The Vanished Podcast

In early 2003, 29-year-old Clinton Washburn called his parents, and he was angry. The whole thing ended up being a misunderstanding that they worked out during that phone call, but after that, they stopped hearing from Clint. Months later, in September of 2003, they received a typed letter allegedly from Clint. It stated that he found a rich woman to marry, he planned to take her name, and they would never locate him. Clint’s parents were crushed by this letter and didn’t know any way to reach their son as the letter had no return address. Believing their son wanted no contact and hoping that maybe someday he would change his mind, Clint’s parents waited. They thought he would eventually call or show up at the door, but it never happened. Clint’s father passed away in 2018, and his mother, Margi, thought for sure, he would turn up at that time, but still no word from Clint. After that, Margi decided to report her son missing, more than 15 years after that letter arrived in the mail. They came to learn that there had been no trace of Clint since 2003, and the more they discovered, the more disturbing things became.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Clint Washburn, you are urged to call the Kewanee Police Department at (309) 853-1911.This episode was sponsored by:Rocket Money- Go to RocketMoney.com/MIA to get rid of useless subscriptions.Tommy John- Go totommyjohn.com/VANISHED for 20% off your first order.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.

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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On September 14, 1990, 10-year-old Kacey Perry was visiting with her father at his home in Portland, Oregon. That evening, the two had a disagreement during a conversation about Kacey coming to live with him full-time. Her father told Kacey to go to bed for the night, which he believed she had done. Her father went outside and chatted with a neighbor for a bit. When he returned, he found that Kacey was missing. He drove around the neighborhood but could not find Kacey anywhere. That is when he alerted the police that his daughter was missing, and the search began. No one could have guessed that more than 30 years later, they would still be searching for Kacey. If you have any information about Kacey Perry's disappearance, please call the Portland Police Bureau at 503-823-0000.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.

Six months ago, we brought you the story of 70-year-old Sandra Eckert, who had been missing for 15 months from Franklin, Wisconsin. The story was eerie, with so many haunting hallmarks we’ve heard in many stories with the same patterns of behavior. When we first shared Sandra’s story with you, we held a significant amount of information in confidence at the request of Sandra’s family and law enforcement. At that time, we knew that there were sealed court documents that could lead to some significant developments in the case and possibly an arrest and indictment. While the developments we want to share with you today are not a final resolution to Sandra’s case, they are a step forward in the investigation. We want to end 2022 on a positive note looking forward to the major developments we hope and believe will take place in 2023.If you have any information about the disappearance of Sandra Eckert or the car she was driving, please call the Franklin Police Department at 414-425-2522.This episode was sponsored by:Rocket Money- Go to RocketMoney.com/MIA to get rid of useless subscriptions.Shopify- Go to Shopify.com/vanished, ALL LOWERCASE, for a FREE trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features.Zocdoc- Go to Zocdoc.com/VANISHED and download the Zocdoc app to sign-up for FREE and book a top-rated doctor.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.

On September 11, 2014, 63-year-old Daniel Farrar left the assisted living facility he resided at in Westbrook, Connecticut. He had $20 on him and stated he was going to get himself some lunch. Danny often left for walks or to grab some lunch. He was one of the younger residents in the home and got bored staying inside all day. Danny was seen that day at a local store making a purchase. What was unusual was that Danny never returned home, and the people who ran the facility became concerned enough to contact his family and police immediately. Where could Danny have gone with the clothes on his back and $20 in cash? More than eight years later, Danny’s family is still searching for the answers to that question.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Daniel Farrar, please contact the Connecticut State Police at 860-399-2100.Support us by supporting our sponsors!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.

