Not every case highlighted over the years on Unsolved Mysteries remains unanswered. In fact, quite a few of the cases discussed in the series during Unsolved Mysteries' original run between 1987 and 1999 were solved, thanks to the cases airing on national television.
Robert Stack is the most famous host of Unsolved Mysteries, which aired on NBC, CBS, and then Lifetime before ending in 2002. Spike TV revived it in 2008 for two years, and Netflix's reboot debuted in 2020. Unsolved Mysteries delves into much more than missing persons; it tackles murders, robberies, and even unexplained supernatural phenomena. While some stories remain shrouded in mystery, others were eventually resolved.
Updated on January 31st, 2021 by Scoot Allan: While the new Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix has introduced a number of new cases that have led to an outpouring of tips and leads, none of the cases have received the iconic "UPDATE" tag that viewers got used to seeing on episodes of the classic series when a case had been solved or viewer's tips had led to further developments. While fans are still waiting for news on some of the newer episodes, there are still quite a few of the creepiest cases from the classic run of Unsolved Mysteries that were solved due to dedicated police work and tips from viewers that showcase the importance of observant and vigilant neighbors and shows that give viewers the opportunity to help with much-needed information.
The "Poisoning" Death Of Ryan Stalling
The third season of Unsolved Mysteries explored the case of infant Ryan Stallings after his mother Patricia rushed him to the hospital, where it was determined he had large amounts of ethyl glycol and ammonia in his system, leading authorities to believe that he was being poisoned. Ryan recovered as the parents were investigated, though after she was left alone with her son during a supervised visit he became sick again and later passed away.
Patricia was convicted of his murder despite her claims of innocence and had another child while incarcerated. This child too started having issues while she was in prison which led to the diagnosis of methylmalonic acidemia that was ultimately proven to have been the reason for Ryan's death, thanks to specialists who came forward after seeing the Unsolved Mysteries episode.
The Freeman/Bible Arson And Murders
A mysterious case of Arson at the Freeman family's mobile home was investigated in the twelfth season episode after the body of Kathy Freeman was found in the debris with a gunshot wound, leading police to believe her husband Danny had killed her and taken her daughter and her friend hostage. However, Danny's murdered body was later found in the rubble by family members.
The mystery deepened due to problems between Danny and the local Sheriff's department, throwing suspicion on to them. Despite a long search, the missing girls were never discovered and the case was unsolved for almost twenty years before Ronnie Dean Busick was arrested and charged after polaroids of the captured girls had been seen that implicated Busick and two deceased accomplices in the drug-related murders.
The Murder of Alie Berrelez
Unsolved Mysteries dedicated a segment in the eighth season to exploring the use of bloodhounds in criminal cases and abductions, like the case of the murder of Alie Berrelez, who was taken out of her front yard while her young brother watched after the babysitter went inside for a moment. The bloodhound was able to track her scent for nearly forty city blocks on to a freeway, where searchers tragically discovered the young girl's body.
Despite her brother's identification of the "old man" who took her and the apartment he lived in, no arrests were made despite numerous pieces of circumstantial evidence against the occupant, Nick Stofer. It wasn't until years later that technology advanced far enough for a DNA match to connect the already deceased Stofer to the murder, closing the case without charges.
The Murders Of The Rogers Family
A fourth season episode of Unsolved Mysteries that focused on "Diabolical Minds" explored the unsolved case of the murders of an Ohio woman and her two teenage daughters after their bound and weighted-down bodies were found floating in Tampa Bay. The series followed investigators as they put together a profile for the unknown killer who appeared to have lured the family on a seemingly innocent boat ride before raping and murdering them.
Oba Chandler was eventually identified by police as the murderer after his handwriting from a note was identified using billboards that then connected him to other attacks. Chandler denied involvement in the crimes but was posthumously declared a serial killer after DNA connected him to another murder.
Vampire Cult Murders Of The Wendorfs
While the case of the Vampire Cult Murders that appeared during the ninth season of Unsolved Mysteries was in the process of being solved as suspects were already in custody, it's still one of the creepiest cases from the series that was thankfully closed. Rod Ferrell was the leader of a cult that was inspired by vampire stories and games and forced to drink the blood of Ferrell for initiation.
When Rod's friend Heather asked for his help in running away from her parent's home, he entered with an accomplice and bludgeoned them to death before branding him with his assumed vampiric sigil. Ferrell became the youngest person on Death Row for the crime after he was committed following the airing of the episode, though his sentence was later reduced to life in prison.
The Face On Mars
NASA launched its Viking 1 craft on August 20, 1975. Viking 1's goal: to find out if there's life on Mars. The craft's pods took thousands of compelling Mars photos, including depleted rivers, old volcanoes, and ice caps. The mission also uncovered a strange formation in a desert, a formation that bears a striking resemblance to a face.
Some scientists speculated in a 1989 episode the face was an accident of nature, while others claimed something more was at play – something otherworldly. When a new spacecraft visited Mars in the '90s, updated technologies revealed the Face on Mars is just a hill that looks like a face at certain angles. Unsolved Mysteries retired the file on this case in 1996.
The Mystery Of Tom Hughes
In 1993, Unsolved Mysteries reported on a man who died of a heart attack at a Connecticut Hospital. Hospital staff discovered all of the identifying information on the man, who called himself Tom Hughes, was fraudulent.
