Melissa Highsmith Part 1: The Woman with White Gloves
The Vanished Podcast14 Marras 2022

Melissa Highsmith Part 1: The Woman with White Gloves

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.

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Leona Kinsey Part 1

Leona Kinsey Part 1

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.

22 Maalis 202153min

Veronica Reyes-Diaz

Veronica Reyes-Diaz

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.

15 Maalis 202158min

Angela Mack and Thomas "Mikey" Rettew

Angela Mack and Thomas "Mikey" Rettew

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.

8 Maalis 20211h 12min

Ambiguous Loss with Dr. Philip Taft

Ambiguous Loss with Dr. Philip Taft

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.

7 Maalis 202121min

Adam Castillo

Adam Castillo

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.

1 Maalis 20211h 6min

Case Update: Jacob Hilkin

Case Update: Jacob Hilkin

24-year-old Jacob Hilkin was last seen in Tulalip, Washington, on January 23, 2018. He had been at a casino with some friends and left, stating that he would catch a bus home. Jake was spotted in the area but then disappeared without a trace. We first covered Jake's story nearly three years ago, and today we are bringing you an update on how Jacob was found and what has happened since that time.If you have any information regarding the death of Jacob Hilkin, please call the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office at 425-388-3845. You can follow his case on Facebook: Find Jacob Hilkin.Dr. Taft earned a bachelors, masters and doctorate in psychology from Baylor University. He has been a licensed psychologist since 2000. He has served the Corsicana community in private practice since 2002 and was the Director of Clinical Services at the Corsicana Residential Treatment Center from 2000-2005. Dr. Taft provides clinical counseling services, consultation services, and forensic services.For more information on psychologist, Dr. Taft, please visit his website or Facebook page.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.

22 Helmi 20211h 36min

Sandra Crispo

Sandra Crispo

On August 7, 2019, Massachusetts native Sandra Crispo was dropped off at her home after taking her car to the shop for repairs. The next day, she didn’t pick up the phone, and by August 9, Sandra had seemingly vanished without a trace. Her daughter went to Sandra’s home intending to drop her sons off before reporting to work and found Sandra missing. There was no one at home, and the horror of Sandra’s mysterious disappearance began. However, there were traces left behind that would tell her story and give Sandra a voice. If you have any information about the disappearance of Sandra Crispo, please call the Massachusetts State Police at 508-894-2600. 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.

15 Helmi 20211h 2min

Michael "Zachary" Fortenberry

Michael "Zachary" Fortenberry

On February 9, 2020, 31-year-old Zach Fortenberry left his home in Bonney Lake, Washington. Several days later, his car was located in nearby Carbonado with the keys inside and a half a tank of gas. The car was parked near a bridge that spans the rushing Carbon River, but Zach was nowhere to be found. With no clues or leads as to what happened, Zach appeared to vanish into thin air that day, and no one has seen or heard from him since. Shady characters, odd clues, and a deep history prior to his disappearance have left Zach’s family members struggling to find answers. If you have any information about Zach’s disappearance, please call the Bonney Lake, Washington Police Department at 253-863-2218.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.

8 Helmi 202159min

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