A look back at the unsolved disappearances of Johnny Gosch and Asha Degree, highlighting the circumstances surrounding their disappearances and the ongoing investigations.
Hi, I’m Crystal, a Senior Editor based in Los Angeles and creator of BuzzFeed’s “That Got Dark” newsletter.from the ‘80s and ‘90s, right? Well, one of the first children to appear in these ads was. Johnny Gosch was a 12-year-old from West Des Moines, Iowa, who disappeared early in the morning on Sept.
5, 1982, while delivering newspapers.Witnesses reported seeing Johnny talking to a man in a car and possibly being followed, but no one knew exactly what happened. After Johnny’s parents received calls from customers complaining they hadn’t received their papers, his father combed the route. What he found was Johnny’s wagon, full of newspapers, but no Johnny. Initially, the police didn’t treat the case as a kidnapping, so the investigation started late.No arrests were ever made, and there was never any conclusive evidence found. Johnny’s mother, Noreen, believed he was taken by a trafficking ring and spent years searching for him. She claims Johnny visited her briefly in secret as an adult in 1997, but this has never been confirmed. Although there have been many theories and reported sightings over the years, the case remains unsolved to this day.Nine-year-old Degree was living in Shelby, North Carolina, when she went missing on Feb. 14, 2000. She left her home early that morning with her backpack, sometime between, and walked along a nearby highway where several motorists reportedly saw her. Apparently, one person even went back to check on her and said she'd disappeared into the woods.was the only major clue until recent developments tied a local family to the case through DNA evidence and text messages., the FBI and local authorities executed search warrants at several properties in North Carolina connected to potential suspects and seized multiple items of interest, including a green car similar to one witnesses reported seeing the night Asha disappeared. Then, court documents released in 2025 also revealedbetween individuals linked to the investigation that appeared to discuss a possible accidental death and a cover-up, though no charges have been filed. Authorities now say they believe Asha was likely killed and that her body was concealed, but her remains have never been found, and the case remains unsolved.Amy was last seen on a balcony in her family’s cabin early in the morning, but by the time her family woke and the ship docked in Curaçao, she was gone. Despite extensive searches, no trace of Amy was found on board.Over the years, there have been multiple theories and unconfirmed sightings suggesting she may have been kidnapped or even forced into sex trafficking, but her disappearance remains unsolved and one of the most haunting missing-person cases at sea.was a 21-year-old nursing student who disappeared after her car crashed on a rural road in Haverhill, New Hampshire. Oddly, she had told her professors she’d be taking time off due to a death in the family, but her family later confirmed there had been no death.After the crash, Murray declined assistance from a passerby and vanished without a trace by the time police arrived. Despite searches and heavy media attention, no trace of her has ever been found. The case remains unsolved and is considered suspicious.At the time she went missing, Angela was four months pregnant and engaged to a man named Rob Shafer. After dropping Rob off at his parents’ house one night, Angela stopped at a pay phone in town to call him.During the call, she mentioned seeing a suspicious man circling the lot in a green Ford pickup truck. Moments later, Rob heard her scream. He rushed out to help and reportedly saw the truck speeding away — with Angela inside. Despite ongoing investigations and periodic new leads, Angela Hammond has never been found. The tragic and haunting story of 9-year-old Erica Baker who disappeared while walking her dog near a park in Kettering, Ohio in 1999. The dog was later found safe, but Erica was never seen again.For years, the case haunted the community until 2004, when a man named Christian Gabriel confessed to accidentally hitting her with his van and hiding her body with help from a friend. But Gabriel’s story changed repeatedly, and despite extensive searches, no trace of Erica was ever found. He ended up serving six years for abuse of a corpse and then moved away after his release in 2011.In 2024, police located Gabriel living in Oregon after years of uncertainty about his whereabouts. Officials called the discovery a potential “big break” — not because of new evidence, but because finding him again meant another chance to question the only man who’s ever confessed to being involved.In 2024 and 2025, new searches were conducted near Kettering using cadaver dogs and advanced scanning technology. Despite these renewed efforts, no human remains or conclusive evidence have been found, and Erica’s disappearance remains unsolved.Emma was last seen barefoot and visibly distressed outside the Empress Hotel, where police briefly spoke with her before letting her go. Her red van was later found containing almost all her personal belongings, suggesting she hadn’t planned to walk away from her life.Despite years of searches, tips, and reported sightings, no confirmed trace of Emma has ever been found. Theories range from a mental-health crisis to foul play or a voluntary disappearance, but none have been proven.On Dec. 24, 1945, a fire destroyed the Sodder family’s home in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Of the 10 Sodder children, five made it out…and five vanished. Authorities said the missing children, who ranged in age from 5 to 14, had died in the fire — but no remains were ever found, and the blaze wasn’t hot enough to completely cremate bodies.The parents, George and Jennie Sodder, never accepted that explanation and spent