The Vanished Podcast

By Audible

The Vanished is a true crime podcast that explores the stories of those who have gone missing. The Vanished goes beyond conventional news reports to take a deep dive into the story of a different m

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How many episodes does The Vanished Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 575 episodes available.

Best of The Vanished Podcast

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: John Kapaun
May 26, 2026, started like any ordinary day for 53-year-old John Kapaun. He got up that morning, packed a lunch for his daughter, Alyssa, spent some time playing guitar, and later played a game with his son, Jacob. Around 2:00 p.m., John left the Burnsville, Minnesota, home he shared with his children for his daily walk. John was known to walk long distances and usually followed the same route to Terrace Oaks Park, where he often walked several laps and foraged. His routine was predictable, and he was usually home before 5:00 p.m., around the time Alyssa returned from work. John often had dinner waiting for his children. When Alyssa arrived home that afternoon and John wasn’t there, it seemed unusual, but not immediately alarming. She assumed he was running a few minutes late. As more time passed, she tried calling him, only to hear his phone ringing from inside the house. That’s when she realized John had left without it. Alyssa began searching the places her father normally walked, but there was no sign of him. John has Type 1 diabetes and followed a regular insulin schedule, so when he failed to return in time for his evening dose, the situation became increasingly urgent. That night, law enforcement began searching the areas John was known to frequent, but they found no trace of him. Later, a witness came forward, stating they had seen John shortly after he left home. The person recognized him from seeing him on his walks many times before. But according to the witness, John was walking in the opposite direction from the route he normally took to Terrace Oaks Park. If that sighting was accurate, John may never have been heading to Terrace Oaks that afternoon. Was he intentionally taking a different route? Was he heading somewhere else entirely? Did he suffer a medical emergency, accept a ride from someone, or make a decision his family never saw coming? Nearly three months later, John remains missing. His family continues searching, revisiting possible sightings and trying to understand what happened after he walked away from home that afternoon. Somewhere between his front door and wherever he was going, John’s trail goes cold. If you have any information about the disappearance of John Kapaun, please contact the Burnsville Police Department at 952-641-1126. John’s family has also created a website dedicated to bringing him home. There, you can find additional information about the search efforts, along with a detailed map tracking areas that have been searched and where possible sightings have been reported. You can also follow the family’s ongoing search efforts through the John Kapaun Search Party Facebook group, where they share updates and information related to the search. If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form. Follow The Vanished on social media at: Facebook Instagram Patreon See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
August 17, 20261h
Number 2: Replay: Amy McHale - The House on Chew Avenue - Where Reality and Fiction Collide
This episode originally aired on January 26, 2026. Since this episode first aired, there have been significant developments in Amy’s case. Stay tuned after the original episode for more information. On June 13, 2016, 44-year-old Amy McHale said goodbye to her mother and left her home in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Nothing about that moment suggested it would be the last time her family would see her, but it was. In the early morning hours of June 14, Amy called her daughter, Amanda, and left a voicemail. When Amanda listened to the message later that morning, it didn't raise any immediate alarm, but when she tried calling her mother back, the call went straight to voicemail. In the message, Amy said she was staying at her ex-husband's house, something she did from time to time. At first, no one was overly concerned. Amy was an adult with her own routines, and her family believed she would return, as she always had before. But as hours turned into days with no word from Amy, concern quickly grew. Amy's ex-husband told family members that she had been at his home when he went to bed on the night of June 13. When he woke the following morning, he said she was gone. From that point forward, there were no confirmed sightings of Amy and no clear answers about what happened to her. A decade has passed since Amy vanished, and her loved ones continue searching for answers, hoping that someone who knows the truth will finally come forward. If you have any information about the disappearance of Amy McHale, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department at (215) 686-3013. If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form. Follow The Vanished on social media at: Facebook Instagram Patreon See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 27, 20261h 30min
Number 3: Replay: Zyanya Valora - The End of a 15-Month Search
