Missing Person Commentary

Prologue As the author of this blog, Shane Lambert, I typically focus on topics surrounding missing people, unsolved mysteries, forensics, and the societal issues that intersect with these topics. However, I’ve decided to share a short story of mine, "On Being Indistinguishable," on this platform, despite it being a departure from my usual nonfiction content. I feel this story is thematically resonant with the blog’s core focus on missing persons and society, partly because it involves hitchhiking. Through the lens of a well-meaning driver who picks up a hitchhiker, the narrative explores the complexities of hitchhiking, particularly from the driver’s perspective. It delves into the tension of being perceived as suspicious, simply for being a man offering a ride to a vulnerable woman, and the broader societal prejudices that shape such encounters. I hope this fictional piece sparks reflection on trust and safety, but mainly it's meant as social criticism of how philanth...

The Springfield Three: Was Graduation Night a Clue to Their Disappearance? On Sunday, June 7th, 1992, three women—Sherrill Levitt, Suzanne "Suzie" Streeter, and Stacy McCall—vanished from a home in Springfield, Missouri, leaving behind one of America’s most enduring mysteries. Known as "The Springfield Three," their disappearance came just hours after Suzie and Stacy celebrated their high school graduation, a detail that has sparked speculation about whether the timing held deeper significance. The table below outlines their key details: Name Age Gender Occupation/Status Last Seen Location Last Seen Date/Time Sherrill Levitt NamUS #MP345 47 Female Hairdresser Sherrill Levitt’s home at 1717 East Delmar Street, Springfield, MO Early hours of Sunday, June 7th, 1992 Suzanne "Suzie" Streeter (Sherrill’s daughter) NamU...

The Mysterious Disappearance of Lars Mittank: Unraveling the Varna Airport Enigma On July 8th, 2014 (Tuesday), Lars Joachim Mittank, a 28-year-old German tourist, vanished under bizarre circumstances near Varna Airport in Bulgaria. He left behind a mystery that continues to captivate and confound. However, I think this is a case where some sense can be made. My explanation of what I think happened to Lars Mittank will involve an analysis of both known facts regarding the case and some assumptions that I will bring into the mix. Lars Mittank: German on Vacation in Bulgaria Lars Mittank was on vacation. I think that is very relevant to this missing persons case, a point that I will return to later. But what began as a typical vacation with friends at the Golden Sands resort turned into one of the most perplexing missing persons cases of the modern era. This is thanks to enigmatic behavior that was caught on security footage that captured his final known moments. In a way, that makes ...

In early 2025, gripping missing persons cases across North America and Australia have captured public attention, revealing tales of mystery, loss, and relentless searches for truth. This consolidation explores three unfolding stories—a California mother’s disappearance turned homicide, a Queensland woman’s remains identified after months of uncertainty, and an Ottawa man vanishing without a trace. Mother’s Disappearance in California Reclassified as Homicide On April 7th, 2025 (Monday), Fox News reported that Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain, a 39-year-old mother of four from Shasta County, California, missing since May 17th, 2024 (Friday), is now the subject of a homicide investigation. Her sisters, Kaye Ford and Chloe Saelee, expressed their anguish to Fox News Digital, suspecting a cover-up after her last text on May 18th, 2024 (Saturday), and the discovery of her abandoned light pewter metallic 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche (California disabled plate DP154UT) on May 25th, 2024 (Saturday) i...

By: Shane Lambert What would you do if you’re walking home one night, like Carlesha Freeland-Gaither was, when a stranger suddenly grabs you from behind? You fight, but quickly realize that he is stronger than you, but in the corner of your eye, you see a camera. You now know that there is a chance that someone might care enough to come looking for you -- if only they see the footage. In the back of your trunk, your mind races. You ask yourself if someone will figure out that you were on that street at that time and then realize they need the camera footage. You think about the people who care about you and their motivation for finding you. That effort, you know, is your best hope. But most abductions are not caught on camera. Furthermore, some abductions, including one below involving a toddler, are hard to watch. That is not just about the subject matter, which can be disturbing, but it's about low video quality too. Abductors aren't exactly posing for the camera, and sec...

By: Shane Lambert The D.B. Cooper plane hijacking is a legendary unsolved mystery. The name is a false one given to a man who hijacked a plane in late November 1971. To this day, his identity remains unknown, and the debate regarding who he was has been alive for years. In this article, I am changing perspectives a little. I'm not looking to find out what D.B. Cooper's real name was. Instead, I want to review what I think happened to Cooper on the night of the hijacking. On this matter, I think one theory stands out as both simple and plausible: Cooper parachuted into the Columbia River or a tributary and met his end there. This is a previously supported theory, including with FBI agents. The FBI artist rendering of the so-called D.B. Cooper Review of the Events of November 24th, 1971: D.B. Cooper Hijacks a Plane On November 24th, 1971, a man calling himself "Dan Cooper" boarded Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305. This flight was bound from Portland, Oregon, to ...

By : Shane Lambert I will work on a series in the time frame ahead that I will tag/label "Famous Historical Cases." This will be a tangent away from missing persons cases for a little bit. I do it because I'm sure the readers of my blog enjoy historical cases and are fans of true crime in general, not just missing people cases. To start the series, I will look at the case of Jack the Ripper, the infamous and unsolved serial killer case from the late 19th century. In doing so, I presume the reader has at least some general knowledge of the case from the 1880s in England. My position is that Charles Lechmere should be considered the leading suspect. Charles Lechmere: The Leading Suspect in the Jack the Ripper Case Charles Lechmere stands as the strongest suspect in the Jack the Ripper case, holding a clear edge over all other top 'contenders' due to his undeniable presence at one of the crime scenes. My position certainly isn't unique: Lechmere has gai...

The Unsolved Disappearance of Daniel Andrew Weaver in Waco, Texas On Tuesday, January 18th, 1983, 20-year-old Daniel Andrew Weaver left his home in Waco, Texas, and disappeared, leaving behind a mystery unsolved after more than four decades. He told his wife, Tamara Weaver, he was visiting his father before heading to his 7-11 gas station job for a 4pm to midnight shift. Daniel never reached work, and he has not been seen or heard from again. His vanishing spurred a robust investigation involving police, three grand juries, and private detectives hired by his brother, David Weaver. The case deepened in 2006 when his stepmother, Lydia Weaver, submitted a will she claimed Daniel signed. A Texas court deemed it forged, per a 2007 UPI report . David, who contested the will, had Daniel declared dead, calling the legal fight part of a broader puzzle. Suggestions That Daniel Died Close to His Disappearance Date Daniel did leave behind an uncashed paycheque from his job at 7-...