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Wondery

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?

Listen to The Vanished on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-vanished-podcast/ now.

The Vanished Podcast

On February 21, 2022, 25-year-old Aaron Cody Fortner disappeared from Jackson County, North Carolina. At the time, he was staying at a property owned by his grandparents. He made a couple of phone calls to his grandparents in the early morning hours that seemed off, but they weren’t sure what to make of it at the time. 

When Aaron’s sister, Kourtney, spoke to her grandparents later that morning, they asked her if she had heard from him. She said she hadn’t, and they proceeded to tell her about the phone calls. Kourtney was concerned enough to drive out and check on her brother. 

When she arrived, things didn’t feel right. A door Aaron always kept locked for safety reasons was unlocked. Kourntey went inside, and Aaron was gone. One thing that stood out was that it was a mess. Just the day prior, their mother had visited, and everything was tidy.

That left his family to wonder what happened between the time Aaron's mother last saw him and when he disappeared. Where could he have gone, and why did it seem like something had disrupted his world overnight? His family began calling Aaron's name, searching the surrounding area, and quickly contacted law enforcement to report him missing.

More than three years have passed, and Aaron’s loved ones are still searching. Along the way, they have uncovered strange and unsettling clues, but so far, none have led them to Aaron.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Aaron Cody Fortner, please contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 586-8901 or the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Western District at (828) 330-4700.

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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Aaron Cody Fortner

This episode originally aired on July 17, 2023. Jim Lewis was a decorated veteran who had recently retired after serving in the United States Army for 25 years. Jim and his wife, Patsy, purchased a home in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which was intended to be their forever home, after having moved around the US and the world for many years. They were finally putting down their roots, and Patsy was able to start hanging those pictures on the walls. However, it didn't even last a year, as in October 1982, Jim pulled out of the driveway, headed to a job interview in Vero Beach, Florida, and never came home. The police were convinced that Jim had willingly abandoned his family, and they showed no interest in investigating. His family did what they could on their own, but that wasn't bringing them any solid answers. Then, Jim's car was found months later at the local airport in Fayetteville. It had been parked there since October 6, 1982, three days after Jim left, supposedly to drive to Florida. None of it seemed to make sense to his family. He always cared for them and wouldn't have left them this way. Over the years, some clues have been revealed that could point to an outcome no one ever saw coming.

If you have any information about the disappearance of James Lewis, please contact the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office at (910) 323-1500.

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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Replay: James Lewis Part 2 - The Airport

This episode originally aired on July 10, 2023. On October 3, 1982, 42-year-old James Lewis left his home in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Jim told his family he planned to drive to Vero Beach, FL, for a job interview. Jim was a decorated veteran who had recently retired from the Army. He was a skilled pilot looking for something to do in the next phase of his life post-retirement. Jim was interviewing for a position ferrying airplanes from a dealer in Florida to buyers. After Jim left, his family never heard from him again, something that was very unusual for Jim. Months later, in January of 1983, Jim’s wife received a call from a local airport, stating that his car had been parked there since early October, just days after her husband had vanished. Had Jim actually driven to Florida? Had he taken a flight somewhere? Why was his car at the airport? These questions have haunted his family for more than 40 years.

If you have any information about the disappearance of James Lewis, please contact the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office at (910) 323-1500.

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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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Replay: James Lewis Part 1 - The Hero

In September 2023, 45-year-old Eleanore "Ellie" Halverson and her mother, Roxanne, drove to a mental health facility in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. She was planning to check in for treatment. Outside the entrance, Ellie said goodbye to her mother and daughter, as neither of them were allowed to accompany her inside.

Roxanne expected she would hear from her daughter within a few days, once Ellie had settled in and was granted phone privileges. But as time passed with no word, a sense of unease set in. Then she learned that Ellie had never officially checked into the facility, and no one had seen or heard from her. Fearing the worst, Roxanne reported Ellie missing in Grand Rapids.

Then, on November 4, Ellie was spotted on surveillance footage in Northhome, MN. Ellie's family believed she was likely with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Geno. Police eventually tracked Geno down in rural Itasca County. He told investigators they had argued one night in early November, and Ellie had stormed off into the freezing Minnesota darkness. That was the last time he claimed to have seen or heard from her.

This November will mark two years since Ellie vanished. Her family is still searching, haunted by unanswered questions and desperate for the truth about what really happened that night.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Eleanor “Ellie” Halverson, please contact the Itasca County Sheriff’s Office at 218-326-3477. If you wish to remain anonymous, call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or visit CrimeStoppersMN.org. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag Reward Fund tip program is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org for confidential support 24/7.

