The Vanished Podcast

On May 10, 2020, 25-year-old Skylar Ware wished his mom a happy Mother's Day. He was in Kansas City, Missouri, and she was in the process of moving to Florida, so the two didn't see each other often but kept in frequent contact. That was the last time Skylar's mother ever heard from her only child, and his posts on social media stopped soon after, leaving everyone to wonder what happened to him. Nearly a year later, with no leads, they're still wondering, and Skylar is still missing.If you have any information about Skylar Ware's disappearance, please call the Kansas City Police Department at 816-234-5136. You may also call their TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). Alternatively, you can contact the Jackson County, Missouri Sheriff's Office at 816-541-8017.UPDATE: In August of 2023, Skylar's family announced that his remains had been recovered and identified.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.

In December of 2002, 21-year old James Wiggins left his home in Ruston, Louisiana, on foot, saying he was going to a nearby grocery store. James never returned home. The following morning, the owner of a convenience shop located several miles outside of Ruston found a young man sleeping at his store's doorstep. When he opened up his shop, the man came in and bought a pack of cigarettes. The owner checked the man's identification and reported to the police that he was sure it was James Wiggins. Over the years, there have been some bizarre leads that have come in. Some of these leads point to James being alive, while others point to him being the victim of foul play, but no one knows for sure.If you have any information about the disappearance of James Wiggins, please contact the Ruston Police Department at (318) 251-8621 or you can contact Ruston Lincoln Crime Stoppers at 318-255-1111.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: 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.

On May 24, 2017, 27-year-old Zacharey Wilks left his home in Lompoc, California, to make the familiar drive to his uncle's residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. He planned to help his uncle prepare the family's vacation home for summer guests and spend time with relatives. However, Zacharey never made it, and he disappeared along with his car. We first brought you Zacharey's story in July of 2019. Since that time, there have been significant developments in the case after Zacharey's car was recovered in October of 2019. Zacharey's mom, Liz, graciously spoke with us again this winter to give us an update.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.

On the chilly fall evening of November 8, 2007, 24-year-old Kyle Fleischmann went to dinner, drinks, and a show with friends in Charlotte, North Carolina. The evening was a celebratory affair- a friend's birthday, another friend's recent job change. However, the night didn't end on a festive note when friends went their separate ways, and Kyle seemingly vanished into the night, leaving behind only a small number of telling but mysterious clues. More than 13 years have passed, and the last sightings of Kyle include some grainy surveillance footage and the eyewitness account of a cab driver, who watched Kyle walk down the street and disappear from view, and seemingly, life.If you have any information about Kyle Fleischmann’s disappearance, you are asked to call the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at 704-336-7600.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.

Leona Kinsey disappeared from La Grande, Oregon, on October 25, 1999. A friend last saw Leona at a local Walmart. According to her friend, Leona said she planned to meet a man at a nearby grocery store and then stop by her friend's house around 7 PM that night. Leona never showed up at her friend's house and was never seen again. In Part 1, we discussed the circumstances surrounding Leona's disappearance and how those close to her began pointing fingers at others. In the beginning, investigators had many people to look at, but later they began to focus on one man. The more they learned about this man, the more they began to believe he might be the one who made Leona disappear.If you have any information about Leona Kinsey's disappearance, please call the La Grande Police Department at (541) 963-1017. You can follow Leona's case on Facebook at Finding Leona Kinsey.You can find the rest of the speech included at the end of the episode here: https://youtu.be/IlZmLNKOQ_cSupport 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.

Leona Kinsey disappeared from La Grande, Oregon, on October 25, 1999. A friend last saw Leona at a local Walmart. According to her friend, Leona said she planned to meet someone at a nearby grocery store and then stop by her friend's house around 7 PM that night. Leona never showed up at her friend's house and was never seen again. Her friend became concerned and later went to check on Leona. She found that Leona wasn't home, and her pets weren't cared for in a way that Leona would have if she planned to leave for any amount of time. She decided it was time to alert the police that Leona was missing, and that was the beginning of the long search for answers as to what happened to Leona. If you have any information about Leona Kinsey's disappearance, please call the La Grande Police Department at (541) 963-1017. You can follow Leona's case on Facebook at Finding Leona Kinsey.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.

On Friday, January 17, 2020, Veronica Reyes-Diaz left the home she shared with her husband and three sons in Dover, Florida, to spend the evening out with friends. After gathering at a local restaurant, one of Veronica's friends dropped her off at home, and Veronica left in her own vehicle to pick up her kids from her sister's house. Veronica was seen on a neighbor's surveillance returning home with the kids. Veronica tucked her kids into bed and has never been seen again. Veronica's family tracked her steps by piecing together cell phone location data and surveillance video. Still, her family feels they are no closer to finding answers more than a year after she disappeared.If you have any information about Veronica's disappearance, you are asked to call the Hillsborough County, Florida Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200.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.

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 maybe even years. Her four-year-old son, Thomas "Mikey" Rettew, also vanished, but missing persons flyers note that he disappeared from Missouri and the date he was last seen is uncertain. Supposedly, there is a photo of Mikey that is date stamped well after September 1, 2002, but nobody knows for sure. In fact, no one seems to know when or where Angela and Mikey were last seen, or who was the last to see them. Today's episode brings into focus the stories of two people who appeared to simply stop existing, and it seemed as though there were never any real search efforts put forth to find them. Their loved ones hope that a renewed interest in the case will help them find out what happened to Angie and Mikey.If you have any information about the disappearance of Angela Mack or Thomas Rettew, you are asked to call The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or 1-800-843-5678.UPDATE- In April of 2021, local law enforcement announced they believe they have solved the case. In their episode, we discussed a couple in Missouri who had babysat Mikey and were interested in adopting him. The man, Clarence Krusen, passed away in 2012, but his wife, Barbara Krusen, is still alive. She was given a polygraph and failed. Later, Barabara confessed that her husband had killed Angie and Mikey. She claims that he burned their remains in a furnace on their property.You can read more about this development here: https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/a-closer-look/a-closer-look-closure-for-the-family-of-missing-angela-mack-cox-her-son-mikey/?fbclid=IwAR31tejCoYoHvUg3uYDmcLGPP6SFyJhxClKf0KVMUyyyBqpZZoI76tT3AeoSupport 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 segment originally aired in Jacob Hilkin's Case Update on February 22, 2021. So many listeners contacted us about this interview and how much it impacted them or helped them understand why they have struggled with a loss. Some listeners even asked if we could publish this as a standalone episode so it would be easier to find and share in the feed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

21-year-old Adam Castillo left his Willcox, AZ home on the evening of September 13, 2008. His plans that night were to attend a party. He left his phone and wallet behind at the house. Adam caught a ride to the party that was taking place outside of town, between Willcox and Kansas Settlement, AZ, in an area that locals call "the loop." It has been reported that there were many partygoers there, and they all made it home, except Adam Castillo. The last reported sighting of Adam was around 2 am on the September 14. Law enforcement conducted extensive searches in the area where the party was held, but no trace of Adam has ever been found. Investigators interviewed numerous people who were at the party. Still, no one seems to know when Adam left or who he may have left with. Adam's family has been working to piece together the clues for the past 12 years, and they remain hopeful that someone will come forward with answers.If you have any information about the disappearance of Adam Castillo, please contact the Cochise County Sheriff's Office at (520) 803-3280.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.