Photo: Metaweb/ GNU Free Documentation License. As time went on, family and friends began to suspect foul play and offered a $50,000 reward for her discovery. He was wearing clothes that were not his own and next to him was an unfamiliar bag containing maps. She would not be compliant with treatment if she was experiencing paranoia and lacked insight into her condition, which means her family would have needed to pour extensive resources into legally obtaining medical guardianship and finding and paying for a bed in the the few remaining long-term care facilities. The hard thing is, you cant really get someone help who doesnt want it. More recently solved cold cases in 2020 due to DNA technology includes the 1973 murder of Naomi Sanders, the 1996 murder of Jessica Baggen, and the 1986 murder of Lisa Holstead, among many others. The schoolgirl was abducted as she walked to school on June 10, 1991, by convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido and his wife Nancy in California. He had been fleeing the mob and lived in several parts of the country with different names and fake IDs. Total shock," Kopta's sister Gloria Smith said. Although many of these missing persons are often found alive, individuals who remain missing for longer periods of time often have a higher chance of foul play being involved. She's now 83 years old. Ross Township police said they were told Kopta was found in need of care and was taken into the home in the June of 1999. However, this woman wasnt really missing. During the first abduction, Berchtold said to Jan that she had been taken by a UFO, and she herself was part alien. Kopta was declared legally dead years ago. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. While in captivity, she was repeatedly raped and assaulted. Unlike many other missing persons cases, these mysterious disappearances lack the when, where, why, and often the how that are necessary in order to solve the case and bring resolution to friends and family of the missing person. Knight became pregnant several times and had miscarriages after being beaten by her captor, and Berry gave birth to a daughter in captivity. Nagy, it was found out, had suffered amnesia and didnt remember anything about his former life. With that other lady, I would always be searching for stuff we had in common, but I had nothing in common with her.. Gui . ", "We really thought she was dead all those years. Mormons are from a cultural group related to Mormonism. The family of Philip Sessarego thought he had been dead for ten years - until he popped up on TV. Police considered it a murder case but it went cold. It is the religious tradition of the latter-day saint movement of Restorationist Christianity initiated by Joseph Smith. Marco, Sylvia, and Miriam disappeared that day without a trace. Though many of the cases are resolved, approximately 85-90% of those cases are children under the age of eighteen. His parents were just glad he was safe. THE woman who claims she may be Madeleine McCann has taken a DNA test and is trying to check whether she could be another missing child. The unhinged part was most likely schizophrenia. 3. Alternatively, many mysterious missing persons cases are solved, whether ending in a happy reunion, or in tragedy. Many haunting missing persons cases can be better described as mysterious disappearances, when someone simply disappears, with little to no information about their whereabouts or the circumstances regarding their disappearance. Sounds like my retirement plan. Updated on: March 2, 2023 / 5:26 PM The National Missing and Unidentified Persons (NamUS) database shows in its data that there are an estimated 600,000 individuals go missing in the United States every year, as well as over 4,400 sets of remains that have yet to be identified. But what happens to the small percentage of missing people who one day show back up? / CBS Pittsburgh. If you have information about anyone on this page, call 305-715-3300 or call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477). "Shock. Though the woman refused to share her personal life with anyone - years later, suffering from dementia, she started to divulge details. I remember her and Im not even (in my mind) an old timer! More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. She had been locked up in a closet with a dresser covering the door. On July 5, 2018, she sent her family a text saying she was pulling over in a grocery store parking lot to sleep in her car. A little over three months later, authorities tracked down Berchtold. He and White were reunited with their families, but he continued to struggle with what happened. Well, the topic is not startling as this kind of thing happens very often. Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison and Nancy was sentenced to 36 years to life. Eller wandered deep in theMakawao Forest Reserve after she fractured her leg while hiking. A much older Evans put an ad in the paper for her missing mother and someone replied, saying it was her mother. Here's 10 cases where missing people were found alive. INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/ChillsInstagram MY MUSIC VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp_txd73U1MTWITTER: http://bit.ly/ChillsTwitterFACEBOOK: http://bit. He hopped on a bus to Niagra Falls and somewhere along the way hurt his head and suffered from amnesia, forgetting who he was. In 1984, a computer science student namedPetra Pazsitka was reported missing after not showing up to her brothers birthday party. Police have "solved" a decades-old missing person case but the woman who vanished so long ago now has dementia and can't explain her own disappearance. A Pennsylvania woman who has been missing for more than 30 years is found alive in an adult care home in Puerto Rico. He even said to him that his parents dont want him, and he was an adopted kid. Her family said she suffers from dementia, but they are trying to see her in person after being gone all that time. Javier Cantellop, one of the rescuers in the helicopter, described the encounter as "unbelievable.". Upon investigation, police found this matter as a murder case. After a soccer practice on June 25, 2018, the mother of one of the players became worried when her son did not return from practice. Ross Police were contacted by an Interpol agent and a social worker who believed Kopta was alive, living in an adult care facility in the U.S. territory. Eventually, they were able to get an investigator to go digging. I think thatd be a good way to find out, but maybe not all fingerprints are on a database? Carneys parents spent years searching for him. On March 27, 2019, Patterson pleaded guilty totwo counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping and hefaces a possible life sentence. A week later, though, Marco's body was found in the river and upon discovery, people saw that there was a concrete rock tied to his legs. The Schulze Family from Drage in Lower Saxony went missing in 2015. Missing persons cases that ended in tragedy and remain unsolved to this day include the disappearance and suspected homicide of; Hannah Truelove, Kurt Sova, and Adam Walsh. When 16-year-old factory girl Mary Flanagan left her home in East London for work on New Year's Eve of '59, her family could never have imagined the prospect of never seeing her again. The thing that upset me most about it was that family didnt seem to care. Kelly Ann and Kimberly Ann Yates (32 years missing): Kelly, 10 months, and Kimberly, 3, were abducted by their non-custodial mother from Warwick, Rhode Island on August 26, 1985. Whenever someone goes missing, its a tragic and terrifying event. WHEN Angelica Gaitan was fished from the sea, unconscious and suffering from hypothermia this week, she made international headlines. The news of people went missing and coming back alive makes a great headline. Dugard, then 29, finally had the opportunity to reveal her identity, and her abductors were charged with false imprisonment and rape. She was found injured at its base, having reportedly been forced to use the radiator hose from her SUV to siphon water out of a nearby creek to keep herself alive. Hello neighbor! FBI list of 43 unsolved missing cases of people under the age of 21 Here's the list, by date of disappearance: Daniel Barter was 4 years old when he went missing from Perdido Bay, Alabama,. At age 21,Edgar Latulip disappeared. Man. "We're very thankful to know that Patty is alive and well," her sister, Gloria Smith, said. Supposedly, Cramer had a troubled childhood and ran away from her parents often. He was gone for 23 years before an investigator found him through a Medicare record. Kopta's family says one day a beloved wife and sister just left. https://www.wtae.com/article/ross-township-missing-person-case/43164930#. Do you know other stories of missing people who were alive after many years? When the investigators arrived, he disappeared again, as he did not want to be rediscovered. Jaycee Dugard was 11 when she was snatched from the street by an evil couple who kept her prisoner in a ramshackle shed in their backyard for 18 years. Whenever someone goes missing, it a tragic event; the persons family wonders what had happened. The woman saysshe recognized Closs immediately, and took her to a nearby neighbor's house to call 911. Soon after, Kopta lost her job because she was "seeing things" and her behavior was disruptive, and then she began to walk the streets to spread her message. When Jan was just 12 years old, neighbor and family friend Robert "B" Berchtold took Jan from her home, claiming he was taking her horseback-riding. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/05VSLKui3x. Police said she refused to discuss her personal life and told people she came to Puerto Rico on a cruise ship from Europe. Now more than 30 years later, they got the news they never thought they would hear. At 28, Lula Gillespie-Miller gave birth to her third child, but feeling she was too young to be a mother, gave them up to her parents and took off in 1974. (Source: WPXI/ROSS TOWNSHIP POLICE/CNN), Insect found outside Arkansas Walmart identified as Jurassic-era insect, Reports: Rachael Ray show ending after 17 seasons, 3 Kansas City officers who were shot released from hospital, Amazon pauses construction second HQ site, 1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence. McDonough came out of the nearby woods and walked right up to the camera. Mum who faked having terminal cancer to con well-wishers into donating spared . His mother reported him as missing people, but he was not found until he turned 18 and started applying for the college. Patterson's guilty plea spares Jayme from