Mary Day was only 13 years old in 1981 when she disappeared from her family home in Seaside, California, but her case is one of the longest enduring, and strange missing persons cases that I’ve covered on this podcast. Not because the case went cold, but because, until 2002, it wasn’t a case at all. Former Seaside Police Chief Steve Cercone told 48 Hours, “I can’t remember a time when a child was not reported by the parents,” and yet, that’s exactly what happened to little Mary. She disappeared, and was never reported missing until her sister came forward years later to get police on the case. Which meant that without Mary’s sister’s intervention, her existence could have just been completely erased. Now, of course, suspicions turned immediately to Mary’s parents, suspecting that she had met a horrific end in 1981, but did she? Because in 2003, Mary Day came forward to reclaim her identity. But did she? What actually happened here?

The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls, a horrifying quote from the master of the macabre himself, Edgar Allan Poe. His life and tragic death have permeated the world of literature for the past two centuries, and the mystery of it all has fascinated those who like to satisfy their morbid curiosities for just as long. In 1849, Edgar Allan Poe disappeared, without a trace, for six whole days, and when he reappeared, he was in an alarming state of delirium for another few days before passing away in a Baltimore hospital. The circumstances, official cause, and official manner of Poe’s death remain elusive to this day, leaving us all with the question of what in the world could have happened to him.

This is one of the most terrifying and miraculous survival stories of all time. Victoria Cilliers, a loving mother of two and advance free falling skydiving instructor, SURVIVED a 3,000 foot plummet from an airplane after her own husband tampered with her parachute. And, this wasn't even his first attempt at killing the mother of his own children. This is a harrowing story of an abusive relationship, and a narcissistic man who thought that he was too smart to get caught, but whose manipulation and disgusting behavior would eventually catch up to him. If you or anyone you know recognize the signs of abusive relationships that are described in this episode, please reach out to one of the numbers below for help:

US Hotline Number: 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)

UK Hotline Number: 0808 2000 247