On January 24, 2022, 21-year-old Aidan Spear had plans to meet with her mother, Jessica, at 11 AM. About 20 minutes before they were due to meet, Jessica received a message from Aidan stating that she had to say goodbye to someone and would be a little late. She promised to call later and that she would meet her, just not at the original time. Jessica never heard from her daughter again. At first, Jessica assumed that Aidan had just flaked on her, but the days continued to pass with no sign of Aidan. Then, Jessica began hearing from Aidan’s friends that they hadn’t heard from her either. Nearly a year later, Aidan is still missing, and Jessica is desperate to uncover the truth.If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Aidan Spear, please contact the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office at (253) 798-7530.Support us by supporting our sponsors!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.

We are taking this week off to spend time with our loved ones and the reminder that we are blessed with so much. However, we never take a week off in our minds, and the families with a missing loved one are always in our hearts and thoughts. We decided to re-share an episode from a few years ago about a missing child who disappeared many decades ago, Vinyette Teague. If you have not heard her story, please give it a listen. If you have heard her story, we encourage you to listen to it again as her mother, Kathy, remains a steadfast reminder that the loss of a child is a wound that never heals. As we enjoy the special celebrations and memories that come with the holidays, we want to honor the family members of the missing and recognize that your missing loved one is not forgotten. Please keep all families with a missing loved one in your hearts this holiday season.On June 25, 1983, 18-month-old Vinyette Teague was in the company of her grandmother, extended family, and neighbors while her parents took the evening off to watch a movie. It was a warm summer night in Chicago, Illinois, and Vinyette’s grandmother and a neighbor took turns holding the toddler while getting some fresh air in the open air hallways near their apartments. When the phone rang, her grandmother went in to take the call, and the neighbor set Vinyette down on the ground near a table where neighbors gathered to play games. When her grandmother returned, Vinyette was gone. Vinyette has never been seen again.If you have any information about the disappearance of Vinyette Teague, please call the Chicago Police Department at 312-747-5789. You may also call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or 1-800-843-5678.See 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 Melissa Highsmith’s story. On August 23, 1971, 21-month-old Melissa was abducted by a woman who responded to a classified ad her mother placed in the local newspaper. Or, at least, that’s the story that Melissa’s mother and roommate told police when they reported her missing. Was Melissa really abducted by this woman calling herself Ruth Johnson, or was there more to the story? And that’s just the beginning of the 50-year-old stone-cold mystery we’ve been chipping away at.UPDATE: In September, the Highsmith family contacted us about covering Melissa Highsmith’s story. We interviewed multiple family members for a two-episode series. We were already aware of possible DNA connections when the episodes aired, but we held that information in confidence at the family’s request. When the Highsmith family notified us of the DNA matches found on a commercial DNA testing website in late October, we connected them with a family member of another missing person we covered this year, Lisa Jo Schiele. You may remember her from the Barb Cotton series. Lisa Jo Schiele is a clinical laboratory scientist and amateur genealogist. We felt that Lisa’s expertise in the area could possibly assist the Highsmith family in finding Melissa. We also notified law enforcement before the episodes aired that one family member had impersonated law enforcement by their own admission to us and that we had a professional due diligence to notify law enforcement in the event this family member attempted to contact any of the then-unknown DNA matches.Days after our series aired, the news broke that the family believed they had located Melissa. We are always very grateful and happy to learn that a missing person has been found alive and safe, so we were thrilled to see the news that Lisa Jo Schiele had helped the Highsmith family find a woman they believe to be Melissa. The Fort Worth Police Department released the following statement: “The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) is overjoyed to hear about how the Highsmith’s use of 23andme led them to Melissa. The Fort Worth Police Department will be conducting official DNA testing to confirm Melissa’s identity, and the department will provide an update once the official results have come in. The FWPD Major Case Unit will be working with the Highsmith family to continue the investigation into Melissa’s disappearance. Even though the criminal statute of limitations expired 20 years after Melissa’s 18th birthday, the Fort Worth Police Department is committed to completing this investigation to uncover all of the available information concerning Melissa’s abduction that occurred 51 years ago.” We hope this decades-old cold case will be solved and look forward to what the police investigation reveals about the many questions that remain unanswered. We will wait for confirmation from law enforcement before commenting any further. We will always uphold the confidence of the families who entrust us with information, just as we did in Melissa’s case. We thank you all for continuing to share your treasured and much-loved missing family members with us. We are eternally grateful.In May of 2023, the Fort Worth Police Department announced that DNA testing confirmed Melissa's identity. Despite the fact that the statute of limitations has expired, they asked that anyone with information please come forward.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.