When authorities became involved, they realized Hughes had been jumping from hospital to hospital across the country for months, seeking treatment for false ailments with the eventual goal of suing the facilities for mishandling his fake injuries. After the episode aired, viewers identified the man as the late Thomas White. White apparently suffered from Munchausen Syndrome, which causes healthy people to make up stories about illnesses for attention.
The Identification Of Gabby's Bones
An episode from 1993 delves into the creepy story of Newell Sessions. In 1986, Sessions found skeletal remains in an old footlocker gifted to him by his friend Gabby. Gabby claimed to have no knowledge of what was contained in the footlocker, which he told authorities he purchased years before without ever opening. Gabby later died by suicide during the investigation.
The bones, upon examination, appeared to belong to a white male in his 50s or 60s. A bullet was found lodged in the skull. In 2017, the skeleton was identified as Joseph Mulvaney by his granddaughter. The woman, Shelley, told investigators the man known as Gabby was Mulvaney's brother-in-law, John David Morris. Shelley claims Morris did in fact murder Mulvaney, leading to another case closed in the Unsolved Mysteries universe.
The Strange Case Of Margie Jelovcic
The story of Margie Jelovcic aired in 2001. A successful violinist at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Jelovcic returned home to Gary, Indiana after the tragic death of her husband-to-be, Nassar. Back home, Jelovcic became romantically involved with Randy "Mad" Yager, a member of the Outlaws – a felonious motorcycle gang.
After months of displaying strange behavior, Jelovcic disappeared with Hager in September of 1997. Jelovcic's mother suspected foul play, but the couple was found living together in Mexico in 2014. Jelovcic died in a high-speed car chase with authorities. Yager was indicted on charges of racketeering and conspiracy.
War-Time Friends From Vietnam
A lost friend case, the story of Jim Pearson aired in 1994. During the War in Vietnam, Mitchell Shigemoto served in the US Army. While many soldiers bullied and abused Shigemoto due to his Japanese heritage, one fellow soldier always stood up for him: Jim Pearson. After Shigemoto was shot during a battle with the Viet Cong, Pearson saved his life.
Shigemoto recovered in a hospital before being sent home, never hearing from Pearson again. Thanks to the segment airing, Shigemoto and Mitchell were reunited in Hawaii, where Shigemoto now resides. Shigemoto was able to thank Mitchell for saving his life.
Pierre April's Forgotten Identity
A few months before this segment aired in 1992, a man woke up in a ditch in southern California. He had no memory of who he was, where he was, or where he'd been before. The gentleman located a blue duffel bag next to him in the ditch, where he found a Boston Public Library card issued to Pierre April.
Suffering from severe amnesia, the man used the items in his duffel bag to try to piece together memories about his past. After the episode aired, a woman called in to confirm the man is indeed Pierre April. April was eventually able to reconnect with his parents in Canada, who told him he'd been missing for five months. The events surrounding April's disappearance remain foggy, though.
Monica Bonilla Found After Taken By Her Father
When Monica Bonilla was five-years-old, her father Guillermo Ruiz Bonilla fled Burbank, California with her. According to Monica's mother, Rosemary, Guillermo's personality turned after the assassination of John Lennon in 1980. Guillermo stated John Lennon's spirit was reincarnated in him, and he altered his physical appearance to look just like the rock star.
Rosemary returned home from work in 1982 to find her house emptied. Guillermo and Monica were also nowhere to be found. This case was featured on Unsolved Mysteries as an update to an episode related to another missing girl, Nyleen Marshall. One caller believed Nyleen was living in Vancouver, British Columbia. The girl turned out to be Monica, who was living in Canada with her father under assumed names.
The Identities Of The Atlanta/Spokane Bombers
In the months surrounding the 1996 Summer Olympics bombing in Atlanta, similar bombings in Spokane, Washington led local authorities to believe the attacks were connected. In one incident, the local Spokane newspaper suffered a pipe bomb explosion in a stairwell that occurred almost simultaneously to a robbery 20 blocks away at the US Bank.
Three months later, a Planned Parenthood in Spokane was bombed while another US Bank was robbed. Eventually, three members of an extreme, far-right religious sect were charged with the bombings in Spokane. When the episode aired in 1997, some commentators speculated the three men were also involved in the Olympics bombing. However, Eric Rudolph – another far-right extremist – was eventually charged for the explosion in Atlanta.
Harper's Ferry Remains
Airing in 2001, this segment explores the investigation of human remains found in a trunk outside an entrance to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park in Virginia. Authorities were able to ascertain the person inside the trunk was an elderly white man who'd been strangled. They believed the man was likely killed by his caretaker.
Two years after the episode debuted, fingerprint analysis allowed police to identify the man as Jack Watkins. His girlfriend, Janet Siegel, was charged for his death. The two met after Watkins's wife passed away. Siegel used Watkins as an endless source of income, continuing to cash his Social Security and retirement checks long after he disappeared.
KROQ Confession
Well-known KROQ DJs Gene Baxter and Kevin Ryder received a disturbing call into their radio show on June 13, 1990. During their weekly, usually comedic "Confess Your Crime" bit, a man called in and admitted to brutally murdering his long-term girlfriend. The man hung up before authorities could locate him.
After the episode aired in 1990, the phone call was revealed to be a hoax. Baxter and Ryder were behind the fake call, which they hoped would boost ratings. They were put on leave without pay for a week, forced to complete community service, and told to reimburse the local Sheriff's Department the money spent on their investigation of the phone call.