The Vanished Podcast

Nineteen-year-old Anastasia Ferreira, affectionately known as "Stasia" by those closest to her, was the kind of person who couldn't help but be noticed. Though Anastasia stood just around 4'11", her personality loomed large, making her impossible to overlook. She was a vibrant force of nature to her family: a ball of energy with a heart big enough to embrace everyone she encountered. As a child, Anastasia was a daredevil, fearlessly climbing swing sets to the highest bar and filming herself spinning on ceiling fans. Her loved ones remember her as adventurous and bold, someone who constantly pushed boundaries and wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. Yet, beneath that fearless exterior was a young woman shaped by early childhood trauma and a relentless desire for stability in a chaotic world.In mid-March 2023, Stasia vanished without a trace from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The details surrounding her disappearance are as perplexing as they are devastating. One moment, Anastasia was engaging with friends and pos

21-year-old Jessica Foster, known to those close to her as Jessie, disappeared from Las Vegas, Nevada in late March of 2006. Jessie was far from her home in Canada, and her family didn't really know the ins and outs of Jessie's daily life in Sin City. They had last seen Jessie in late 2005 when she returned home to visit her loved ones for the holidays. She didn't seem quite like herself, but her family couldn't quite pinpoint the changes in her demeanor. Her once-vibrant spirit seemed to have faded, raising quiet concerns. In March, her family lost all communication with her. It was later revealed that her journey to Las Vegas was far darker than anyone had known. Nearly 19 years later, Jessie's family continues to search for the truth behind her disappearance, hoping to uncover the story of what happened to their beloved daughter and sister.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Jessie Foster, please contact the North Las Vegas Police Department at (702) 633-9111 or the Crime Stoppers Ti

Last week, you heard Part 1 of Bethany Collins Buckles’ story. You learned about her life, struggles, and sudden disappearance just as she planned for her mother’s Thanksgiving visit. Jolinda had expected to hear from Bethany, but she grew concerned when the call didn’t come. At the time, Jolinda was in Atlanta, hours away from Bethany’s condo in Asheville. She contacted the Asheville Police Department, requesting a welfare check. Officers reported that no one was home, and Bethany’s car was missing.When Jolinda finally arrived in Asheville, she discovered something even more troubling—Bethany’s dog had been left alone in the apartment for days without food or water, which was out of character for her daughter. Yet, there was no sign of a struggle inside the condo. Jolinda immediately reported Bethany missing, and the investigation began. Authorities traced Bethany’s phone, which appeared to be moving around the Asheville and Swannanoa areas before going radio silent. Then, months later, in February 2022

In the week leading up to Thanksgiving 2021, Bethany Collins Buckles was making holiday plans with her mother, Jolinda. Bethany was at her condo in Asheville, North Carolina, while Jolinda was at her home in Atlanta, Georgia. Jolinda planned to drive to Asheville for the holiday, and they were creating a shopping list to send to the grocery store for pick-up. This way, they would have everything they needed to prepare Thanksgiving dinner once Jolinda arrived in town. Before ending their call, they agreed to finalize their plans the next day. However, Jolinda never heard from Bethany again. Concerned and unable to drive to Bethany's condo from Atlanta, she contacted the Asheville Police Department to request a welfare check. An officer reported back that no one was home and that Bethany's car was not parked outside. When Jolinda eventually arrived in Asheville, she went to Bethany's condo and discovered that her little dog had been left locked inside for days without food or water, which was very unl

The 2023 holiday season was already in full swing, with many of us busy wrapping gifts and preparing for festive gatherings, when 24-year-old Braonain McGinnis quietly vanished from his home in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Braonain and his mother, Patricia, worked opposite shifts, so it wasn't unusual for them to miss each other except for brief moments when coming or going. Therefore, Patricia did not immediately notice that her son was missing. Initially, she thought Braonain was at work and, later on, that he was simply asleep in his room. However, when Patricia realized Braonain had disappeared, she reported him missing to the Anne Arundel County Police Department, who began investigating his whereabouts on December 21, 2023. Christmas passed with no word from Braonain, and then New Year's came, deepening their concerns. A couple of weeks after Braonain was last seen, his family was shocked to learn that his vehicle had been found abandoned over 2,000 miles away in the mountains of Arizona. Extensive searc

