The Vanished Podcast

On October 25, 2000, 16-year-old Robert Smith left his East Chicago, Indiana home and told his mom that he was going to a friend's house. Robert's mother had a challenging relationship with her son, as many parents of teens can relate. So when he didn't attend school the next day, she thought he was simply being rebellious and that he'd be home by the weekend. But Robert wasn't home by the weekend, and more than two decades later, he's never been seen or heard from again. With few leads and a police department who told us they have no record of Robert's case, his family wonders how his case will ever be solved.If you have any information about Robert's disappearance, you can call the East Chicago Police Department at 219-391-8450 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.This episode was sponsored by:Headspace- Head to Headspace.com/THEVANISHED for a free month trial.Sleep Number- Proven quality sleep is life-changing sleep. Special offers, for a limited time. Only at Sl

On July 30, 1997, 35-year-old Doug Jones was finishing up some jobs before taking a family trip that he was very much looking forward to going on. Doug was a plumber who mostly worked on his own as an independent contractor. Doug and his wife, Joellen, had plans to go to Disney World with their older child the next day, leaving their infant back home in South Carolina with Doug’s parents. Doug was spotted going about his day at jobs and stores, purchasing plumbing supplies; nothing seemed amiss. Doug never made it home from work that night. His truck was later found abandoned, not far from his home in Simpsonville, South Carolina. 24-years later, Doug’s children have grown up and are now leading the search efforts to find their father.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Doug Jones, please contact the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office at 864-467-5300.This episode was sponsored by:thredUP- Get an extra 30% off your first order at thredUP.com/VANISHED.BetterHelp- Visit BetterHel

On April 10, 2019, 69-year-old Betty Alexander was at her apartment in Sullivan, Missouri. Nothing seemed amiss. Despite a recent visit to her deceased husband’s grave, Betty was in good spirits, excited about her grandchildren’s upcoming sports games and her regular visits with family. A few days later, her daughter knew something was wrong when Betty didn’t answer the phone, wasn’t at home, and hadn’t been to church. Without any warning at all, Betty was gone. Two years later, her daughter is continuing to carry the torch for Betty. She wants to find out exactly what happened to her mom because, as we all know, there are always clues left behind.If you have any information about Betty’s disappearance, please call the Sullivan, Missouri Police Department at 573-468-8001.This episode was sponsored by:Moink- Go to Moinkbox.com/vanished to get a free year of bacon and then pick the meats you want delivered with your first box.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access,

On June 3, 2001, 15-year-old Erin Pospisil wanted to visit a friend, but she couldn’t find a ride to her friend’s home not far from the Pospisil home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her dad was asleep after his shift at work, and her mom was still working. Erin continued to ask around for rides. Eventually, a family friend at the Pospisil home offered to take her to her friend’s house. What happened from there is a mystery, but one thing we do know? Erin has never been seen or heard from again.If you have any information about the disappearance of Erin Pospisil, please call the Cedar Rapids Police Department at 319-286-5350.This episode was sponsored by:Upstart- Find out how Upstart can lower your monthly payments today when you go to Upstart.com/Vanished.Boll & Branch- To experience an entirely new standard of comfort, visit bollandbranch.com. Get 15% off your first set of sheets with promo code MIA.Quip- Go to GetQuip.com/VANISHED5 to get $5 off a mouthwash starter kit.Listen ad-free wit

24-year-old Bobbi Ann Campbell disappeared from Salt Lake City, Utah, in late December of 1994. Bobbi left her home in Draper, UT, with her 5-year-old daughter, Stephanie, to spend a few days with friends in Salt Lake City. After she got to her friend’s home, Bobbi left Stephanie with the friend so she could run a few quick errands. Stephanie waited in the window for her mom to return, but she never showed up, causing her to panic. Her mom had never left her before and not come back. More than 26 years later, Stephanie is still searching for her mom.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Bobbi Ann Campbell, please contact Detective Ben Pender with the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake at 385-468-9816.You can follow developments in Bobbi's case on social media at Help Find Missing - Bobbi Ann Campbell.This episode was sponsored by:Headspace- Head to Headspace.com/THEVANISHED for a free month trial.thredUP- Get an extra 30% off your first order at thredUP.com/VANISHED.

