Stuff You Should Know SYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping
Sep 26, 2025
Dive into the chilling Chowchilla school bus kidnapping, America's largest abduction case. Learn about the tense day in 1976, the ingenious escape led by brave children and their bus driver, Ed Ray. Delve into the kidnappers' flawed plans and the community's frantic response. Discover the kidnappers' backgrounds and the shocking details of how law enforcement eventually caught them. Reflect on the emotional aftermath for survivors and how they coped with trauma while the town rallied in support.
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Mass Kidnapping And Buried Trailer Escape
- On July 15, 1976, a Chowchilla school bus with 26 children was hijacked and buried in a moving-trailer at a quarry.
- The victims escaped after roughly 36 hours when they pried open the hatch and reached quarry workers.
Driver And Teen Led The Escape
- Ed Ray, the 55-year-old bus driver and farmer, was taken with the kids and later helped in the escape.
- Fourteen-year-old Mike Marshall, who wasn't supposed to be on the bus, played a key role in initiating the breakout.
Crude Concealment, Flawed Long-Term Plan
- Kidnappers moved the children for 11 hours and used crude van partitions and painted-over windows to conceal them.
- They buried a moving van trailer under twelve feet of dirt with ventilation and minimal supplies, revealing poor long-term planning.
