The Unsettling Mysteries of Disappearances

From Amelia Earhart to Nancy Guthrie, notable vanishings captivate the public

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Disappearances, whether voluntary or involuntary, have long captivated the public's imagination. Cases like those of Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa, and now Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie, have gripped the nation as people wait for updates and answers. These mysteries unsettle us because unlike death, where we can see the before and after, disappearances leave an unsettling void with no closure.

Why it matters

Disappearances, whether by choice or force, have a unique power to captivate the public. They tap into our deepest fears about the unknown and our desire for resolution. These cases also shed light on broader societal issues like serial killers, government oppression, and the vulnerability of certain populations to vanishing without a trace.

The details

There are several types of disappearances that have fascinated the public over the years. Some people choose to vanish, shedding one identity to assume another, taking advantage of America's vast geography. Others are kidnapped, like Patricia Hearst and Jaycee Dugard, and their ordeals become national obsessions. And then there are those who simply vanish without a trace, their fates unknown, like the victims of serial killers or totalitarian regimes. California in particular, with its deserts, canyons, and vast wilderness, has provided the backdrop for many mysterious disappearances over the decades.

  • In 1937, Amelia Earhart disappeared during her attempted round-the-world flight.
  • In 1930, New York judge Joseph Crater vanished from a New York street on the eve of a corruption investigation.
  • In 1926, Aimee Semple McPherson, the famous Los Angeles preacher, disappeared for five weeks while swimming off Venice Beach.
  • In 1955, Evelyn Scott disappeared from her Bel-Air home in Los Angeles, with only her dentures and eyeglasses found behind the backyard incinerator.

The players

Amelia Earhart

A pioneering American aviator who disappeared in 1937 during her attempted round-the-world flight.

Jimmy Hoffa

The former president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who disappeared in 1975 and whose fate remains unknown.

Nancy Guthrie

The octogenarian mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie, who recently disappeared from her Arizona home with no trace.

Joseph Crater

A New York judge who vanished from a New York street in 1930 on the eve of a corruption investigation.

Aimee Semple McPherson

The famous Los Angeles preacher who disappeared for five weeks in 1926 while swimming off Venice Beach.

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What they’re saying

“Death itself holds tragedy but rarely mystery. We can tell that some animating spirit has left a body; we can see the corporeal before and after.”

— Patt Morrison, Author (latimes.com)

“Yet with a disappearance, there is no 'after,' no finale. And that unsettles and engrosses us.”

— Patt Morrison, Author (latimes.com)

The takeaway

Disappearances, whether voluntary or involuntary, have a unique power to captivate the public's imagination. They tap into our deepest fears about the unknown and our desire for resolution, making them enduring mysteries that unsettle us even decades later.