This episode originally aired on September 30, 2024. On June 24, 2024, 21-year-old Zyanya Valora stayed up late after her parents went to bed. In the early morning hours of June 25, around 2:30 AM, she is believed to have left their home in Ojai, California. Her family suspects she was barefoot and wearing a tank top and shorts. Later that morning, Zyanya's parents assumed she was simply sleeping in, as young people often do. However, around 11 AM, her mother, Damaris, discovered that her daughter was not in her room or anywhere inside their home. Concerned, Damaris called her husband at work and began searching the neighborhood. After failing to find Zyanya, Damaris reported her daughter missing. An extensive search was conducted for Zyanya, who has autism and was considered at-risk. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office, along with other agencies, dedicated five days to searching the area. Unfortunately, despite those efforts, no trace of Zyanya was found at the time. Since this episode first aired, there has been an update in Zyanya’s case. In September of 2025, after 15 months of searching, Zyanya’s remains were discovered in the Ventura Riverbed in Ojai. Her cause and manner of death were later ruled undetermined. We will share more about this update at the end of the episode. If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form. Follow The Vanished on social media at: Facebook Instagram Patreon See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
June 15, 20261h 13min
Number 4: Brianna Vibert Part 1: Everyone Had Something to Hide
Just after midnight on July 15, 2017, 24-year-old Brianna Vibert walked into a Marathon gas station near her home in Flint Township, Michigan. She was visibly upset and had a cut on her arm. The clerk working that night recognized Brianna because she often came into the store. Brianna told him that she had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend and was looking for a ride. A short time later, a man driving a red Pontiac Aztec pulled into the parking lot. According to the clerk, it appeared Brianna didn’t know the man, but she asked him for a ride anyway. At first, he declined and drove away. But after leaving, he changed his mind and returned to the gas station to pick her up. Around 1 AM, Brianna left with the man and disappeared into the night. Two days later, on July 17, 2017, Brianna’s family reported her missing to the Flint Township Police Department. By then, they had already begun piecing together parts of Brianna’s final known movements. They learned about the unknown man in the red Aztec and discovered that, roughly 30 minutes after leaving the gas station, Brianna had contacted a friend she sometimes stayed with after arguments with her boyfriend. Brianna asked if she could spend the night there. The friend agreed, but Brianna never arrived. As investigators retraced Brianna’s movements, the case quickly became more complicated. Surveillance footage revealed additional stops after Brianna left the Marathon station. Her belongings later surfaced in strange places. Witness accounts shifted, timelines stopped lining up, and investigators were left trying to determine whether the people surrounding Brianna were withholding information about her disappearance or hiding something else entirely. If you have any information about the disappearance of Brianna Vibert, please contact the Flint Township Police Department at (810) 600-3250 or Crime Stoppers of Flint and Genesee County at 1-800-422-JAIL (5245), visit P3Tips.com, or submit a tip through the P3 Tips mobile app. If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form. Follow The Vanished on social media at: Facebook Instagram Patreon See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 25, 20261h 4min
Number 5: Lillian Payne
On May 13, 2020, 21-year-old Lillian Payne was spending time with her brother and his girlfriend when they encountered a man at a Flying J truck stop in York County, South Carolina. Lilly had met him once or twice before and knew him as Ray Atkinson. The group decided to continue hanging out, with Lilly riding with Ray while her brother and his girlfriend followed in their own vehicle. Lilly’s brother began having trouble with his vehicle and decided to leave. He asked Lilly to come with them, but she chose to stay with Ray. Around 4:00 a.m., her brother and his girlfriend drove away. It was the last time anyone in Lilly’s family saw her alive. When Lilly’s family reported her missing and provided the name of the man she had last been seen with, they were shocked when investigators told them that Ray Atkinson did not appear to exist. Unwilling to accept that as a dead end, Lilly’s family turned to social media, sharing his photograph and asking anyone who recognized him to come forward. Before long, a woman did, providing them with a different name and opening an entirely new line of questions about the man Lilly had last been seen with. More than two months later, Lilly’s remains were discovered in neighboring Chester County, South Carolina, and her death was ruled a homicide. Finding Lilly ended the search for where she was, but it began a new search for answers. What happened after her brother drove away that night? Who killed Lilly, and why? And what did the man she knew as Ray Atkinson know about her final hours? If you have any information about the disappearance and murder of Lillian Payne, please contact the Chester County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 581-5131. To follow Lilly’s family’s ongoing fight for justice, visit the Justice for Lillian Payne Facebook Group. If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form. Follow The Vanished on social media at: Facebook Instagram Patreon See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
August 10, 20261h 1min