10 cases of unsolved mysteries that ended up being solved

Unsolved mysteries is one of the most fascinating and disturbing true crime shows airing right now, but some of its mysteries are no longer unsolved. The mysteries presented in Unsolved mysteries They tend to be missing persons cases, supernatural tales, or truly disturbing stories. Many of Unsolved mysteriesMost disturbing cases have several factors that make them more mysterious than the other mysteries presented. However, with advances in CGI and security, some of the stories that originally seemed unsolvable have logical explanationsand other bizarre Unsolved mysteries cases that are still open may one day have a solution.

One of the unique aspects Unsolved mysteries it was the audience participation angle. Unsolved mysteries not only did it feature the stories, the show actively encouraged viewers to call the hotline if they thought they might know anything. This factor kept ordinary people and amateur detectives on their toes, especially when the show had a surprisingly high success ratewith many Unsolved mysteries cases being solved by viewers. Although there are still many strange and mysterious Unsolved mysteries cases that have not yet been answered, many of them have already been solved through a combination of police work, public participation and luck.

10

The murder of Angela Bugay

Season 13, Episode 4

In Antioch, California, on November 19, 1983, the family of five-year-old Angela Bugay was visiting a neighbor when her three-year-old brother Chris said he wanted her rain boots. The kids went back home to get them, but only Chris returned. When the apartment complex and surrounding area were searched, there was no trace of Angela, and police theorized that if Angela had been taken, she must have known and trusted the person.

A week later, Angela's naked body was found in a shallow grave near a reservoir, raped and asphyxiated, with her clothes piled on top. While police waited for DNA results, three more girls disappeared. The FBI believed the cases were linked and observed a man who visited Angela's grave 90 times in one year. Although he also helped search for all the girls, the tests ruled him out.

Finally, on April 24, 1996, DNA testing linked Larry Christopher Graham to Angela's clothes and body. Graham was a neighbor and also dated Angela's mother. According to her, Graham was the only man Angela trustedand then she would have gone with him willingly. Graham was convicted and sentenced to death in 2002, but committed suicide in his cell in 2009.

9

The Kidnapping of Brandon Fagan

Season 3, Episode 24

Pat and Michael met at a chiropractic seminar in 1983, and Pat seemed to like the idea of ​​having children more than actually having them. because she referred to her children from a previous relationship as “inconveniences.” Even so, Pat became pregnant after marrying Michael, and their son Brandon was born in 1985. In October 1988, Michael left town for his brother's funeral and returned to find a note on the table.

The note said: “I know you won't take care of me. So I'm taking your son.” Pat and Brandon are gone. There was no trace of them for three years, with police fearing Brandon had been put up for adoption. However, the night before Brandon's party Unsolved mysteries The episode was supposed to air in 1991, Pat turned himself in and Michael was given full custody of Brandon.

8

The Savior by Steve Newton

Season 9, Episode 7

On August 27, 1995, in Naples, Florida, Steve Newton was riding home on his motorcycle so he could pick up the family car and take it to the hospital, where his wife, Cheron, was waiting with their newborn baby. At around 2pm, Steve hit a patch of water and was thrown from his motorcycle, where he lay unconscious and face down in a drainage ditch. Steve would have drowned, but someone saved his life.

Steve remembered a woman looking at him, but she left without revealing her name. Steve and Cheron appeared in Unsolved mysteries in November 1996 because they wanted to thank the woman for saving their life. Someone who watched the episode recognized the woman as her co-worker. She called the hotline and said the woman's name: Tammy Dotson. Tammy and Steve reunited in January 1997where the family thanked him for everything.

7

The Mystery of the Mona Lisa

Season 6, Episode 9

Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in the world, but for centuries no one knew who the woman really was. When computer artist Lillian Schwartz compared a self-portrait of Da Vinci with the Mona Lisa, she discovered they were so similar that for years Many believed that Da Vinci based the Mona Lisa on his own face. However, when it was discovered that da Vinci's self-portrait could have been a forgery, the mystery of the Mona Lisa returned.

When Schwartz found a drawing of an Italian duchess named Isabelle who looked like Mona Lisa, she changed her theory, believing that Da Vinci used Isabella's face as a reference. The mystery of the Mona Lisa was so captivating that it appeared on Unsolved mysteries. The mystery was solved in 2005, when a researcher found a note in the margin written by a friend of Da Vinci. The note confirmed that Mona Lisa was based on a real woman called Lisa del Giocondo.

6

The hidden letters of the Second World War

Unsolved Mysteries Specials Episode 6

On February 4, 1986, Mike, an exterminator, found a huge bag in the attic, with handwritten letters scattered around. The elderly owner of the house had a nephew who had been a crew member aboard the SS Caleb Forte in 1944, at the height of the Second World War. This bag was full of letters from 92 soldiers on board the shipand although the nephew promised he would send the letters, he forgot. His embarrassed aunt then hid the bag in the attic.

Mike convinced the woman to give him the letters, which he delivered to the Post Office, where the team promised to try to track down the soldiers. This was a huge undertaking. A grateful widow said she had waited 40 years to hear from her husband again. Another former soldier died of shock. Even more reunited with their old military friends. A special episode of Unsolved mysteries presented the letters, helping to find the final soldiers, and the final letter was delivered in 1989.