The summer of 1998 was coming to a close when two young women disappeared from the St. Cloud area of Minnesota. April Geyer was 21 years old, and Roseanna Forcum was just 15. April and Rose had only recently become acquainted. Although they ran in the same social circle, it wasn’t immediately clear that the girls had vanished together. At that time, we were approaching the end of an era when most people didn’t own cell phones. You had to wait until you reached your destination or found a pay phone to call home and inform your parents about your plans and when you would return. As April and Rose’s families independently searched for them, they eventually realized they weren’t alone. Two years later, an informant came forward with information indicating that April and Rose were together when they disappeared, even identifying a suspect believed to be their killer. Despite extensive searches, April and Rose were never found. Now, twenty-six years later, their families are determined to bring their stories b

32-year-old Alana Carroll was last seen by her family on August 15, 2023. It was typical for Alana to check in with her family frequently, so they became increasingly concerned when several days passed without any communication from her. Her grandmother, Joyce, ultimately decided to report Alana missing to the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Witnesses later reported seeing Alana at a property she often visited in Battle Ground, Washington, but the timing of these sightings was unclear. There were also unverified claims from others who said they had seen Alana after that date. As rumors began to circulate, unsettling stories about Alana's disappearance spread, leaving her loved ones unsure of what to believe.Nearly a year later, news emerged about a person of interest in the case, but was this case closed or just another story?If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Alana Carroll, please contact Detective Arvizo with the Clark County Sheriff's Office at 564-397-2028.If you have a missing

Last week, you heard Part 1 of Cameron Sequeira’s story. Cameron disappeared from Forest Lakes, Arizona, in June 2010, along with his dog, Zero. Cameron’s parents were told that he dropped off his 2-year-old daughter with his girlfriend’s great-grandmother, Louise, before leaving to walk his dog. Louise attempted to report Cameron missing the following day after he failed to return to pick up his daughter; however, an officer said she had to wait until Cameron was missing for more than 24 hours. Zero later came back without a collar or leash.In the days that followed, chaos ensued when another resident of the same property fled the state with his infant son. Cameron’s parents learned about a rift between this man and Cameron, which led them to question whether this man's departure was connected to Cameron’s disappearance or merely a coincidence, perhaps motivated by a desire to protect his child. Join us as we delve deeper into this mystery and unravel what may have happened to Cameron Sequeira.If you ha

It was late June 2010 when 32-year-old Cameron Sequeira disappeared from Forest Lakes, Arizona. The story goes that Cameron left his young daughter with one of his girlfriend's relatives and then went for a walk with his beloved dog, Zero. Zero returned a couple of days later, but no one ever saw or heard from Cameron again. His parents were alerted that their son was missing, and they traveled from their home in Oregon to Arizona to aid in the search efforts to find Cameron. When they arrived in Forest Lakes, the whole situation wasn't adding up. Days after Cameron had vanished, authorities were alerted that a man living on the same property had fled the area with his infant son. Now, law enforcement had two mysteries on their hands. Were these events related? More than 14 years later, Cameron's family is still piecing together the clues to figure out what happened to their son.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Cameron Sequeira, please call the Coconino County Sheriff's Office at 928

Last week, we shared the first installment of Goldie Thornsberry’s story. You learned that she disappeared from Fayetteville, Arkansas, in early 1996. Goldie was reported missing after her bank noticed strange activity on her checking account. When the investigation began, officers went to Goldie’s apartment and were greeted by one of her daughters, who said Goldie wasn’t home; she was traveling to visit family members. This story shifted with time about where exactly Goldie planned to go and whom she was traveling to visit. Investigators contacted relatives who said they hadn’t seen or heard from Goldie. Goldie’s daughter and son-in-law were later charged with forgery after investigators determined they were using her checks. They became the main suspects in Goldie’s disappearance. Still, despite their best efforts, they couldn’t find Goldie or any hard evidence to prove what happened to her. In 2010, there was a remarkable development in the case after one of Goldie’s former neighbors saw a news s