decades chasing leads, reported sightings, and publicly asking for information. Both died without ever learning what happened to their children.She was last seen leaving her condominium complex for work but never arrived at her destination. Her car was later found parked about a mile away at a nearby apartment complex.Surveillance footage from the complex showed a person of interest exiting Jennifer’s car and walking away. But in an incredibly eerie coincidence, the person’s face was blocked by fence posts in every single frame of the video, making them impossible to identify. Despite years of investigation and national attention, no trace of Jennifer has ever been found.Perry had been cleaning his house with a friend when he stepped outside to put a pair of jumper cables in a shed…and was never seen again.There were no signs of a struggle, and no personal belongings were recovered. Search dogs were brought in, but they reportedly lost his scent almost immediately. More than two decades later, Branson’s disappearance remains unsolved.Meredith disappeared in Midwest City, Oklahoma, on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 1989, at the age of 16. She was last seen at home, and then she vanished without a trace. What makes her case especially unsettling is that her stepmother, Nancy Jean Medina, had also disappeared five years earlier. Nancy was last seen on Aug. 4, 1984, after dropping her children off at a babysitter’s house to go watch movies with friends. Her car, a brown 1974 Chevrolet Impala, was later found on Aug. 22. It’s never been confirmed that the two cases are connected, but the timing and the fact that both women disappeared and were never found have fueled years of speculation.was a 12-year-old boy who disappeared during a camping trip in California’s San Bernardino Mountains in July 1991. He was hiking with his Boy Scout troop on Mount San Gorgonio when he lagged behind the group, telling them he felt tired. Reports indicated Jared was either told to wait for the group on their way down or simply lagged behind. He was last seen around 6 p.m. by another hiker before disappearing.A massive search followed, involving hundreds of volunteers, helicopters, search dogs, and the National Guard, but Jared was never found. Several days later, though, his disposable camera was found. When the film was developed, it revealed the last known photo of Jared taken after his disappearance — a chilling image showing just part of his face, including his eyes and nose. By August, the search was officially called off, and Jared was presumed dead.In the early hours of Dec. 30, the Freeman family home was found engulfed in flames. Inside were the bodies of Ashley’s parents, both shot at close range. Lauria and Ashley were nowhere to be found.For years, the girls remained missing and their fate unknown. Then, in 2018, a man named Ronnie Dean Busick was arrested and later pleaded guilty to being an accessory to their murders. As part of a plea deal, he agreed to help investigators locate the girls' bodies in exchange for a lighter sentence. Investigators believe the teens were abducted, tortured, and killed, possibly with two other accomplices who died before they could be charged.Madden was just 20 years old when he vanished from the Stanislaus National Forest near Sonora, California, in August 1996. He reportedly left his family home before dawn on Aug. 10, leaving a note for his mother explaining he was heading to the Sand Bar Flat campground to camp and fish with his dog, Matilda. By early morning on Aug. 12, when friends arrived to meet him, his campfire was still warm and his gear was laid out, but there was no sign of Mike or Matilda.appeared at the site acting erratically and carrying a pistol, even asking the group if they were there for “Mikey.” Tine reportedly cocked the weapon as they waited for hours. Police later gave Tine a polygraph test, and while the results weren’t made public, Tine went free. Four days later, Matilda returned to the campsite dehydrated but unharmed. She couldn’t lead searchers to Mike, and despite extensive searches, no trace of him has ever been found.If you or anyone you know has information on a missing person case, call local law enforcement first. You can also contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System site for
Missing Persons Unsolved Cases Kidnapping Investigation Cold Cases
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
14-year-old charged with first-degree murder in mother's shooting deathA 14-year-old boy in Wyoming has been charged with the death of his mother
Read more »
Dallas Weather: North Texas forecast 40-Degree temperature swing; 'Extreme' pollen alertPrepare for 'weather whiplash' this week as North Texas temperatures surge 40 degrees from a chilly Monday into a summer-like weekend, while tree pollen counts reach 'extreme' levels across the Metroplex.
Read more »
2 killed, 10 injured in wrong-way crash on Southern State ParkwayKutateladze was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, second-degree assault, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
Read more »
US 2 at Stevens Pass closed due to illegally parked vehiclesJulia Dallas is a content editor for MyNorthwest. She's a Washington native and grew up in Adna. After earning her journalism degree from the University of Washington, she started working as a promotions assistant for Bonneville. She then earned her master's degree from Syracuse University.
Read more »
Woman charged with second-degree murder after shooting in Orange ParkThe Clay County Sheriff’s Office announced a murder arrest in connection with a deadly shooting on Sunday.
Read more »
Antigravity’s 360-degree drone is 20 percent off ahead of its next feature dropAntigravity has knocked 20 percent off its A1 drone during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. The sale ends on April 16th, just after new features are launched.
Read more »