Showing titles in Abductions, Kidnapping & Missing Persons

On Monday, February 13, 1905, eight- year-old Kenneth Beasley walked to the back of his school's playground and into the melting snow of the woods beyond. He never returned. A massive search was undertaken for the North Carolina state senator's son, and a reward was offered. Despite clues, rumors, and even a ransom note, he was never found. A year and a half later, a political rival hurriedly was charged. Accused of the most bizarre and twisted of plots, he faced a courtroom overflowing with jurors, star lawyers, spectators, and newspaper reporters.

In 1981, detective Kay Schucker was the lead investigator in the high-profile missing persons case of Old Dominion University student Janice Starr. The beautiful co-ed disappeared without a trace from ODU's Norfolk, Virginia campus. Among the only leads was Janice's diary, which included detailed journal entries about her daily activities. As Kay studied the diary—going several years back—she learned that Janice, a US Army veteran, had faced the same challenges in the military that Kay did in law enforcement. They were both women trying to succeed in a man's world. 

"Nous étions six – cinq garçons et une fille – insouciants, frivoles, joyeux, dans un été de tous les possibles. Pourquoi a-t-il fallu que l'un d'entre nous disparaisse ?" S'inspirant d'une histoire vécue, Philippe Besson retrace un drame de sa jeunesse, survenu dans l'île de Ré, un soir de juillet, au milieu des années 80.

This gripping book delves into the dark history of Dean Corll, the notorious Houston serial killer who, alongside accomplices Elmer Wayne Henley and David Brooks, lured and murdered at least 29 teenage boys in the 1970s. Based on court records, police reports, and interviews, this true story uncovers the sinister tactics behind "The Candy Man" moniker, the systemic failures in "The System That Failed to Learn," and the haunting legacy left in Houston's neighborhoods.

Every ninety seconds someone is reported missing in the UK. Most return, but some do not. This book is about those who stay missing. The police are unable to investigate every case fully. But the missing always leave behind traces – clues as to who they might have been and where they might...

They blended in. They raised families, held steady jobs, and hid in plain sight. But behind the mask of normalcy, they were monsters—responsible for decades of terror, pain, and death. Every Killer Leaves A Trace is a chilling narrative nonfiction thriller that exposes moments that led to the shocking unmasking and ultimate capture of twenty-six of America’s most elusive killers. From accidental slips to cutting-edge forensic breakthroughs, each chapter reveals how justice caught up with murderers who thought they’d never be found.

La comunidad unida de San Miguel de Allende, México, se vio afectada por una serie de sofisticados secuestros durante casi una década. Cuando la policía finalmente realizó un arresto, los habitantes del pueblo se sorprendieron al saber quién estaba acusado de ser el cerebro de la organización criminal. Se trata del vecino favorito de todos y un pilar de la comunidad, Ramón Guerra. Excepto que Ramón no es quien dice ser.

Are you fascinated by true crime stories? Then this riveting true crime anthology series is an essential addition to your true crime library. Discover the dark and twisted world of true crime with this incredible real-life anthology series, featuring vivid details and realistic portrayals of true crime stories. This volume features a wide range of famous and lesser-known cases and includes gripping accounts of depraved and horrifying murders perpetrated by cold, remorseless criminals.

On the night of August 6, 1930, Joseph Force Crater, a newly appointed judge and prominent figure in many circles of Manhattan, hailed a taxi in the heart of Broadway and vanished into thin air. Despite a decades-long international manhunt led by the New York Police Department's esteemed Missing Persons Bureau, the reason for Crater's disappearance remains a confounding mystery.

The Great Depression was a time of desperation in America - parents struggled to feed their children and unemployment was at a record high. Adding to the lawlessness of the decade, thugs with guns and corrupt law-enforcement officers ran rampant. But amidst this panic, there was one surefire way to make money, one used by criminals and resourceful civilians alike: kidnapping. The Kidnap Years is a thoughtfully reported pause-resister that chronicles the sweep of abductions that afflicted all corners of the country as desperate people were pushed to do the unthinkable.