5

The murder of Tupac Shakur

Season 9, Episode 17

Tupac Shakur was a popular and successful rapper, leading to Tupac appearing in film and TV roles. However, he was involved in gang activity and although Tupac survived five gunshots in 1994, he was murdered in 1996at just 25 years old. Tupac was returning from a boxing match when a white Cadillac pulled up alongside his car. A passenger in the back seat shot Tupac, who died six days later.

The music world was deeply affected by Tupac's murder, and although there were thousands of witnesses, people were reluctant to speak out. One of the witnesses, backup singer Yafeu Fula, was shot dead, and people speculated that this was to ensure he did not reveal the killer's name. Several names were rumored to be linked to Tupac's murder, including rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Sean”P. Diddy” Combs, as well as members of Tupac's entourage.

The case was aired Unsolved mysteries in 1997, and although it seemed no one would ever come forward for fear of retaliation, the mystery was likely solved by 2023. Police made discoveries in 1998 when Orlando Anderson was killed. He bragged about killing a rapper, but there wasn't enough evidence to charge him. The police raided the home of Anderson's uncle Duane”Keefe D.” Davis, in 2023 and later accused him of Tupac's murder. Davis' trial is scheduled to begin in 2025with more details below.

4

Dorothea Allen's fortune

Season 3, Episode 12

Although Dorothea Allen was a wealthy former socialite, she died a widow, childless, and with only five people present at her funeral. She was buried in 1990, and while Dorothea left behind a mansion and a $4 million fortuneShe also did not leave a will. When the British government tried to find an heir, it uncovered an even greater mystery, as Dorothea seemed to have hidden all evidence of her past.

Dorothea defaced her passport and photographs and gave a false name to her few friends. With his assets destined to revert to the UK government in 2002, Unsolved mysteries introduced her in December 1990. Although the show did not solve the case, her ex-boyfriend recognized her in a newspaper photo in 1995.

He provided her real name and explained that as her husband's lover, the two had never married. Researchers located one of his cousins ​​and used DNA testing of a single strand of hair to trace his surviving distant relatives, who each inherited about $40,000.

3

Daly's hometown man

Season 6, Episode 14

On August 25, 1992, an unconscious man was found under an overpass in Daly City, California. He had a brain bleed and a broken leg, but it was unclear what had happened to him. Although it has been suggested that he may have been hit by a vehicle, a witness saw him fall from the overpass but was unsure whether it was an accident, a suicide attempt, or an attempted murder.

The man was in a coma, unidentified and no clue as to who he was, until Unsolved mysteries presented it in January 1994. When his face appeared on TV, a hospital employee recognized him as a former patient and called the Unsolved mysteries hotline to identify you.

The man's identity has not been revealed to the public, but his family was contacted and upon entering his hospital room, staff noticed a jump in his vital signs. His family explained that he was coming to visit but never arrived. As he had a history of seizures, this could have caused him to fall from the overpass.

2

The Escape of Judge John Fairbanks

Season 4, Episode 4

By 1989, it had become clear that respected Judge John Fairbanks was not the benevolent, helpful pillar of the community that he appeared to be. He was helping his fellow residents of Newport, New Hampshire with their financial problems, but one resident, Patricia Sawyer, discovered that the checks she had been waiting for suddenly stopped following the stock market crash of 1987. He explained that he was returning the checks to prevent them from losing value.

Another resident discovered $20,000 missing from his brother's property that Fairbanks managed and reported Fairbanks to police. Accusations were made, and when they became public, more people came forward, including Patricia, who discovered she had lost more than $500,000. It appeared that Fairbanks had stolen more than $10 millionand he was indicted on multiple counts of robbery in 1989, but just when things seemed very serious for Fairbanks, he disappeared. Your customers lost everything.

Unsolved mysteries introduced Fairbanks in 1991, and Fairbanks was found dead in a Las Vegas hotel in 1994. Fairbanks assumed a false identity as a retired history professor and spent his time hiding out in luxury condominiums in Quebec City before heading to Las Vegas. It appears he killed himself after noticing one of the investigators working on his case at the hotel's casino. The mystery seemed to have been solved by luck. Still, Fairbanks customers were less fortunate, as their money was never recovered.

1

The Savior by James Vernon

Season 5, Episode 6

James Vernon lived in Houston, Texas, and struggled with heroin addiction until he hit rock bottom in 1982. One night, James was outside when he saw a large billboard advertising a crisis helpline. He called the phone number, where he spoke to a woman named Libby. Libby encouraged him not to give upand the two talked almost every night. Even so, James' addiction worsened and he decided to kill himself by overdose after calling Libby for the last time.

James' overdose didn't work, and when he called Libby again, she suggested he try treatment again. Finally, James did just that. He became a successful, sober comedian, and in 1992, he tried to find Libby through Unsolved mysteries, to thank her for saving him. Libby watched the show, and although she had to remain anonymous as she was still working as a counselor, she called the Unsolved mysteries hotline the night of the broadcast and spoke to him once again.