Police considered it a murder case but it went cold. She reportedly used the radiator hose from her car to siphon water from a nearby creek while awaiting rescue. A week later, though, Marco's body was found in the river and upon discovery, people saw that there was a concrete rock tied to his legs. "I come home one night and she's just gone and nobody knows where she's at," Bob Kopta said during a police press conference Thursday. Although this number is startling, and seems to be rising every year, cold cases are continuing to be solved every year due in part to advancements in forensics and DNA technology. In 1998, 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley went missing while on a Caribbean cruise. Cold cases solved by DNA technology are becoming more frequent than ever before, due to major advancements in not only genealogy but also forensic technology. Michele Whitaker Name: Michele Whitaker Reported missing:August 16, 2002 Status:Found alive in August 2008 Michele Whitakerwas last seen in Spartanburg, South Carolina on August 16, 2002. As punishment, her mother locked her out of the house. . The 41-year-old had vanished after a family argument leaving behind four children, including 15-year-old daughter, Grace Kivisto. Cantellop attributed Eller's ability to survive to her experience with nature. He left his husband and now thinks hes Jesus (literally), Big Corporations are out to get him, everything is a conspiracy, and lives mainly on the streets but sometimes in a place hes mooching off someone. After an 11-day search, the boy was found locked in his parents' basement. When he was 21, Edgar Latulip went missing. He was abducted by Kenneth Parnell, a convicted pedophile, who told Steven to call him Dad. Stayner was told his parents didnt want him anymore and even that hed been adopted. He said her career as a physical therapist as well as knowledge of yoga techniquesand of the local vegetation are what saved her life. George Clayton Bleuel. They were all forced to marry old men, age 70 to 80, in China. None of that happened, and he was captured, instead. As the FBI investigated, they discovered that Berchtold had intimate relationships with Jan's parents just to get close to her. He went to prison for 45 days. His mother reported him as missing people, but he was not found until he turned 18 and started applying for the college. This continued for nine months until she was recognized and rescued while out with the couple in Sandy, Utah. She remained married to an old person for 21 years and then managed to escape. We believe the more resources we can provide to digital volunteers and citizen solvers mean more citizen detective communities. He hopped on a bus to Niagra Falls and somewhere along the way hurt his head and suffered from amnesia, forgetting who he was. They will sometimes give you little glimmers or hints of the past, but they seem unknown. Patricia Kopta's husband reported her missing from the North Hills in 1992. Paula Jean Welden disappeared in the "Bennington Triangle" in 1946. During that time, his parents put up flyers and desperately sought their son, but no one recognized him. The case was under investigation for 52 years; her daughter later put an ad in the paper of missing mother, and someone did reply that she has seen her mother. I lost an uncle like this. Hed told his employer that hed be late for work but never showed up. His daughter Claire, who he abandoned as a child, labelled him a fantasist and said he would dress as if he were an SAS agent and frequent bars where he knew the servicemen drank. Gloria Smith, Patricia's sister, said, "I don't believe it. Through DNA samples, they confirmed a match. Each of these cases have seen no resolution, some of them seeking resolution for decades. Authorities assumed the notorious serial killer had claimed Lovell as one of his victims. Alternatively, many mysterious missing persons cases are solved, whether ending in a happy reunion, or in tragedy. It was a very big shock to know that she's still alive, I hope I can get down to see her.". It is a sad fact that not every missing person will be found alive, nor will every missing person be found. As time went on, family and friends began to suspect foul play and offered a $50,000 reward for her discovery. Over the course of several years,Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Georgina DeJesus were all kidnapped by Ariel Castro and kept as prisoners down in his basement. In 2011, he was found in Las Vegas with a fake name. We really thought she was dead all those years. All rights reserved. Sounds like metal health issues. Hello neighbor! into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. Shawn was found four years later of his abduction, living in an apartment with a man named Michael J. Devlin, a Pizza restaurant manager, in St. Louis. Missing persons found dead years later are often labeled as Jane or John Does due to their remains being unidentifiable. While in captivity, she was repeatedly raped and assaulted. Its been going on almost 31 years, and its been bad, he said. It took about nine months from Interpol agents contacting police to the woman being identified as Patricia Kopta. Berchtold kept in touch with Jan's parents, claiming that he had no idea where she was. Dugard was held captive in a shack in Garrido and his wifes backyard for 18 years . The gentleman behind us, you're looking at, that is Robert McDonough.'