having to testify. She was a Pittsburgh street preacher, also known as "The Sparrow.". The entire time it was considered a cold case murder, but in 2009, an investigator located them alive and well. Consider their surprise and relief when that loved one shows up after years of being gone! Some recently solved cold cases in 2019 using advanced DNA technology includes the 1972 murder of Jody Loomis, the 1993 murder of Sophie Sergie, and the 1988 murder of Alice Haynsworth Ryan, among many others. Why is it endangered? The ship was searched from top to bottom. She walked throughout the city, approaching strangers and telling them she'd had a vision of the Virgin Mary and that the world was about to end. Initially, her parents were so swayed by their friend Berchtold that they truly believed he took her on a horseback-riding trip. Suffering from severe depression, hed decided to leave his life behind and become a hermit and subsequently lived there for those twenty years. If youre interested in the popular true crime series Unsolved Mysteries, you might find yourself looking not only into the cases theyve covered, but also cases they covered that have been solved since the episode first aired. She always said she wanted to go to a warm climate," he said. What if it really was God showing her things? She had had numerous run-ins with the police and, each time would tell them to be ready because the end of the world was coming. She was described as 160 cm Asian, who was wearing dark clothing and could speak English well. The team, 12 boys ranging from 11-16 years old, took shelter in a cave during a downpour. He told his story to a social worker who discovered that he is a missing person. Over the past year, NewsNation has highlighted missing persons cases from across the country, and the families searching for answers. She was a . It probably would have bankrupted them if they could even have navigated the system that far. Apparently, Johnsons husband had been abusive and had multiple affairs. The news of lost people coming back to life or found alive makes for great headlines but is an emotionally wrecking experience in reality, here are some strange stories of missing people who were found alive! Bob Kopta reported his wife, Patricia, missing in 1992. "We were contacted by an agent from Interpol as well as a social worker from Puerto Rico who believed they had her in an adult care home in Puerto Rico," Ross Township Police Deputy Chief Brian Kohlhepp said. He left his husband and now thinks hes Jesus (literally), Big Corporations are out to get him, everything is a conspiracy, and lives mainly on the streets but sometimes in a place hes mooching off someone. A police facial reconstruction identified the remains as Hood's and Grace and her family were finally able to lay her mother to rest - or so she thought. Harlequin Ichthyosis is a severe genetic disorder that mainly affects the skin. Of this number, 659,514 were cleared through good police work, private investigations, and/or the subject simply returning home alive. Timothy Carney was seen in 2004 by his roommate at their apartment. But she is not the only one who has turned up after disappearing for years - or even decades - and being presumed dead. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. There are 850 sets of unidentified human remains across Australia. They reported to us that she came into their care in 1999 where she was found in need in the streets of Puerto Rico, where she had been wandering around. To get by, he did odd jobs and lived on the street, using a pseudonym. The Clearinghouse provides a nationwide, toll-free hotline to receive tips on the whereabouts of missing persons. A rescue untcomprised of Thai Navy SEALS, technical experts from around the globe,and prayingcitizens all contributed to the effort. In 2011, after 18 years, she was found living two states down in Southern California with a totally new family. She said: I was in total disbelief because even before all of the brickyard stuff she had been gone so long, we already figured she passed.. Reagan had completely gutted the US mental health care system just a few years before she disappeared. Its a case closed, and a family reconnected. She then went through a sham marriage ceremony with Mitchell, who claimed to be an angel sent to slay the anti-Christ. Clossunderwent care at a local hospital. Marco's body was found a week later in the Elbe river, and he had a concrete block attached to his legs with rope. Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. We have an acquaintance from school that clearly has some mental issues. Kopta was well known as a street preacher in Pittsburgh in the years prior to her disappearance. