The Vanished Podcast

Theresa Hartley, a Florida native living in St. Augustine, was learning how to live life on her own after her husband passed away several years earlier. On March 11, 2023, she vanished, supposedly while in the company of a friend looking for firewood in the Ocala National Forest. But when she was reported missing to police on March 15 by another friend, the details didn't add up. In a real-life horror story filled with shady characters with a history of defrauding people and others with lengthy criminal records of violent offenses, Theresa was a vulnerable woman who was the perfect target for predators. After Theresa's disappearance, people her family had never met started coming out of the woodwork to claim her assets. Did Theresa really get lost in the woods, leaving no trace behind? Or was something much more sinister going on in her life?If you have any information about Theresa's disappearance, please call the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office at 904-824-8304 or the Marion County Sheriff's Office at 352-

Last week, we shared Part 1 of Joshua Simiskey's story. 41-year-old Joshua Simiskey vanished under bizarre circumstances in October of 2019. He had given all his belongings to a woman he had recently met. She claimed that he had offered the items for her hand in marriage while on a spiritual journey. But then, Josh was picked up by park rangers inside Olympic National Park, walking barefoot early one morning. They dropped him off at a general store and watched him walk away on foot. That is the last official, confirmed sighting of Joshua Simiskey. However, there were other unconfirmed sightings of Josh that seemed to point to a voluntary disappearance. Others believed that Josh was in a vulnerable mental state and was possibly coerced into giving his valuables away. Four years have gone by, and Josh Simiskey has never surfaced. What is known about the circumstances leading up to Josh's disappearance has left his loved ones with more questions than answers. Today, you will hear from two of the women in Josh's

In the late summer of 2019, 41-year-old Joshua Simiskey left his father's home in Tacoma, Washington, and headed for Port Angeles, about 2 hours away. Josh stayed there for several weeks and told his family he planned to go on a spiritual journey. Josh met a woman during his time in Port Angeles, and things got weird. The last known communication from Josh was a voicemail that he left for his father on October 6, saying that he had given away his car and other possessions. The woman he had recently met in Port Angeles had a handwritten note, allegedly penned by Josh, saying he was giving everything to her. Was this indeed what Josh wanted, or had something more sinister happened?As Josh's family rushed to find him, things became more bizarre. Josh Simiskey seemed to disappear and reappear multiple times with sightings that seemed credible, but was that Josh that people were seeing around town or a case of mistaken identity?Join us as we work to untangle this mystery. Could Josh still be out there on his spiri

On May 9, 1991, a police officer from the Lynnwood, Washington Police Department responded to a call about a missing person. The call came from Thanh Phung, and he told police that his 19-year-old daughter, Nguyet Thu Phung, or Wiki as most people called her, did not come home from work that day. He said that her boyfriend had picked her up early that morning and that by 11 AM, her employer had called Wiki’s mother to ask if everything was okay after Wiki hadn’t shown up for work. The events of May 9 would unfold to reveal more information about what may have happened to Wiki that day and lead to only a handful of ominous conclusions.If you have any information about the disappearance of Wiki Phung, please call the Lynnwood Police Department at 425-670-5600.If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.Follow The Vanished on social media at:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califo

October 21, 1973, was a Sunday. Typically, 32-year-old Virginia Erickson would attend church on Sundays, where she played the piano. But on that particular Sunday, Virginia and her husband, David, were going hunting instead. Virginia and David's nephew picked up their six children that morning from their home in Sweet Home, Oregon, and brought them to church. When the children returned, their mother was gone. David never reported his wife missing. Virginia had previously maintained consistent contact with her family in Washington, but they also stopped hearing from her. Disturbing information would later surface about what was happening inside the Erickson home, information that could be the motive behind Virginia Erickson's disappearance.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Virginia Erickson, please contact the Linn County Sheriff's Office at (541) 967-3950.If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.Fol

