a nightclub with three local men, including Joran van der Sloot. In 2012, van der Sloot was arrested and convicted in connection to the murder of another woman in Peru, but Natalee’s whereabouts remain unknown, leaving her family searching for answers.
7. Jesse Ross (2006) – Chicago, Illinois, USA
Jesse Ross, a 19-year-old college student, vanished after attending a conference in Chicago. He was last seen leaving the conference, but his body was never found. His case remains unsolved despite various leads, and his family continues to search for answers. Speculation includes abduction, a possible encounter with foul play, or an accidental death.
6. Brian Shaffer (2006) – Columbus, Ohio, USA
Brian Shaffer, a 27-year-old medical student, disappeared on April 1, 2006, after a night out with friends at the Ugly Tuna Saloona bar in Columbus, Ohio. Security footage shows Brian last entering the bar, but he was never seen leaving, and no trace of him was found. Despite extensive investigations and theories, his disappearance remains one of the most baffling unsolved mysteries in Ohio.
5. Madeleine McCann (2007) – Praia da Luz, Portugal
Madeleine McCann, a 3-year-old British girl, vanished on May 3, 2007, from her family’s vacation apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were dining at a nearby restaurant while she and her siblings slept in the apartment. When they returned, Madeleine was gone; the only sign was an open window and an unlocked door. Despite a massive international search and media attention, no trace of Madeleine has been found.
4. Ben McDaniel (2010) – Vortex Springs, Florida, USA
Ben McDaniel, a 30-year-old diver, disappeared while diving in Vortex Springs, a popular dive site. Despite multiple searches, no sign of him was found, and his diving gear was discovered disorganized. The case has led to speculation that he got lost in the underwater cave system, but his body has never been recovered.
3. Lauren Spierer (2011) – Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Lauren Spierer, a 20-year-old college student, disappeared after a night out with friends. She was last seen walking home in the early hours of the morning. Despite extensive searches, no trace of her has been found. Speculation suggests she may have been a victim of foul play, and her case has sparked ongoing media attention.
2. Bryce Laspisa (2013) – Castaic Lake, California, USA
Bryce Laspisa, a 19-year-old college student, disappeared on August 30, 2013, after his car was found overturned near Castaic Lake in California. Bryce had been driving back to school when he called his mother, saying he was exhausted. His vehicle was discovered with no signs of foul play or a struggle, and extensive searches for Bryce have failed to turn up any trace of him.
1. Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 (2014) – Indian Ocean
On March 8, 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite extensive global search efforts, the plane’s exact location remains unknown. The case sparked countless theories about what happened, including hijacking, mechanical failure, or deliberate action, but the mystery of its disappearance continues to this day.