Terri Ackerman spent much of her time babysitting her two grandchildren. On Thursday, August 23rd, 2018, Terri was at her daughter’s home watching the kids. She left that evening, hugging everyone goodbye, stating she would see them again in the morning. What no one knew at the time was that this was the last time they would see Terri. When she got home, Terri called her daughter, Ambyr, to let her know that she made it to her Lochbuie, Colorado, home safely. Everything seemed fine. Later that night, she called Ambyr back again and seemed upset but didn’t go into detail. She said she wouldn’t be able to watch the kids the following day. Ambyr never heard from her mother again.If you have any information about the disappearance of Terri Ackerman, contact the Lockbuie Police Department at (303) 659-1395.You can follow developments in Terri’s case on social media at Help Find Terri Anne Ackerman. This episode was sponsored by:Literati- Redeem your 30 day trial for only $0.99 at Literati.com/VANISHED.BetterH

Ian Eckles was last seen leaving his home on May 16, 2020, headed to go hunting with a friend in the mountains of Washington. Ian never met up with his friend, and no one was able to reach him for days. This sparked a massive search that went on for weeks after Ian’s car was spotted being driven by another man. On June 14, 2020, Ian was still missing, but the man believed to be responsible for his disappearance and murder was apprehended. This man is also believed to have been involved in at least two other deaths. So who is this man, and where is Ian?After Jorge Alcantara-Gonzalez was apprehended, he was taken directly to an interview with investigators. In Part 3, we are sharing parts of this interview with you. Tune in to hear what Alcantara claims happened and what investigators believe happened the night Ian disappeared. This episode was sponsored by:Upstart- Find out how Upstart can lower your monthly payments today when you go to Upstart.com/Vanished.Headspace- Head to Headspace.com/THEVANISHED&

By May 23, 2020, Ian Eckles had not been seen in a week. He had plans to go hunting with a friend but never showed up at their agreed meeting location. The next day, Ian didn't report to work. Ian's family and friends launched a massive search across a vast territory encompassing the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Washington. They had been going for days without sleep, searching tirelessly for Ian on nothing but desperation and adrenaline. Then, Ian's silver FJ cruiser burst out of nowhere, bounding down the mountain toward them in what sounded like a horrible nightmare, but it was actually happening. Even more strange was the fact that Ian wasn't driving the car. Ian's friends had a brief altercation with the man behind the wheel, and then he took off. A chase ensued, but they lost sight of Ian's vehicle. This chance meeting with the man driving Ian's FJ Cruiser sparked a massive manhunt for an armed and dangerous fugitive.This episode was sponsored by

41-year-old Ian Eckles spent the majority of his free time outdoors and loved to hunt. So when he and a friend made plans to spend a weekend hunting in the mountains near Liberty, Washington, nothing was out of the ordinary. However, when Ian’s friend got to the spot where they agreed to meet up in a national forest, Ian wasn’t there. In fact, there was no sign of Ian, his car, or any of his camping equipment. For more than a year, Ian’s family, friends, and law enforcement have been looking for Ian. They haven’t found him yet, but what they have uncovered is bigger than anyone could have ever anticipated.This episode was sponsored by:Quip- Go to GetQuip.com/VANISHED5 to get $5 off a mouthwash starter kit.Sleep Number- Proven quality sleep is life-changing sleep. Special offers, for a limited time. Only at Sleep Number stores or sleepnumber.com/VANISH.Boll & Branch- To experience an entirely new standard of comfort, visit bollandbranch.com. Get 15% off your first set of sheets with promo code&nb

In June of 2019, we brought you the story of Eric Pracht, a 25-year-old man missing from Lakewood, Colorado, since July 23, 2016. Eric and his fiancé had hosted a small gathering at their condo. As the party was winding down and most of the guests had left, there was a disagreement. According to those present, Eric took a walk to cool off and never returned. On April 23, 2020, a hiker located human remains that were positively identified as Eric. Eric’s father, Randy Pracht, spoke with us recently for this update episode.If you or a loved one is considering self-harm, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days week to help.This episode was sponsored by:Literati- Redeem your FREE trial at Literati.com/VANISHED.Stamps.com- Just go to Stamps.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage and type in VANISHED.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad-free listening. Available in th