Sometime in March 1976, 20-year-old Brian Vargo vanished from Austin, Texas. He had unenrolled from all of his classes at the University of Texas at Austin at the end of February, just a few weeks prior to his disappearance. He indicated in his application to unenroll that he intended to return to classes in the summer quarter of 1976. However, Brian seemingly vanished into thin air and has not been seen or heard from since. His story is one of soul-searching and a young man who seemed to be looking for an independent identity as an adult, finding his own way in life. Whether or not he ever achieved that goal and what happened to him remains a mystery.If you have any information about Brian’s disappearance, please call the Austin Police Department at 512-974-5210.If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.Follow The Vanished on social media at:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and

Last week, we brought you the first installment of Casi Pogue’s story. You learned about Casi’s life, struggles, and how she disappeared after leaving a hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, on July 5, 2020. Casi was spotted exiting the facility that evening and speaking to someone in a van. She even entered the van for a few minutes but then got out and left the area alone on foot. Who was that man in the vehicle? You heard last week that the police were never able to identify him. But Casi’s family told us that after she disappeared, their suspicions began to shift elsewhere, to someone close to Casi.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Casi Pogue, please contact the Greenville Police Department at (864) 271-5333. If you want to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers at 864-23-CRIME (864-232-7463).If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.Follow The Vanished on social media at:FacebookInstagramTwitter

It was the July 4th holiday weekend of 2020 when 40-year-old Casi Pogue found herself in the emergency room at Greenville Memorial Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina. She had been there not just once but twice throughout the weekend. The second time, Casi was taken by EMS after neighbors found her acting disoriented. On the evening of July 5th, Casi left the hospital. Casi was spotted on surveillance video walking away from the facility. She spoke briefly to a man inside a van in the parking lot, even getting inside the vehicle before exiting and walking away alone. After she walked out of view of the hospital cameras, Casi Pogue was never seen or heard from again. More than three years later, what happened to Casi remains a mystery.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Casi Pogue, please contact the Greenville Police Department at (864) 271-5333. If you want to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers at 864-23-CRIME (864-232-7463).This episode was sponsored by:Audible- Visit Audibl

This episode originally aired on June 15, 2021. 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 l

This episode originally aired on June 14, 2021. 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?Support us by supporting our sponsors!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:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode originally aired on June 8, 2021. 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.Support us by supporting our sponsors!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:Face

This episode was originally published on June 7, 2021.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.Support us by supporting our sponsors!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

This episode first aired on March 8, 2021. Angie and Mikey’s story was challenging to cobble together from bits of memories, letters, and tiny threads of verifiable information regarding when they were last seen and who they were with. When we published this story, we had no idea what was about to happen next, and that a case where we began with almost nothing would then turn into an entire series. We wanted to share their story again this week because they are still missing. However, law enforcement has since closed their case because they believe they know what happened to Angie and Mikey. We will drop one episode each day this week to help spread awareness about this young mother and son who vanished without a trace, and the world seemed to move on without ever noticing. In 2002, 20-year-old disappeared Angela Mack disappeared from the small northern Arkansas town of Salem. It may have been September, but some people say it was later in the year. She wouldn't be reported missing for many months, or ma

On the afternoon of April 26th, 2010, 16-year-old Alexandria Joy Lowitzer, or Ali as she was known, got off of her school bus across from her home in Spring, Texas. Ali, a sophomore at Spring High School, wanted to walk up to her new workplace, The Burger Barn. She had a paycheck to collect and she told her mom she might be able to pick up a shift that afternoon. Her mom, Jo Ann, was reluctant because Ali had only been working there a few weeks and she hadn’t walked there before. Ali pleaded with her mom until she gave in. Two boys got off the bus with Ali and noticed she lagged behind, not walking as she usually would towards her home, but going the opposite way, out of the neighbourhood in the direction of the Burger Barn. Ali didn't make it to The Burger Barn and was never seen or heard from again. If you have any information about the disappearance of Ali Lowitzer, please contact the Harris County Sheriff's Office 713-221-6000.The episode was co-researched and written by Marissa Jones and&n