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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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eleanore "Ellie" Halverson

Last week, you learned about Jonathan Hoang, his quiet and structured life, and how he disappeared from his family’s home in Arlington, Washington, at the end of March 2025. On the evening of March 30, Jonathan asked to sleep in the downstairs guest bedroom because the sound of the treadmill was bothering him. In hindsight, a few details from that conversation were slightly unusual, but nothing raised alarm. By the next morning, everything had changed. His mother went to wake him for school and found that Jonathan was gone. His iPad and headphones were missing, but his phone and jacket, which he never left home without, were still in the house.

Search teams combed the neighborhood and nearby areas. Surveillance footage was gathered from neighbors, but Jonathan was not visible on any of the cameras. No one reported seeing him, and no physical trace of Jonathan was ever found. As time passed, his family began to believe he was not just lost, but that someone may have taken him.

Since Jonathan has autism and is considered an endangered missing person, his family expected law enforcement to treat the case with urgency. Instead, they encountered one obstacle after another. They continued searching, but much of the work fell on them and members of the community who offered support without having access to the tools or authority that law enforcement holds.

At the center of all this is a disconnect. Jonathan’s family is certain he could not have simply walked away and started a new life. He needed daily support and structure. Yet from their perspective, law enforcement seems to have built a narrative that he did exactly that.

This week, we will examine what happened after the initial searches ended, the investigation, the community response, and a recent development that has brought new hope, possible sightings of Jonathan in Kirkland, Washington.

You can follow the family’s search efforts on social media at Help Us Find Jonathan Hoang - Endangered & Missing Person.

A $100,000 reward is currently available for information. If you see Jonathan, please call 911. If you have any information about the disappearance of Jonathan Hoang, contact the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office at 425‑388‑3393 or Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or use the P3 Tips App to remain anonymous.

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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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jonathan Hoang Part 2: Reappearance

Twenty-one-year-old Jonathan Hoang disappeared from his home in Arlington, Washington, sometime between the evening of Sunday, March 30, and the early morning hours of Monday, March 31, 2025.

On the night of March 30, Jonathan asked his father if he could sleep in the downstairs guest room, saying the sound of the treadmill was bothering him. A short while later, he returned to say he wasn’t feeling well and asked to stay home from school the next day. His father suggested waiting to see how he felt in the morning. Around 8 PM, Jonathan told his dad he was heading to bed downstairs. It was a small deviation from routine that was odd, but not alarming. The next morning, Jonathan’s mother went to wake him for school and found that Jonathan was gone.

Jonathan is on the autism spectrum and lived a quiet, structured life. He spent most of his time at home with his family or at school, where he was enrolled in a transitional program for young adults designed to help them build independent living skills and prepare for work.

Jonathan was a creature of habit, and his routines brought him comfort. One of those routines was walking the same path through the neighborhood, always wearing the same jacket with a hood, even on the hottest days. That jacket became a part of how neighbors recognized him. But on the morning his mother discovered he was missing, the jacket was still inside the house. The items missing along with him were his iPad and earbuds. He left behind his phone, his beloved jacket, and every indication of routine.

His family called the police immediately. Search and rescue teams canvassed the area, and neighbors helped in the effort. Despite extensive early searches, no sign of Jonathan was ever found. Months have passed since Jonathan disappeared, and his family continues to search and to fight for answers.

You can follow the family’s search efforts on social media at Help Us Find Jonathan Hoang – Endangered & Missing Person on Facebook.

There is currently a $100,000 reward for information. If you see Jonathan, please call 911 immediately.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Jonathan Hoang, please contact the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office at 425-388-3393 or Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or through the P3 Tips App, where tips may remain anonymous.

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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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jonathan Hoang Part 1: When the Pattern Broke

Ruth Egnoski’s story was difficult to piece together. Between fragmented newspaper archives and fading memories, there were gaps we feared might never be filled. We couldn’t even determine what year Ruth had disappeared.

We had submitted records requests to the Delavan Police Department, but at the time we produced the episode, we had received no response. Given the uncertainty and the reality that some departments never respond, despite open records laws requiring them to do so, we decided to move forward with the story.

Then, less than a month after the episode aired, we were stunned to receive a large police file from the Delavan Police Department. The documents inside answered many of the lingering questions we’d had just weeks earlier, and what we found was shocking.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Ruth Egnoski, please contact the Delavan Police Department at 262-728-6311.

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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Replay: Case Continued - Ruth Egnoski - Open Secrets

Sometime between the summer of 1964 and 1966, a young woman named Ruth Egnoski vanished from Delavan, Wisconsin. The exact year is unclear, but she would have been between 18 and 20 years old at the time. Her family says they reported her missing to local police, but no search was ever conducted. A private investigator later claimed Ruth had boarded a bus to Chicago.