In the summer of 2000, two development consultants were surveying land on Cantrell Road in Little Rock, Arkansas, when they noticed a drainage area and decided to investigate its source. Venturing a short distance into the woods, they stumbled upon a well. One of the workers thought he saw something at the bottom and prodded it with a stick. As the object shifted, it became evident that it was a human skull. That's when they decided it was time to call the Little Rock Police Department.Human remains were retrieved from the well, and it was later confirmed that the victim was a woman. Unable to match Jane Doe to any missing persons reports in the area, her case quickly went ice cold.Ten years later, the police department had a clay recreation made of what Jane Doe may have looked like, hoping that a visual representation of the woman might trigger someone's memory. One evening in Little Rock, a man who had lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas, during the 90s saw the clay bust on the news and was struck by its resem

On June 24, 2024, 21-year-old Zyanya Valora stayed up late after her parents went to bed. In the early morning hours of June 25, around 2:30 AM, she is believed to have left their home in Ojai, California. Her family suspects she was barefoot and wearing a tank top and shorts.Later that morning, Zyanya's parents assumed she was simply sleeping in, as young people often do. However, around 11 AM, her mother, Damaris, discovered that her daughter was not in her room or anywhere inside their home. Concerned, Damaris called her husband at work and began searching the neighborhood. After failing to find Zyanya, Damaris reported her daughter missing.An extensive search was conducted for Zyanya, who has Autism and is considered at-risk. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office, along with other agencies, dedicated five days to searching the area. Unfortunately, despite these extensive efforts, no trace of Zyanya Valora has been found.If you have a

On the afternoon of June 24, 2023, 41-year-old Lawrence Hammett was transferred from Montrose Regional Health to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, Colorado. Approximately two hours later, a staff member attempted to call Lawrence back, but he was gone. No one knew that Lawrence had been transferred to a hospital roughly two and a half hours away, and they began to notice that they stopped seeing him around town. Weeks passed without word, and Lawrence's loved ones began comparing notes. No one had heard from him. They searched around Montrose, but there was no trace of Lawrence there. Eventually, Lawrence's sister contacted the Montrose Police Department to file a missing persons report, and they told her that he had been in the hospital and was transferred to Durango. This news moved their search more than 100 miles away, and by that time, the camera footage from June 24 was long gone. They didn't have any clues to point them in the direction that Lawrence may have gone or if

We first shared the story of Eric Franks’ disappearance in October 2021. While his case is still unsolved, we have significant new information to share with you nearly three years after our original episodes aired, which could potentially shed light on this mystery. In March 2011, 38-year-old Eric Franks disappeared from Saginaw, Michigan. In 2010, Eric learned he had a teenage daughter, so he traveled to the Saginaw area to connect with her. Eric went radio silent in early March, but then his family began receiving emails from Eric periodically. They went along with this for a time, as they had no reason to question that Eric was sending the emails. Still, something was off about the whole thing, and later, they decided to report Eric missing. Over the last 13 years, a bizarre string of events has unfolded, unraveling disturbing clues about what may have happened and who may be responsible for Eric’s disappearance.If you have any information about the disappearance of Eric Franks, please call the Michig

On the night of October 20, 1972, 26-year-old Patricia Wagner left her Jersey City apartment for a coffee date with her new boyfriend, Dennis. Her mother, Marie, agreed to watch Patty's two young sons, Kenny and Michael, for a few hours. Before leaving, Patty's oldest son, Kenny, begged her not to go. He was overcome by a bad feeling about his mother going out that night, but he didn't know why. Patty reassured her young son that she would return later and headed out of her apartment for her date. That was the last known sighting of Patricia Wagner. Patty never came home, and her family never heard from her again. Although Patty's mother quickly jumped into action to report her daughter missing, Patty's case went ice cold. Decades later, a younger family member became determined to do what she could to find her long-lost cousin. If you have any information about the disappearance of Patricia Jane Wagner, please contact the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at 609-882-2000.You ca

