Disappearances unsettle because the record stops midline: a date, a road, then silence. Here are nine cases with verified basics and the main theories. Each entry lists the last confirmed actions, search efforts, and evidence such as calls, pings, or photos. No filler: just timelines that investigators and families still use. Remember that rivers shift, roads change, and old tips degrade, but documented finds and dated sightings keep possibilities narrow. Treat every theory as a hypothesis until physical proof appears; bodies, wreckage, or matched DNA are what close files.
1. Amelia Earhart (1937)
A Lockheed Electra carrying Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan vanished on July 2, 1937, while seeking Howland Island. Final radio calls mentioned low fuel and a line of position. A massive Navy search found nothing. Main theory: fuel exhaustion and a sea crash beyond search grids. Alternate theory: Nikumaroro castaway, citing aluminum panel fragments, campsite finds, and disputed radio logs. With no confirmed wreck or remains, both the deep-water and island-landing hypotheses persist, anchored to dated transmissions and drift modeling.
2. D. B. Cooper (1971)
On November 24, 1971, a passenger calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, took 200,000 dollars, and parachuted at night over Washington. Weather was poor and the terrain was rough. In 1980, a boy found bundled ransom bills on the Columbia River’s Tena Bar, proving some cash reached the ground. No other serial numbers surfaced. Theories split: fatal jump into timber and rivers, or survival with total silence and no spends. The FBI closed the case in 2016; evidence remains public for researchers.
3. Jimmy Hoffa (1975)
Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa was last seen at the Machus Red Fox near Detroit on July 30, 1975. His car returned to the lot; no body or active scene appeared. Decades of digs at farms, fields, and landfills yielded nothing confirmed. Investigators largely agree on motive: a mob directed killing tied to union control. Competing burial stories cite drums, incinerators, or concrete under floors. With zero verified remains, the case sits as presumed homicide with location unknown and tips rechecked during new construction.
4. Maura Murray (2004)
On February 9, 2004 Maura Murray crashed her Saturn on Route 112 near Haverhill, New Hampshire. A passing bus driver spoke with her; police arrived minutes later to a locked, empty car. Earlier that day she withdrew cash and emailed professors about a week off, fueling theories of a planned break. Winter cold, sparse traffic, and a possible pickup complicate maps. Extensive ground, water, and cadaver-dog searches found no trace; state police still treat it as an unsolved missing-person investigation.
5. Brandon Swanson (2008)
After getting his car stuck near fields in western Minnesota on May 14, 2008, Brandon Swanson phoned his parents while walking toward lights he thought were Lynd. The call lasted about 47 minutes and ended after he said, “Oh, I think I hit something.” Large searches targeted cropland and the Yellow Medicine River. No phone, clothing, or remains were found. Likely scenarios include a fall into water or a hidden field hazard. “Brandon’s Law” later strengthened how agencies must respond to adult disappearances.
6. Brian Shaffer (2006)
Medical student Brian Shaffer entered the Ugly Tuna Saloona in Columbus on April 1, 2006, captured on cameras going in. Outbound angles missed exits due to blind spots and construction. His phone later rang once without usable location data. Friends and staff were interviewed; no charges followed. Theories include an unnoticed exit to service areas, foul play inside, or a staged disappearance. The surveillance gap keeps attention on doorways and timelines, but no confirmed sighting has closed the loop since.
7. Asha Degree (2000)
Nine year old Asha Degree left her Shelby, North Carolina home around 2:30 a.m. on February 14, 2000. Multiple motorists reported a small figure walking along Highway 18 in rain. A year later, her backpack was found buried in Burke County, miles from home. Investigators consider an approach by someone along that corridor plausible. Family, school, and church provided stability, which deepens the mystery. With few confirmed items beyond the bag, the case relies on specific tips tied to that route and date.
8. Tara Calico (1988)
Tara Calico rode a pink Huffy near Belen, New Mexico on September 20, 1988 and did not return. In 1989 a Polaroid found in a Florida lot showed a bound young woman and boy in a van; relatives believed it might be Tara, while analysts dispute the match. Local theories suggest a hit and run followed by a cover-up. Tire marks, bike clues, and stories conflict. Without provenance that ties the photo to New Mexico, investigators keep both paths open and continue periodic reviews. Rewards and age progressed images circulate around anniversaries in hopes of triggering specific, testable leads.
9. The Springfield Three (1992)
On June 7, 1992 Sherrill Levitt, daughter Suzie Streeter, and friend Stacy McCall vanished from Levitt’s Springfield, Missouri home. Cars, purses, and a dog remained. A broken porch globe hinted at a brief disturbance or simple accident. Crank calls were reported the next morning. Most detectives model a fast abduction by someone who controlled all three quickly. Tips have sent searches to properties and quarries, yet no remains or primary scene have been verified. The house marks a frozen timeline.