Then, strange clues began to surface. In the 1970s, Ruth’s Social Security card mysteriously appeared in the office of a local school custodian. In the 1980s, luggage was found hidden in the ceiling of the same custodian's office, and that custodian just so happened to be Ruth's stepfather.

Could these discoveries point to a chilling connection? The case heated up briefly but eventually cooled off again. Today, Ruth Egnoski's disappearance remains unsolved.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Ruth Egnoski, please call the Delavan Police Department at 262-728-6311.

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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Replay: Ruth Egnoski

Over the past two weeks, you’ve heard the story of David Shier, who vanished from Trinidad, Colorado, in February 2022, and the exhaustive search that followed. Despite the urgency, no clues surfaced. Dave's family was forced to reexamine every detail, lead, and possibility.

On the morning of Dave's disappearance, he asked his wife to drive him to meet someone about a property. But who was that person? Why was his truck parked oddly, so unlike him? And what about the neighbor’s report of a white truck at the house around the time he disappeared?

From the beginning, Dave’s loved ones felt law enforcement had dismissed his case as a medical emergency, simply an older man who had wandered off and passed away. However, for the family, when they didn't find him during the searches, they believed he deserved a thorough investigation.

The last confirmed sighting was a trail camera image of Dave walking away from his home. For more than a year, the case stayed cold. Then, something unexpected happened. A grave was opened in Starkville Cemetery. It was supposed to contain one man, who had also been missing, but inside were two bodies.

The coroner claimed both were buried in 2019, well before Dave vanished, but the man who performed the exhumation, a seasoned professional, said the second body seemed too intact to have been in the ground that long. That stopped the Shier family in their tracks.

Dave’s wife watched the exhumation footage and couldn’t shake the bad feeling that overcame her when she noticed the outline of legs in a body bag that looked familiar. Could it be Dave? Could he have been buried without anyone telling his family?

No matter who the second body was, what was unfolding at the cemetery disturbed the family deeply. The secrecy, inconsistencies, and lack of care were unacceptable. They believed no one should be buried without dignity, and no family should be left in the dark. So the Shiers acted, fighting for truth, transparency, and change.

Last week, you heard how the Colorado Bureau of Investigation opened an inquiry into what happened in Las Animas County. This week, we take you inside that investigation, what it uncovered, how it ended, and where it leaves the Shier family now on their quest for answers.

If you have information about the disappearance of David Shier, please contact the Las Animas County Sheriff's Office at 719-846-2211.

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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David Shier Part 3: Hollow Answers

Last week, in Part 1 of David Shier’s story, you heard about his sudden and unexplained disappearance from Trinidad, Colorado, on February 11, 2022. Dave’s wife recalled that he asked her to drive him somewhere because a person had called about a property. She didn’t know more than that, but Dave was frustrated with her because she already had plans to run errands for one of their daughters. She last saw him around 11 AM, and when she returned later that afternoon, Dave was missing.

When Dave didn’t return and no one had heard from him, his family reported him missing. Given his age and the unusual circumstances, law enforcement took the case seriously and launched immediate search efforts. A snowstorm that night forced them to pause, but searches resumed the following morning and continued for months, even years.

Clues began to surface: the unusual positioning of Dave’s truck, and a report of a white vehicle spotted near the home. Then came a crucial discovery, a neighbor’s trail camera footage, which law enforcement initially overlooked due to technical limitations. The neighbor eventually found an image of Dave walking away from the property around noon on the day he vanished. That footage is the last known sighting of him.

Despite extensive efforts, no trace of Dave was found, and the case went cold. Then, more than a year later, there was a strange twist in the case when the local coroner came under fire after the body of a man was exhumed, a man who had been considered a missing person for several years, and they found two bodies inside the grave where there was only supposed to be one. 

Suddenly, David Shier’s case was back in the spotlight, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation launched a broader inquiry into potential misconduct in Las Animas County.

In this episode, we follow the strange and disturbing developments that brought new attention to Dave’s case, and explore the question: could he be the second person buried in that grave?

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of David Shier, please contact the Las Animas County Sheriff's Office at 719-846-2211.

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:

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Shier Part 2: Graveyard of Secrets

In the spring of 1982, 22-year-old Diana Avera was sent to Searcy Hospital, a mental health facility in southern Alabama. Diana was arrested for disorderly conduct in Foley, Alabama, where she lived. The details of her arrest are unknown because we only truly know what happened after her arrest. Diana had several mental health diagnoses, and the decision was made to send her to the mental health facility. Just three months later, around the beginning of August 1982, Diana allegedly escaped from the hospital and was never seen again. But is that really what happened 40 years ago in a case shrouded in secrets, abusive hospital practices, and unanswered questions? 

If you have any information about Diana’s disappearance, please call the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office at 251-574-8720.

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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Diana Avera

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