. In reality, he dosed her and took her to Mexico, where he then married her. We didn't expect it. "I don't believe it. There has been no indication of Kopta's whereabouts since 1992, and the circumstances of her disappearance are unclear. 3. And most cases will remain cold, as people disappear into different lives, some filled with unimaginable terrors. In June of 1959, nearly 1 year after going missing, some torn clothing, a broken hearing aide, and a few bone fragments were found in a remote area 2,500 feet up Mount Meeker in the middle of nowhere and about 3 miles from where Bizup had gone missing. Her family said she suffers from dementia, but they are trying to see her in person after being gone all that time. More recent unsolved murders, which we have worked to visualize on Uncovered include the 2017 murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, the unsolved 2016 murder of Terri Missy Bevers, and the 2012 murder of Faith Hedgepeth. Hed originally told his relatives he was looking for construction jobs but eventually made his way down to Florida instead. "Our hope is that a trust fund can be used for Jayme's needs today and in the future," the company said in an official statement. She was found injured at its base, having reportedly been forced to use the radiator hose from her SUV to siphon water out of a nearby creek to keep herself alive. Ross Township police said they were told Kopta was found in need of care and was taken into the home in the June of 1999. Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison and Nancy was sentenced to 36 years to life. She was one of those unhinged urban preachers you see in many American cities. Bob Kopta reported his wife, Patricia, missing in 1992. At age 28, Judith Bello, a wife and mother of two, went missing with her car totally abandoned in Stanwood, Washington. But, then Savanna disappeared. 42 years later, they found her living in Texas under an alias. Lists of solved missing person cases include: List of solved missing person cases: pre-2000 List of solved missing person cases: post-2000 See also [ edit] Biography portal History portal Lists portal List of kidnappings List of murder convictions without a body List of people who disappeared mysteriously: 1990-present Dig deeper The protest Friday now aims to shed more light on the case of 24-year-old Selena Garcia, and highlight how police handle the cases of missing Hispanic people in Gwinnett County. In January 2017, they were found alive and well in the Houston, Texas and their mother was arrested. Though the woman refused to share her personal life with anyone - years later, suffering from dementia, she started to divulge details. She wrote a letter saying someone was after her, but her husband stated she always thought someone was after her. childrenofthecornbread Advertisement 11. Sometime between the hours of 11:30 p.m. on March 8 and 10:45 a.m. on March 9, 1996, someone entered 10-year-old Amberly Ann . Luckily, the person who claimed to see her mother was her step-sister; her father had been abusive and had multiple affairs. You wont believe it, but the US alone has around 90,000 missing people at a time. Thirty-one years later, she was found in Dusseldorf under a new alias. Morales had been . That's because his story became famous only after it was fictionalized and he was rebranded "Robinson Crusoe." According to Smithsonian, Selkirk was really only sort-of missing. The 46-year-old mum, found floating off the coast of Colombia had been reported missing two years earlier. Whenever someone goes missing, it a tragic event; the persons family wonders what had happened. I didnt recall that shed disappeared, though. There are nearly 90,000 missing persons in the U.S. alone, at any given time. It . Here are 15 people who everyone thought were dead, but were found alive after decades. Bergdahl pled guilty and was sentenced to no prison time, a dishonorable discharge, a $1,000 forfeiture, and a reduction in rank from sergeant to private. Copyright 2023 WPXI via CNN Newsource. Apparently, Johnsons husband had been abusive and had multiple affairs. Rather than heading back to his troop, he stayed in the village, got married, and changed his name toSheikh Abdullah. I hope shes enjoyed some great days in her life. In 1984, a computer science student namedPetra Pazsitka was reported missing after not showing up to her brothers birthday party. Patty, as her family called her, street preached around the city under the name "The Sparrow." Have you ever read about missing people that were