Over the last two weeks, we’ve continued to tell you the story of the disappearances of Angela Mack and her son, Mikey. Yesterday, you heard an expert fire investigator discuss the plausibility of the theory that Angie and Mikey were burned in Clarence Krusen’s home furnace. Was it possible that their bodies were completely destroyed, leaving no physical evidence to be recovered? Today we’re bringing you the final episode in this series. We’re going to take a look at all of the other characters and moving parts in this story. In the end, we’ll leave you with a question: did Clarence Krusen kill Angela and Mikey and burn their bodies as investigators say he did? Or is there a possibility something else happened, that there is truth in many of the persistent rumors in Salem, Arkansas? Could this case have an entirely different ending and remains anything but solved?Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad-free listening. Available in the Wondery App. htt

Last week, we brought you two new episodes on the incredible developments in the case of Angela Mack and Thomas “Mikey” Rettew. If you haven’t listened to the original episode or the first two updates, listen to those first, they will bring you up to speed. Today, we’re taking a look at another aspect of the developments in this case, the furnace that law enforcement alleges Clarence Krusen used to dispose of Angie and Mikey. Is this theory even possible?This episode was sponsored by:Upstart- Find out how Upstart can lower your monthly payments today when you go to Upstart.com/Vanished.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad-free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/thevanishedIf you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form: http://www.thevanishedpodcast.com/case-submission/.Follow The Vanished on social media at:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreon

In early April, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office announced that they had solved and closed the 2002 disappearances of 20-year-old Angela Mack and her son, Thomas “Mikey” Rettew. Our last episode explored the dramatic turn of events in Angela and Mikey’s mysterious disappearances since we originally aired their story in March. Today, we’re continuing our dive into this incredible, still developing story. "The Dead Man" explores who Clarence Krusen was, his criminal history, and many attempts to adopt children from struggling parents. This episode was sponsored by:thredUP- Get an extra 30% off your first order at thredUP.com/VANISHED.Grove Collaborative - For a limited time, when my listeners go to Grove.co/VANISHED you will get to choose a FREE gift with your first order of $30 or more.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad-free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/thevanishedIf you have a missing loved one tha

Three months ago, we brought you the story of the disappearance of Angela Mack and her son Thomas "Mikey" Rettew from a small town in northwest Arkansas. No one knew who had seen Angela and Mikey last or under what circumstances. Our records requests with law enforcement were ignored, and our efforts to conduct an in-depth interview with the investigator were denied. Then, in a bizarre plot twist that seemed almost stranger than fiction, the investigating agency announced that the disappearances had been solved and the case closed almost exactly one month after we aired the original episode. But is the case closed and the mystery solved? We'll let you decide.This episode was sponsored by:Sleep Number- Save $1,000 on the new Sleep Number 360 Special Edition smart bed during the Memorial Day Sale. Only at Sleep Number stores or at SleepNumber.com/VANISH.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad-free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery

23-year-old Chris Turner disappeared from Las Vegas, Nevada, in early August of 2016. We first covered Chris Turner’s case on July 5, 2017. Shortly after we aired his story, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department closed his case, stating that he had been seen alive. We brought you an update about Chris on September 1, 2017, to discuss the developments. Unfortunately, it took two years to get the case reopened. After his family submitted their DNA, they got a shocking phone call. They learned there was no possible way Chris could have been seen alive during the summer of 2017.This episode was sponsored by:BetterHelp- Visit BetterHelp.com/VANISHED for 10% off your first montVionic Shoes- Visit VionicShoes.com and use promo code VANISHED for free shipping.QUIP- Go to GetQuip.com/VANISHED to get a free plastic dispenser with any refill plan.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad-free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wonder