On August 18, 1971, a classified ad was published for a single day in the Fort Worth, Texas newspaper, the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram." The ad read, "Babysitter wanted from 8 to 3:30 days, Spanish Gate apartments, call after 3 pm" with a phone number listed. On August 23, 1971, a woman who said her name was Ruth Johnson came to the door of Alta Highsmith, who had placed the ad, and said she was there to pick up Alta's 21-month-old daughter, Melissa Highsmith. Alta's roommate gave the baby to the woman named Ruth, who promised to return her that afternoon. Melissa Highsmith has never been seen again. The story of Melissa's abduction is a tale we will unfold for you with exclusive interviews, new information, and questions that seem as though they should be easy to answer.UPDATE: In September, the Highsmith family contacted us about covering Melissa Highsmith’s story. We interviewed multiple family members for a two-episode series. We were already aware of possible DNA connections when the episodes aired, but we held that information in confidence at the family’s request. When the Highsmith family notified us of the DNA matches found on a commercial DNA testing website in late October, we connected them with a family member of another missing person we covered this year, Lisa Jo Schiele. You may remember her from the Barb Cotton series. Lisa Jo Schiele is a clinical laboratory scientist and amateur genealogist. We felt that Lisa’s expertise in the area could possibly assist the Highsmith family in finding Melissa. We also notified law enforcement before the episodes aired that one family member had impersonated law enforcement by their own admission to us and that we had a professional due diligence to notify law enforcement in the event this family member attempted to contact any of the then-unknown DNA matches.Days after our series aired, the news broke that the family believed they had located Melissa. We are always very grateful and happy to learn that a missing person has been found alive and safe, so we were thrilled to see the news that Lisa Jo Schiele had helped the Highsmith family find a woman they believe to be Melissa. The Fort Worth Police Department released the following statement: “The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) is overjoyed to hear about how the Highsmith’s use of 23andme led them to Melissa. The Fort Worth Police Department will be conducting official DNA testing to confirm Melissa’s identity, and the department will provide an update once the official results have come in. The FWPD Major Case Unit will be working with the Highsmith family to continue the investigation into Melissa’s disappearance. Even though the criminal statute of limitations expired 20 years after Melissa’s 18th birthday, the Fort Worth Police Department is committed to completing this investigation to uncover all of the available information concerning Melissa’s abduction that occurred 51 years ago.” We hope this decades-old cold case will be solved and look forward to what the police investigation reveals about the many questions that remain unanswered. We will wait for confirmation from law enforcement before commenting any further. We will always uphold the confidence of the families who entrust us with information, just as we did in Melissa’s case. We thank you all for continuing to share your treasured and much-loved missing family members with us. We are eternally grateful.In May of 2023, the Fort Worth Police Department announced that DNA testing confirmed Melissa's identity. Despite the fact that the statute of limitations has expired, they asked that anyone with information please come forward.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 installment in Jarrod Green's story. 20-year-old Jarrod Green disappeared from Searcy, Arkansas, in September of 1994. Jarrod seemed to be in a panic and concerned about his safety. He was emotional on a call with his girlfriend but wouldn't go into details. Jarrod also retrieved a gun from a friend. His family knew he had plans to meet someone, and then he vanished. Jarrod's car turned up in Searcy at a store several days later. Today, we will explore the people in Jarrod's circle in the lead-up to his disappearance and what role they may have had in his disappearance.If you want to get involved, please join Shannon's group, Justice for Jarrod, on Facebook. If you have any information regarding Jarrod Green's disappearance, please call the Searcy Police Department at (501) 268-3531.Support us by supporting our sponsors!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.