41-year-old Ian Eckles spent the majority of his free time outdoors and loved to hunt. So when he and a friend made plans to spend a weekend hunting in the mountains near Liberty, Washington, nothing was out of the ordinary. However, when Ian’s friend got to the spot where they agreed to meet up in a national forest, Ian wasn’t there. In fact, there was no sign of Ian, his car, or any of his camping equipment. For more than a year, Ian’s family, friends, and law enforcement have been looking for Ian. They haven’t found him yet, but what they have uncovered is bigger than anyone could have ever anticipated.

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Ian Eckles Part 1: The Hunting Trip

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 missing person each week. Host Marissa Jones brings you exclusive interviews with family members, friends, law enforcement and experts. What will The Vanished uncover next? All episodes are available for free. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ or on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription.

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On a Sunday evening in August 1989, 13-year-old Elisa Roberson left her home in Aransas Pass, Texas, to meet a friend at a local elementary school just a short walk away. Witnesses saw her along the way, and someone even reported seeing her enter a red or maroon car. But Elisa never made it to meet her friend. Her family later suspected that she might have been abducted by her mother's ex-boyfriend, Ralph, who had been abusive and threatened Elisa's mother when they ended their relationship. However, the police had their eyes on someone else, the father of the girl Elisa was walking to meet, who had a history of disturbing allegations made against him and a strange alibi. The investigation failed to uncover concrete evidence, and Elisa's case went cold. Years later, the case heated up again, and took a strange turn. 

The family is currently offering a $20,000 reward for any information regarding Elisa's disappearance. If you have any information, please contact the Aransas Pass Police Department at 361-758-5224, or reach out to the family and private investigator at missingelisa1989@gmail.com.

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Elisa Roberson Part 2: Flipping the Narrative

It was a hot August evening in 1989 when 13-year-old Elisa Roberson left her Aransas Pass, Texas, home to walk a short distance to meet a friend. The girls planned to meet halfway near an elementary school. The phone rang shortly after, and Elisa's younger sister, Ruby, answered. On the other line was the friend that Elisa had left to meet. She told Ruby that Elisa never showed up. Elisa's mother, Marina, was nearby and overheard the conversation. Marina began to worry, Elisa was her oldest child, and she was always dependable. If she wasn't with her friend, then where had she gone?

Elisa's family is desperate for any information that could lead to finding Elisa. They are currently offering a $20,000 reward for any information that could help solve this mystery. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Elisa Roberson, please contact the Aransas Pass Police Department at 361-758-5224. The family and private investigator can also be reached via email at missingelisa1989@gmail.com. Stay updated on Elisa's case by following Missing Elisa Roberson on social media.

If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.

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Elisa Roberson Part 1: Goodnight Avenue

On December 7, 2023, 36-year-old Danielle Croft was at the home of a man she recently began seeing. He said Dani left his Bonham, Texas, home around 3 or 4 AM to walk around town and look at Christmas lights. No one ever saw or heard from Dani Croft after that time. Hours later, he said he left home to walk to a local store. Along the way, he said he found Dani's clothing on the road. He continued to Dani's grandmother's nearby home to alert her, which was just the beginning of this strange tale.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Dani Croft, please contact the Bonham Police Department at (903) 583-2141.

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Danielle Croft

We first brought you Judith Brown's story on May 2, 2022. In April of 1977, 19-year-old Judith Brown vanished without a trace from New York City. But Judy wasn't the only person to disappear. She had recently begun dating a man named Richard, whom she met while briefly seeking treatment for depression. This man was much older and had a violent history. How much of that Judy knew, we can't be certain. She was still a teenager and likely groomed by him. Richard was housed at the Creedmoor facility after being found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 1971 murders of his wife and 17-month-old son, and that is where he and Judy crossed paths. Richard was given many freedoms at Creedmoor, even to wander the city alone. One day, he walked off the grounds and never returned. Judy's family was concerned that they hadn't heard from her, but then, the FBI came to their door as they were trying to track down Richard. Judy's family believed that law enforcement was looking for her since the FBI was on the case, but it doesn't appear that much was done to find Judy. Decades later, Judy's case began to heat up after a younger family member, Julian, took an interest in pursuing answers. Since we first spoke to Julian in 2022, he has kept digging. Julian joined us again to provide an update on Judy's case.

You can find Julian's page for Judith on Facebook at Judith Anne Brown Missing - "Vanished With a Killer." 

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Judith Brown, please contact the NYPD missing persons squad at 212-694-7781.

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Case Update: Judith Brown - Excavating the Past

19-year-old Judith Brown disappeared from New York City in April of 1977. Judith lived on her own, so her family wasn’t immediately aware that she was missing. Judith’s family learned she was missing when the FBI came knocking at their door. They were shocked to learn that Judith had disappeared along with someone else, a murderer who had escaped from a local mental health facility. More than 45 years later, both of them remain missing. For many years, Judith’s family kept quiet about this. It was too upsetting to reopen those wounds. As the years wore on, a younger generation of Judith’s family took an interest in finding answers. Today, they are left to sift through the remaining clues passed down through family members and old documents. 

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Judith Brown, please contact the NYPD Missing Persons Squad at 212-694-7781.

You can follow this case on social media at Judith Anne Brown Missing - “Vanished With a Killer.” 

Special thanks to Erika from The Apex & The Abyss, and Melissa from Just the Tip-sters for voicing letters in this episode.

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Ian Eckles Part 1: The Hunting Trip

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