23-year-old Amanda Grazewski disappeared from an apartment in Derry, New Hampshire, in the early morning hours of March 17, 2020. Amanda was spending the night there along with a few other people. The others reported that they went to bed, and by the time they awoke the following morning, Amanda was gone. Strangely, all of her belongings were still there, including her bags with clothes, cell phone, and purse. Using Amanda’s phone, they contacted one of Amanda’s friends, who went to social media to see if anyone had seen or heard from Amanda. More than 14 months later, they are still searching for Amanda.If you have any information about the disappearance of Amanda Grazewski, please contact the Derry Police Department (603) 432-6111.This episode was sponsored by:Sleep Number- Introducing the new Sleep Number 360 c4 smart bed, Queen now only $1499. Only at Sleep Number stores or SleepNumber.com/VANISH.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad-free listening.

On the evening of February 24, 1995, 32-year-old Donna Gibson was at home in Louisa, Virginia, with her husband and four young children. She was sick that evening with a respiratory infection and chose to sleep on the couch. Early the next morning, her daughter thought she saw Donna asleep and went quietly back to bed, but just several hours later, she had vanished. There was no evidence of a struggle and no sign of a break-in. However, Donna didn’t disappear without a trace, and all paths pointed her family to one person in the search for her more than 26 years later.If you have any information about the disappearance of Donna Gibson, please call the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office at 540-967-1234.This episode was sponsored by:thredUP- Get an extra 30% off your first order at thredUP.com/VANISHED.Upstart- Find out how Upstart can lower your monthly payments today when you go to Upstart.com/Vanished.Zocdoc- Go to Zocdoc.com/VANISHED and download the Zocdoc app to sign-up for FREE and book a top-rated doct

On Saturday, June 30, 1984, 21-year-old Harry Milligan finished his job painting a house and met some friends at a bar called Waterworks in Albia, Iowa. The bar was just over a ten-minute drive from his home in nearby Avery, Iowa. We don’t know for sure what transpired inside the bar that night. There have been stories that Harry won a large sum of money in a card game, but this can’t be substantiated. Harry’s friends reported that later they grabbed a six-pack to go and rode around cruising. The group returned to where they had parked their cars and went their separate ways. His friends said they saw Harry drive off in the direction of his home.The following morning, Harry’s mom was worried that he hadn’t returned home. She began calling around, but no one had seen or heard from Harry. Later, after searching the roads between Albia and Avery, his mom called the police to report Harry missing. There have been many rumors about what happened to Harry, but more than 36 years later, they are still searching for

On January 27, 2019, an off-duty law enforcement officer observed an abandoned car at a popular trailhead in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The vehicle had a broken rear window, and the police later impounded it, but no one ever came forward. Several months later, the RCMP sent a notice to its registered owner, 25-year-old Kristofer Couture, a native of Alberta. By that time, it was May, and no one had seen or heard from Kristofer in over three months. If you have any information about the disappearance of Kristofer Couture, please call the Chilliwack Royal Canadian Mounted Police at 604-792-4611. You may also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Kristofer’s family is offering a reward of $10,000. You can follow Kristofer’s story on social media at Missing: Kristofer (Kris) Couture.This episode was sponsored by:Ana Luisa- Visit analuisa.com/vanishedmd and use our code VANISHEDMD to get 15% off.Sleep Number- Introducing the new Sleep Number 360 c4 smart bed, Queen now only $1499. Only at S

On September 14, 1990, 10-year-old Kacey Perry disappeared while visiting with her father at his home in Portland, Oregon, after the two had a disagreement. In Part 1, we learned that it’s believed Kacey made it to a store blocks away from her father’s home, possibly to make a phone call to ask someone to pick her up. Witnesses spotted her at this location, and her belongings were later found at the store. It remains unclear if Kacey was picked up by someone she knew or possibly went with a stranger. In the early days of the investigation, one person close to her mom stood out. His name is Brian Keith George. Nearly a year after Kacey disappeared, he was arrested for a bank robbery and had something shocking to tell investigators.If you have any information about the disappearance of Kacey Perry, please call the Portland Police Bureau at 503-823-0000.This episode was sponsored by:QUIP- Go to GetQuip.com/VANISHED to get a free plastic dispenser with any refill plan.Listen ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wonde