surprisingly found alive? Following his appearance on TV in 2001, Newsnight exposed his false claims and seven years later, Sessarego was found dead in his garage in Belgium. He then reportedly spent two weeks planning her kidnapping, and he allegedly even shaved his head to prevent any DNA connection to the crime scene. At age 28, Judith Bello, a wife and mother of two, went missing with her car totally abandoned in Stanwood, Washington. Eventually, they were able to get an investigator to go digging. Copyright 2011 - 2023 List25 Inc. All Rights Reserved. They had both decided to leave their family behind and start new but didnt want to give out their new location. More recently solved cold cases in 2020 due to DNA technology includes the 1973 murder of Naomi Sanders, the 1996 murder of Jessica Baggen, and the 1986 murder of Lisa Holstead, among many others. Two years later, two shocked mushroom pickers found him disheveled on the coast of Northern Tuscany. Lists of fascinating and bizarre real cases that continue to stump detectives and amateur sleuths. Robert McDonough, who had dementia, sparked a search after going missing from his home for 14 hours in 2013. Both Eller's parents have expressed relief to being reunited with their daughter. One day, when Nguyen Thi Van was 16 years old, she came home late. Unsolved Mysteries has been credited over the years for leading to major increases in tips sent to law enforcement in cases that have gone completely cold for years or even decades, as well as even having a handful of the cases being solved, some leading to convictions. It cost me a lot of money. After searching for many years, he was declared dead in 2010. He soon discovered that his mother had kidnapped him as a child and changed his name before she disappeared. He changed his name and enrolled him in school. Sounds like my retirement plan. Those who work at the facility said the woman was found to be in need of care on June 30, 1999. Bob Kopta said Patricia had some mental health issues and had talked about going to Puerto Rico where it was warm. While she was with Berchtold, Jan says that he violated her "more than 200 times.". THE woman who claims she may be Madeleine McCann has taken a DNA test and is trying to check whether she could be another missing child. List25 is a registered trademark. When there was a baseball game going on, when a concert was going on, she would be talking to people," Robert Kopta said about his wife. ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Initially, her parents were so swayed by their friend Berchtold that they truly believed he took her on a horseback-riding trip. For nearly two decades, Dugard frequently raped by Garrido and gave birth to two daughters by him during her captivity. While it seemed a promising lead, after two decades, Asha has still never been found, and no one has been charged in connection with her disappearance. Now more than 30 years later, they got the news they never thought they would hear. A wife and a mother of two kids, Judith Bello, went missing with her car in Washington. 1:24; Missing Ky. There are many different websites that have articles written about different types of cold cases. Good news and a happy ending. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He had been fleeing the mob and lived in several parts of the country with different names and fake IDs. Police considered it a murder case but it went cold. When the investigators arrived, he disappeared again, as he did not want to be rediscovered. A woman first reported missing from Ross Township decades ago has been found alive and well in Puerto Rico. Federal authorities found him working at Rampart Casino in Las Vegas with another name. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Nagy, it was found out, had suffered amnesia and didnt remember anything about his former life. But here are some stories of missing people that were later (after years) found alive. Lucky are those who went missing and then came back alive. After Barbara's daughters met her. Kopta was last seen in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 20, 1992. The authorities arrived on the scene and reported having a21-year-old male suspect in custody 10 minutes later. Often inspiring and devastating at the same time, and sometimes downright eerie and bizarre, these narratives of men and women who return after years of absence are all-around fascinating. Amberly Ann Mendoza. Eventually, in 2013, the young women were found and rescued from his grasp. After 18 years, she was found living in Southern California with the new family. Carneys parents spent years searching for him. Angelica Gaitan went missing for two years before she was found alive floating in the sea by two baffled fishermen. Years later, with dementia, she started to divulge some details that connected the dots back to Ross Township. The FBI eventually took notice and bugged the Broberg's phones so they could record the conversations. Nearly three months after her parents were shot and killed in their Wisconsin home on October 15, 2018, investigators found theirmissing daughter, 13-year-old Jayme Closs, more than 60 miles away from where she disappeared the night of their murder. Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. . All 12 boys and the coach were found alive on July 2, 2018. When he heard a woman found out she was snatched as a baby, he did some digging of his own to see if the same happened to him. Her sister stated Kopta was often mistreated by the strangers she approached. There is no report as to why his parents reported him missing after locking him down there themselves. At 28, Lula Gillespie-Miller gave birth to her third child, but feeling she was too young to be a mother, gave them up to her parents and took off in 1974. Asha's family still believes she is alive, and her case is considered an open investigation. Her husband didn't report her missing until November 27; he told the police his wife had a tendency to drop out of sight for short periods, and that's why he was initially unconcerned by her absence. Shortly after, she was arrested and Savanna learned the truth. Many of her family hoped theyd find her again and never gave up hope. She's now 83 years old. Jayme Closs was found in January 2019, after going missing in October 2018. New York authorities never thought they . "We're so happy and I hope I can get down to see her.". Officers were able to track down a sister and nephew of Kopta's who provided DNA samples that could be tested alongside hers. It sounds like her husband suspected her to be schizophrenic, I have no idea if she received treatment before her disappearance. It is estimated that about 600,000 people are reported missing in . The couple took away all clothes and bolted her into a wooden lean-to in the garden, telling her vicious dogs were guarding the door. According to the National Institute of Justice in an article released in 2018, 76% of the resolved missing persons cases entered into NamUS missing persons database were found alive, leaving 24% of the resolved missing persons to be found deceased. First published on March 2, 2023 / 8:55 AM. Her captor was 41-year-old Adam Gault, an acquaintance of her parents. I think thatd be a good way to find out, but maybe not all fingerprints are on a database? When a body was discovered in the kiln of a brickyard in Illinois, it was assumed they were the remains of Lula Cora Hood, who had disappeared 26 years earlier, in 1970. She was rescued in 2009 after Garrido visited the UC Berkeley college campus with their 2 daughters, and his suspicious activity lead to Jaycees discovery. Its a case closed, and a family reconnected. A Chicago trader went missing in 1979, leaving his three kids and wife. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. He left at 31 and she at 18. ", Happy to be where she belonged, Carlina said: "When I look at [Joy], I can see me. Email is required and look like an e-mail address. It remains unsolved. With the advancements of DNA technology in recent years, investigators all over the world are retesting evidence from cold cases and are constantly solving cold cases by using the forensic evidence from when the crime initially occurred. In the United States alone there are over 200,000 unsolved cold cases, some of which are recent cold cases, others have been unsolved, or labeled as cold for decades. They accepted the ride with her and found themselves in China. You can only imagine! Steven Stayner, a second grader in 1972, was walking home from school one day and completely vanished. However, as the cases above proved, even after decades missing people can still be found. I'm an atheist but it's weird to me when there are people who believe in the Bible with all its wacky goings on, but then treat anyone claiming comparable experiences like they're crazy. Amanda Eller is a 35-year-old yoga instructor and physicaltherapist whobecame lost while on a hike in theMakawao Forest Reserve onMaui, HI, May 8, 2019. Missing Persons (updated Mar. His mother put out a missing person report but they didnt find him until Julian was 18 and applying for college. Sometimes a lot of time goes by, and the person is declared dead, but what if you get to know that the person is alive even after 25 years of missing? Even some of his things were found in Gacys home. His shocked family had been told he died in a car bomb in 1991, at the age of 39, while serving in Croatia. However, it turns out he didnt want to be found and was under the strict control of a religious organization called Gospel Outreach. Consider their surprise and relief when that loved one shows up after years of being gone! Sadly, both missing persons and murder cold cases continue to go unsolved today. Lets find out answers to your questions by looking at some unknown facts. Suddenly, he became a ward of the state and was later adopted by the Carters. His family believes that Gospel outreach influenced him not to keep any