In the spring of 1982, 22-year-old Diana Avera was sent to Searcy Hospital, a mental health facility in southern Alabama. Diana was arrested for disorderly conduct in Foley, Alabama, where she lived. The details of her arrest are unknown because we only truly know what happened after her arrest. Diana had several mental health diagnoses, and the decision was made to send her to the mental health facility. Just three months later, around the beginning of August 1982, Diana allegedly escaped from the hospital and was never seen again. But is that really what happened 40 years ago in a case shrouded in secrets, abusive hospital practices, and unanswered questions? If you have any information about Diana’s disappearance, please call the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office at 251-574-8720.If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.Follow The Vanished on social media at:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee Privacy Policy at https://a

Last week, we shared Part 1 of Dorothy Goroshko's story. You learned about Dorothy's life from her sons, John and Rick. Rick and John's lives were never easy, not before their mother disappeared and not after. Despite Dorothy's faults, Rick wants to find her, and John believes he deserves an answer. They lost their mother at a critical time in their lives. Rick and John were still kids, left to wonder if their mother had simply chosen to abandon them or if something terrible had happened to her. Neither outcome made them feel any better about any of it. The boys also had to work to maintain a roof over their heads and put food on the table. On June 4, 1975, Dorothy Goroshko left home to meet friends for drinks at The Penalty Box in Boston, MA. Dorothy's group of friends were known to frequent that bar in North Station. Dorothy's friends recalled that she was with them that evening, and they stayed until closing. They said their goodbyes, and no one was sure where Dorothy headed next. There were rumors ab

On June 4, 1975, Dorothy Goroshko went out to have drinks with some girlfriends in Boston, MA. Her three sons, ages 21, 14, and 12, were at home that evening and went to bed that night, not thinking anything was amiss. The following morning, Dorothy wasn't there. The younger two boys got themselves off to school and figured that their mother must have spent the night with a friend and she would be back by the time the school day was over. They were shocked that their mother still hadn't returned that evening. The boys weren't sure what to do, so they kept waiting. After a few days without word from their mother, Dorothy's son went to the police station to report her missing. Forty-eight years later, Dorothy's sons are still searching for answers.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Dorothy Goroshko, please contact the Boston Police Department Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470. If you want to remain anonymous, please call 1-800-494-TIPS or text "TIP" to 27463.Support us by supporting our spon

Last month, we shared Ruth Egnoski’s story with you. It was a complicated story to piece together from newspaper archives and what people could remember so many decades later. It felt as though there were many holes in the story that we may never get to fill in due to the passage of time. We couldn’t even nail down what year Ruth vanished. We had submitted several record requests to the Delavan Police Department. Unfortunately, at the time that episode was produced, we had not heard anything. We decided to go forward with production because sometimes we never hear back, despite open records laws requiring a response within a specified period of time.Less than a month after our episode aired, we were shocked to receive a large police file from the Delavan Police Department. The information in this file fills in many gaps in the story and answers many questions we had a month ago. What we learned while reading those files was shocking. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Ruth Eg

On January 27, 2022, 23-year-old Angelina Morales got a pizza and went to her great aunt's house in Santa Ana, California, to share a meal with her. No one quite knows what happened after this, but others reported seeing Angelina around Santa Ana in early February. Then, Angelina's friends and family realized that no one could find her. Angelina has never been seen again, and what happened to her remains a dark mystery woven from cautionary tales, risk-taking, and shady characters who seem to want to forget Angie altogether.If you have any information about the disappearance of Angelina Morales, please call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8665.If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.Follow The Vanished on social media at:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last week, we brought you the first part of James Lewis' story. Jim Lewis was a decorated veteran who had recently retired after serving in the United States Army for 25 years. Jim and his wife Patsy purchased a home in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which was supposed to be their forever home, after moving all over the US and the world for many years. They were putting their roots down finally, and Patsy was able to start hanging those pictures on the walls. But it didn't even last a year because, in October of 1982, Jim pulled out of the driveway headed to a job interview in Vero Beach, Florida, and never came home. The police were convinced that Jim had willingly abandoned his family, and they weren't interested in investigating. His family did what they could on their own, but that wasn't bringing them any solid answers. Then, Jim's car was found months later at the local airport in Fayetteville. It had been parked there since October 6, 1982, three days after Jim left, supposedly to drive to Florida. None