In the early days of the show, I came across a website called haveyouseenandy.com. The website focused on the case of Andy Puglisi, a 10-year-old boy who disappeared from a pool in Lawrence, MA, in August 1976. Andy's friend, Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, created and maintained the website. Melanie had previously directed an HBO documentary about Andy's case, which won an Emmy in 2008 for Outstanding Investigative Journalism.When I contacted Melanie to inquire about featuring Andy on the show, I was surprised that she responded and agreed, given my limited experience in podcasting at the time. After Andy's original episode aired, Melanie and I stayed in touch, and she even provided her expertise when we covered similar cases from that era. Through her research, Melanie discovered that there were more missing and murdered children with stories similar to Andy's. This realization led her to shift her focus from Andy's individual case to a broader perspective, uncovering shocking new information along the way

On December 25, 2000, 37-year-old Kenneth Ray Weaver failed to visit his mother for Christmas. Typically, Kenny and his siblings always made it a point to see their mother on Christmas. If, for some reason, one of them couldn't make it, they would always call, but there was no word from Kenny. While Kenny's family quickly jumped into action to locate him, they faced roadblock after roadblock.Kenny's family heard from his roommate that he dropped Kenny off at a friend's home in Pocola, Oklahoma, on Christmas Day. Another friend later came forward and said he had seen Kenny sitting on the porch of that friend's house and gave him a ride to Fort Smith, Arkansas. This friend recalled that it was Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day, and this is where Kenny Weaver's trail went cold. Very little is known about what happened to Kenny around Christmas in 2000. Authorities from Arkansas and Oklahoma initially refused to take the case due to jurisdiction debates, which stalled filing a report for five years. 

In March 2021, 48-year-old Shannon Collins quietly disappeared from Pottsville, Arkansas. His parents, brother, and sister just stopped hearing from Shannon. He wasn't returning their calls or text messages, which was strange. When they contacted Shannon's wife, she said he had left their home on March 12 but was contacting their children via phone. Despite their inquiries, they have yet to receive satisfactory answers. By November, Shannon's brother, Blake, decided to report his brother missing during a trip home to Arkansas for the holidays. From there, the situation only grew more peculiar.Anyone with information about Shannon Collins' disappearance can call Pope County Sheriff's Office at 479-968-2558 and ask for any available investigator. You may also report tips anonymously at https://www.popecoso.org/reportACrime.You can follow developments in Shannon's case on Facebook, Share Shannon's Story, and Instagram.Listen to The Vanished on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts

Last week, you heard the first part of Cynthia's story. You learned about her life, marriage, pending divorce, and how she disappeared on February 3, 2021. The last confirmed sighting of Cynthia was at a gas station in Grandview, Texas, around 10:35 PM. Multiple witnesses reported that she appeared to be in the midst of a mental health crisis. Cynthia had called friends, and they mentioned that her behavior was confusing. A patron at the gas station stated that she entered his vehicle and left her phone behind when she exited. Another witness remembered Cynthia running up behind his truck and asking for a ride. However, no one stopped to assist her. Cynthia then got back into her vehicle, and her car was seen approaching the exit. Law enforcement suspects that the camera malfunctioned at that moment, and they lost sight of Cynthia's vehicle, making it impossible to determine the direction it headed next. Cynthia's destination after leaving the gas station remains unknown. Two days later, Cynthia's family repo

On the evening of February 3, 2021, 39-year-old Cynthia Bah-Traore left her home in Crowley, Texas. She was later spotted at a gas station in Grandview, Texas, but left her cell phone behind. After that, Cynthia disappeared without a trace. Almost two weeks later, her car was discovered abandoned alongside a highway approximately 35 miles south of where she was last seen, near Waco. The whereabouts of Cynthia and her vehicle during this time remain unknown. Her family has stated that Cynthia had no reason to be in the Waco area, and they are baffled as to why she would have traveled there. Following her disappearance, tensions arose between her family and the police department investigating the case. Over three years later, renewed efforts are underway in hopes of finally uncovering Cynthia’s whereabouts.Anyone with information about Cynthia Bah-Traore can call Lt. Michael Tate at the Crowley Police Department at 817-297-2276 x6204 or Crimestoppers at 817-469-8477. You can a