contact with his family. He suffered from mental health issues, including having a mental capacity of a 12-year-old. . On February 25, 1957, around 10:30 a.m., Bellmawr, New Jersey resident, four-year-old Mary Jane Barker, disappeared along with her playmate's four-month-old black spaniel puppy. Lucy Ann Johnson went missing in 1961, leaving behind her seven-year-old daughter, Linda Evans. On the other hand, more commonly, missing people are found much more often, although you may not see much media attention once a previously missing person is found. It is the religious tradition of the latter-day saint movement of Restorationist Christianity initiated by Joseph Smith. You can only imagine! Missing persons cases that ended in tragedy and remain unsolved to this day include the disappearance and suspected homicide of; Hannah Truelove, Kurt Sova, and Adam Walsh. Husband Marco (41), his wife Sylvia (43), and their daughter Miriam (12), went missing from their home in Drage on July 22, 2015. "She would always hang out down in Pittsburgh where things were going on. He was kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell, a convicted pedophile, who told Steven Stayner to call him Dad. Soon after, Kopta lost her job because she was "seeing things" and her behavior was disruptive, and then she began to walk the streets to spread her message. Eller wandered deep in theMakawao Forest Reserve after she fractured her leg while hiking. he said, that took 300 days to confirm the person in question was alive, was well, and just didn't want to be found . Police initially suspected the girl's non-custodial parents, but did . Upon investigation, police found this matter as a murder case. ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WPXI) - A Pennsylvania man who has been searching for his wife for over 30 years has just learned that she is alive and well and has been living in Puerto Rico for decades. Leaving behind her daughter, Lucy went missing in the year 1961. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. But what happens to the small percentage of missing people who one day show back up? Then the family finds him again. Steven didn't want to see the boy suffering like him and decided to escape with the boy. "As she asked and spoke more, she leaked enough details about her identity that they were able to connect enough dots to contact us," Kohlhepp said. Paislee Shultis was reported missing from her Cayuga Heights home in July 2019, according to NBC 4. Eventually, he was declared dead. / CBS Pittsburgh. He had no idea how much time had passed until he bought a newspaper and saw the date. Kopta's family says one day a beloved wife and sister just left. Where did they go and what happened to them? How can we protect it? If youre interested in the popular true crime series Unsolved Mysteries, you might find yourself looking not only into the cases theyve covered, but also cases they covered that have been solved since the episode first aired. She walked throughout the city, approaching strangers and telling them she'd had a vision of the Virgin Mary and that the world was about to end. Sellars' boyfriend, Jonothan Vick, had long been a suspect in an unsolved 1995 rape and murder. Timothy Carney was last seen on September 28th, 2004 by his roommate at their apartment. Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said an Interpol agent and a social worker from Puerto Rico contacted. His tracks stopped close to the lakes edge, his backpack was abandoned nearby and numerous searches failed to dig up further clues. It was total shock, said Gloria Smith, Patricia Koptas sister. FBI list of 43 unsolved missing cases of people under the age of 21 Here's the list, by date of disappearance: Daniel Barter was 4 years old when he went missing from Perdido Bay, Alabama,. The news of people went missing and coming back alive makes a great headline. His family is happy that at least he is safe. Kopta, a street preacher known as "The Sparrow," was reported missing by her husband in 1992. Shawn Hornbeck, an 11 year old was kidnapped while he was riding his bike near his home in Missouri. The number of missing individuals in the year was 5,620. Patricia Kopta's husband Robert Kopta said they were married for about 20 years when she took off without a trace. However, this woman wasnt really missing. While there she refused to discuss her private life or where she came from, he said. Her mother, Dorothy Barnett, kidnapped her and settled in Queensland. They reported to us that she came into their care in 1999 where she was found in need in the streets of Puerto Rico, where she had been wandering around. Her name was changed to Samantha, and she grew up thinking her stepfather was her real father. Graying black hair, green eyes. 17, 2022) Missing since Nov. 19, 2021. When the police get a new missing person case, it is simply another one to add to the list of all the other ongoing cases, all of which must be investigated, with only the same . More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. She then went through a sham marriage ceremony with Mitchell, who claimed to be an angel sent to slay the anti-Christ. Brian David Mitchell, who had gone by "Emmanuel" to the Smart family, abducted Smart while she slept in bed next to her younger sister, Mary Katherine, who pretended to sleep so that the intruder would not harm them. Even though it's rare, there have been a handful of people to reappear after getting abducted. Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were thought to be dead after being kidnapped by sex fiend Ariel Castro and held at his Ohio home for up to 11 years. The two other girls were abducted over the next two years, locked in separate rooms, often chained to a wall and frequently raped by Castro. All rights reserved. Jayme Closs. During the first abduction, Berchtold said to Jan that she had been taken by a UFO, and she herself was part alien. In 2011, after 18 years, she was found living two states down in Southern California with a totally new family. Another example of DNA used in famous solved murders include the 1984 murder of Christine Jessup, the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley, and the 1993 abduction and murder of Angie Housman. We were contacted by an agent from Interpol as well as a social worker from Puerto Rico who believed they had her in an adult care home in Puerto Rico, Ross Township Police Deputy Chief Brian Kohlhepp said. Like per their beliefs God has done these things before. However, they were not identified as hers until DNA testing was done in 2011. The accused kidnapper's mother, according to a neighbor, is "totally distraught" over her son's supposed actions. We were aware he was hospitalized but after time and transfers he was lost in the system and we were unaware where he was. Resources for Finding Missing Children Center for Missing and Exploited Children www.missingkids.org 24-Hour Hotline 1-800-843-5678 Faces of the Lost www.facesofthelost.org 24-Hour Helpline While her missing persons case was solved. Yuma PD. He was handicapped and tried committing suicide many times. Her family said she suffered from mental health issues and feared being institutionalized. When he got up at 6am she had disappeared. Its unknown how she ended up with Gault. On July 5, 2018, she sent her family a text saying she was pulling over in a grocery store parking lot to sleep in her car. The Clearinghouse provides a nationwide, toll-free hotline to receive tips on the whereabouts of missing persons. Home - People - 25 Missing People That Were Mysteriously Found Alive, Posted by Jason, Updated on November 22, 2022. 1) Lucy Ann Johnson Source = Wordpress Leaving behind her daughter, Lucy went missing in the year 1961. Savannas name was changed to Samantha, and she grew up thinking her step-father was her real father. An infamous rapist confessed that he murdered her; she was declared dead in 1989, but she wasnt dead. Here are 25 Missing People That Were Mysteriously Found Alive. She wouldnt give a reason for why she left, and she didnt want to speak to the family she left behind. While in captivity, she also gave birth to 2 daughters while in captivity and developed a case of Stockholm Syndrome. Billy Hoag, Joey Hoag, and Craig Dowell, disappeared 1967 CBS Joey, 13, and Billy, 11, disappeared while heading to explore a small,. Carlos Snchez Ortiz De Salaza, a psychiatrist from Spain, disappeared in 1995. If you have already been looking around for cold case lists, you might be using search terms such as unsolved murders USA or strange cases of unsolved disappearances. Elisabeth's mother filed a missing person report, not knowing that her child was being held in captivity only metres away. Its sad, but short of holding him against his will I dont know what else they could do. Kopta's family believes she took a flight to Puerto Rico after her disappearance, spent a week or two there, then returned to Pittsburgh. Pope County 911 received a call on Tuesday . She had left the tour to change clothes, and when she returned, no one recognized her. ATM thieves use glue and 'tap' function to drain accounts at Chase, Big Bear begins running out food and fuel as ski resorts remain open, Do not to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from eBay, Girl Scouts say. Melvin Uphoff and Jacquelyn Rains-Kracman, a couple from Nebraska, had been missing for over 44 years. On May 25, 2019, arescue helicopter found Eller walking barefoot between two waterfalls and waiving her arms. His parents were just glad he was safe. She had had numerous run-ins with the police and, each time would tell them to be ready because the end of the world was coming. Authorities Found A Missing Woman Alive Seven Days After Her Car Plunged Off A Cliff Angela Hernandez was traveling from Oregon to California to visit family when she suddenly went missing. It was in 1984 when a student name Petra Pazsitka was found missing. Amberly Ann Mendoza, killed in 1996.