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. In 1991, 11 year old Jaycee Dugard was abducted outside her home by Phillip Garrido. "We're so happy and I hope I can get down to see her.". Although the cause of the death was ruled as suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning, his daughter believed he could have been murdered, as he "made enemies easily.". Pope County 911 received a call on Tuesday . But I remember having conversation with him on the phone as a kid, and he was family. Missing Ky. If you are more interested in recent cases, which might receive more media attention, you might find yourself searching for things such as; missing persons cases 2020, or missing person found dead 2019. Berchtold kept in touch with Jan's parents, claiming that he had no idea where she was. Her mother, Dorothy Barnett, kidnapped her and settled in Queensland. Each of these true missing persons stories are shocking, haunting, and often unbelievable, and leave the families and friends of these victims holding their loved ones a bit tighter at night, and often use their experiences to help others with missing loved ones. She was rescued in 2009 after Garrido visited the UC Berkeley college campus with their 2 daughters, and his suspicious activity lead to Jaycees discovery. However, it turns out he didnt want to be found and was under the strict control of a religious organization called Gospel Outreach. At age 19,Harold Wayne Lovell cleaned John Wayne Gacys pool and then totally disappeared soon after. https://charleyproject.org/case/patricia-gail-kopta. People Who Just Vanished from Dream Vacations, These Mysteries Still Make Us Uncomfortable, Lost Children Who Weren't Found 'Til Years Later, Lillian Sunwanrumpha/Contributor/AFP/Getty Images. He never managed to live a normal life after this incident. Sadly, both missing persons and murder cold cases continue to go unsolved today. Berchtold pretended to be her father and enrolled her in an all-girls Catholic school. Another famous missing persons case that ended with a miracle is the famous case of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Georgina DeJesus, who were kidnapped by Ariel Castro and held in his home for almost 11 years in secret. On May 25, 2019, arescue helicopter found Eller walking barefoot between two waterfalls and waiving her arms. The case turned cold until 52 years later. Authorities assumed the notorious serial killer had claimed Lovell as one of his victims. jhayes@post-gazette.com. All of the tips and suggestions provided for locating a missing person can apply to a person of any age so we recommend using those strategies as well. Steven Stayner, while walking home from school, went missing. ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. An unidentified woman on an Icelandic tour went missing and a search party quickly was underway to find her. The couple took away all clothes and bolted her into a wooden lean-to in the garden, telling her vicious dogs were guarding the door. Although this number is startling, and seems to be rising every year, cold cases are continuing to be solved every year due in part to advancements in forensics and DNA technology. But, 34 years later, Lovell was found living in Fort Lauderdale, working odd jobs. Good news and a happy ending. I come home one night and shes just gone, and nobody knows where shes at, said Bob Kopta, who struggled to talk about the journey to search for his missing wife Patricia Kopta. Woman, 23, Found Dead in Pickup Truck The authorities arrived on the scene and reported having a21-year-old male suspect in custody 10 minutes later. Jayme Closs. Kopta, a street preacher known as "The Sparrow," was reported missing by her husband in 1992. Copyright 2023 WPXI via CNN Newsource. Sounds like metal health issues. Her captor was 41-year-old Adam Gault, an acquaintance of her parents. While it seemed a promising lead, after two decades, Asha has still never been found, and no one has been charged in connection with her disappearance. Asha's family still believes she is alive, and her case is considered an open investigation. He suffered a head injury and lost his memory. There are several types of forensics that can be used for missing persons cases, including 1) computer forensics (examining files on the computer of a missing person or suspected abductor), 2) physical evidence ( DNA samples), 3) forensic psychology (interpreting body language, verbal cues), and 4) positive identification. It cost me a lot of money. Daughter of murdered couple linked to Delphi case reveals paranoia, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, Alex Murdaugh looks unrecognizable in new mugshot hours after sentencing, 'Glaring error' left 'habitual liar' Alex Murdaugh 'boxed in' during trial, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Angelica Gaitan was found floating in the sea and unconscious earlier this week, Philip Sessarego was a 'fantasist' who had been rejected by the SAS, Sessarego was exposed by the BBC after claiming to be SAS man Tom Carew, Lula Cora Hood disappeared from her home in 1970, Grace Kivisto, left, with her cousin who is holding a picture of her mother as a young woman, Jaycee Dugard disappeared at 11 on her way to school, Phillip Garrido and his wife Nancy held Jaycee captive in a shed behind the house, Jaycee Dugard was finally rescued after 18 years, Norm Karkos was filming an appeal for help on a local news channel, Robert McDonough wandered into shot and introduced himself, ROBERT McDonough, 75, who had been missing for 14 hours was found after approached news team reporting from the scene, Steven Kubacki went missing at Lake Michigan in 1978, Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home at 14, Elizabeth Smart was finally rescued after nine months, Brian Mitchell claimed he was an angel sent to slay the anti-Christ, Carlina White grew up as Netty Nance after being abducted, Carlina's parents Joy and Carl after their daughter was stolen, Carlina in the hospital before she disappeared, Carlina is reunited with her biological mum Joy at 23, Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus were all held captive, Evil Ariel Castro kept the three women in locked rooms. He also wanted to get more intelligence about the Taliban as a leverage. ATM thieves use glue and 'tap' function to drain accounts at Chase, Big Bear begins running out food and fuel as ski resorts remain open, Do not to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from eBay, Girl Scouts say. Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said an Interpol agent and a social worker from Puerto Rico contacted him recently and said they believed they had found Kopta alive 1,700 miles away in an adult care home. It took about nine months from Interpol agents contacting police to the woman being identified as Patricia Kopta. She was four at the time. Bergdahl pled guilty and was sentenced to no prison time, a dishonorable discharge, a $1,000 forfeiture, and a reduction in rank from sergeant to private. Turns out, he was right. It is mind boggling, once you get into it, and the whole Missing 411 experience has happened in my life. Article on Beddie's Identification. Until now, there has been no national approach to compare missing persons cases against unidentified remains held in storage. A boys' soccer team and a coach were found nine days after going missing in the Tham LuangNang Non caves in Thailand's Chiang Rai province. Through DNA samples, they confirmed a match. You can only imagine! During the Russian-Afghan war in the 1980s,Bakhretdin Khakimov fought for the Russians when he was wounded in battle. Amberly Ann Mendoza, killed in 1996. At age 28, Judith Bello, a wife and mother of two, went missing with her car totally abandoned in Stanwood, Washington. Lovell says he didnt know his family thought he was dead and is happy to be reunited with them. The boys and their coach became trapped by the flood and got lost in the meandering cave system. She reportedly left her children behind because of her abusive husband. Too often, so much time goes by that they have to give up and declare the person dead. Each of these cases have seen no resolution, some of them seeking resolution for decades. He had no idea that he was a missing person. Later, his father was arrested for kidnapping. Paranoid schizophrenia. A wife and a mother of two kids, Judith Bello, went missing with her car in Washington. 42 years later, they found her living in Texas under an alias. But here are some stories of missing people that were later (after years) found alive. The city of Peoria had 118 missing persons in 2020 and found 116 of them. I hope shes enjoyed some great days in her life. Like per their beliefs God has done these things before. All rights reserved. He then reportedly spent two weeks planning her kidnapping, and he allegedly even shaved his head to prevent any DNA connection to the crime scene. We were contacted by an agent from Interpol as well as a social worker from Puerto Rico who believed they had her in an adult care home in Puerto Rico, Ross Township Police Deputy Chief Brian Kohlhepp said. Instead of sticking there, she went to a karaoke bar with her friends and met a woman who trafficked them. When he sat in a bus running to Niagara falls, he hurt his head and suffered from amnesia. Copyright 2011 - 2023 List25 Inc. All Rights Reserved. When Stayner turned 14 and Parnell brought another victim home, a young boy named Timmy White, Stayner had to act. Two years later, two shocked mushroom pickers found him disheveled on the coast of Northern Tuscany. Of course, she eventually found out she was the one they were looking for and she told the authorities she was safe and sound. Companies such as Othram Inc. and Parabon Labs are working diligently with DNA evidence on some of the most famous unsolved murders as well as some of the most gruesome unsolved murders to attempt to solve the case. Her aunt, Sue Allard, told reporters she had expected any news about her niece to be the worst: "I just cannot believe this." The two other girls were abducted over the next two years, locked in separate rooms, often chained to a wall and frequently raped by Castro. In the United States alone, there are over 200,000 unsolved cold cases, some of which are decades old, and others occurred more recently. Federal authorities found Jones working at Rampart Casino in Las Vegas under the nameJoseph R. Sandelli. Kopta's family believes she took a flight to Puerto Rico after her disappearance, spent a week or two there, then returned to Pittsburgh. Brian David Mitchell, who had gone by "Emmanuel" to the Smart family, abducted Smart while she slept in bed next to her younger sister, Mary Katherine, who pretended to sleep so that the intruder would not harm them. A social security discrepancy brought him up in the missing person database. Im glad she is alive and has been in care, thats the best outcome of a story like this. He said her career as a physical therapist as well as knowledge of yoga techniquesand of the local vegetation are what saved her life. Julian had no idea he was a missing person. From the woman who was found 40 years after being buried by her family, to the girl who escaped her rapist captor after 18 years, these are the most bizarre cases of missing people who turn up alive.