In 1910, Dorothy Arnold, a vibrant socialite and aspiring writer, stepped out for a shopping trip and was never seen again. Her disappearance gripped the nation, sparking a media frenzy and one of the most confounding unsolved mysteries in American history. Was it a tragic accident? A calculated escape? Or something far more sinister? The Vanishing Heiress dives deep into the heart of this century-old enigma, unraveling the circumstances surrounding Dorothy’s disappearance and the ripple effects it had on her wealthy family, the media, and society at large.

The incredible true story of one of America's largest ransom cases - and the massive FBI and police manhunt to bring the radical captors to justice.   

It is plausible that Donald Henry Gaskins was born a psychopath; it may also be said that his life experiences helped turn him into a sociopath. The Meanest Man in America earned the title of the most prolific serial killer in South Carolina’s history. Although it was never confirmed, Gaskins claimed to have murdered more than 100 people, with some reports as high as 181.

A Gangsters Guide to Alvin Karpis dives into the life of America's most methodical and elusive criminals. As the brains behind the Barker-Karpis Gang, Karpis masterminded daring robberies and high-profile kidnappings, outwitting the FBI for years. Unlike his more reckless contemporaries, he relied on strategy and patience-until the law finally caught up with him. From his rise in the underworld to his years in Alcatraz and beyond, this book separates fact from myth, revealing the true story of the last Public Enemy No. 1 ever captured alive.

På morgonen torsdagen den 19 februari 2015 var det som om 16 åriga Becky Watts i Bristol plötsligt försvann från jordens yta. Hennes försvinnande var oförklarligt. Natten innan hade hon sovit över hos en vän och skickat kärleksfulla sms till pojkvännen Luke som hon skulle träffa dagen därpå. Men Becky dök aldrig upp till träffen. Sms:en till pojkvännen från tidigare den morgonen var det sista någon skulle höra från henne. Becky anmäldes försvunnen och en enorm skallgång inleds.

Samantha Owen is a young, twelve-year-old girl happily living with both of her parents in their suburban home in Park Field, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Every year the family takes a big trip in the summer months together and this year is no different, as Samantha’s father plans a big family trip to go to Crystal Mountain Theme Park in Florida together. With excitement in her heart, Samantha and her parents fly from their home in Chicago down to Florida, where they catch a shuttle from the airport to go to the theme park.

Chaque année, des hommes, femmes et enfants disparaissent dans les forêts et espaces naturels américains dans des circonstances inexpliquées, parfois en l'espace d'un instant. Certains sont, heureusement, retrouvés mais ce n'est parfois que le début du mystère, car ils livrent des récits étranges. Mais il y a pire : des personnes portées disparues sont découvertes décédées dans des conditions obscures. Le plus terrifiant concerne la proportion de citoyens américains partis en randonnée ou à la chasse et qu'on ne revoit plus jamais.

Chris Thomas is not yet 30 years old when he finds himself managing the immense pressure, eccentric personalities, and extenuating circumstances of an international story, where one small misstep could adversely impact the search for a missing teenager and the reputation of her family. Now, 20 years later, Thomas takes listeners behind the scenes, providing new details, perspectives, and commentary on finding Elizabeth Smart.

No-Body Homicides examines how police and prosecutors have become more successful in obtaining convictions for homicide when the remains of the victim are unavailable as evidence. Based on an examination of over 600 cases in the United States and Canada, this book shows the length some killers will go to avoid punishment and the determination of police and prosecutors to bring them to justice.

In the shadows of St. Louis, women were disappearing. Black women, sex workers, addicts. Easy to ignore. Easier to forget. But someone was watching. Stalking. Torturing. Killing. Maury Troy Travis was the soft-spoken waiter with a secret locked in his basement: a torture chamber built from fantasies turned real. This is the chilling, cinematic true story of a serial killer who hid in plain sight, and the victims who were too often silenced by the world before he ever laid hands on them.