I've been reading through the threads and so many solved cases. (that we were so happy to see solved...have later gone all wrong)

Like the Gilbert Ortiz case...his son is in jail for beating him.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=283159&highlight=gilbert+ortiz

This case of an abducted baby found 23 years later:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=278457

This case of the man with amnesia found and reunited with his family:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=217858

and of course the Maple case

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=240362&highlight=Baskin+children

Every one of these cases had a happy "solve" and every case later went bad.
Why do you think that is?

Another case I remember that appeared to have a less-than-happy ending involved a man who had walked out on his girlfriend and their baby daughter decades earlier. At the time they got together, the girlfriend was under age and he believed he would go to jail if he didn't leave the area. The man never married and, over the years, had become a very successful (and wealthy) business owner. He tuned to UM to try and help him locate his daughter... which they did. But the reunion was rather awkward and the daughter seemed a little ambivalent about having her dad back in her life. Hopefully they were able to establish a better relationship after the show aired.

Even though the case was never solved but the "Tom Johnson" case had a sad ending as the boyfriend who survived the attack was later killed in a car accident. Such a sad sad story for a couple who seemed to be in love and just starting their lives together.

The Bill Day story comes to mind. He was searching for his young son, Christoff, who had been abducted by the ex-wife. At the time the story aired, Bill seemed to be very close to finding his missing son, as there had been many instances where he located his ex, only to have her disappear again.

Long story short, the ex-wife surfaced some years later, but Christoff had died of leukemia and never got the chance to see his father again.

In the "happy ending/sad epilogue" category of solved cases, I'd definitely put Patty and David Stallings at the top of the list, as I was really saddened to hear that they wound up getting divorced after surviving their whole ordeal. They seemed like such a nice couple, but I think the trauma of losing a child and Patty's wrongful imprisonment just put too much strain on their marriage.

I'd also add the Rick McCue "final appeal" case to this list, as the guy is released after wrongful imprisonment for murder, but even though he's not a killer, he still turns out to be a major creep who would later be charged with defrauding an elderly woman and raping a handicapped woman! I mean, obviously, the guy didn't deserve to be in prison for a crime he didn't commit, but I'm sure his future victims probably wish he had never gotten out.
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=277286

those cases mentioned weren't exactly what I had in mind when I made the thread. The cases I had in mind had HAPPY endings which later turned out to not work out after all.

Although the cased mentioned above def were sad ends.

I don't remember their names, but there was a case where a woman was looking for her missing husband. He was a fish salesman, I think? And he never came back from one of his business trips. They were reunited after the broadcast (happy ending), but the guy had amnesia after being beaten and robbed. He never could really remember his wife, and they eventually divorced (sad ending).

I've been reading through the threads and so many solved cases. (that we were so happy to see solved...have later gone all wrong)

Like the Gilbert Ortiz case...his son is in jail for beating him.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=283159&highlight=gilbert+ortiz

This case of an abducted baby found 23 years later:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=278457

This case of the man with amnesia found and reunited with his family:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=217858

and of course the Maple case

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=240362&highlight=Baskin+children

Every one of these cases had a happy "solve" and every case later went bad.
Why do you think that is?

Can you please just give a brief explanation for each case like you did for the first case?

I don't remember their names, but there was a case where a woman was looking for her missing husband. He was a fish salesman, I think? And he never came back from one of his business trips. They were reunited after the broadcast (happy ending), but the guy had amnesia after being beaten and robbed. He never could really remember his wife, and they eventually divorced (sad ending).


That was Craig Williamson and his wife Christine Reinhard. Thor's wikia site has info about the case:

http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Craig_Williamson

Craig Williamson of Wisconsin is the husband of three years to Christine Reinhard with whom he hoped to get into the lucrative business of fish-farming.

One day, he went out on a trip to Colorado Springs to buy fish and never returned. He last spoke to his wife on the phone while at a hotel, and then disappeared.

Christine believed that he may have been attacked the day he vanished, but a few days afterward, a woman traveling to Washington on a train believed that she had seen Craig there and that he was talking about fish tanks and may have had a head injury. Christine believes this was Craig, that he is still very much alive, and that he will one day be found.


No foul play is believed to be involved.

The case was solved. Craig had seen the broadcast and recognized himself. He was living in Key West, Florida in July 1995. He claimed that he was mugged in Colorado Springs and developed amnesia, having suffered a concussion the month before he disappeared. Craig could not remember much else from the attack, and he and Christine decided to divorce, but remain friends.

Can you please just give a brief explanation for each case like you did for the first case?

Okay sorry will give brief rundown on the cases.

The second case was a woman that was kidnapped when she was a baby. She later found her family. Amazing right? Happy reunited right? No...she only calls for money.

Third case: Paul Alan Beal He was the one that had amnesia was found and reunited with his family. Great right? No..not really. Is now in a nursing home and really sick...and he's not even that old!!! Not even 50 I dont think.

and the Maple one...grandparents kidnap grandkids...they are found, which was a miracle...and the kids don't want to even talk to parents or little brother.

That lady that was looking for her twin sister and then found her just weeks after she had died...
The one with the REAL southern accent.

There was another guy with amnesia, he was found on the side of the road I believe. He was called Pat and went to a homeless shelter. Later he discovered he could use an adding machine without looking at the numbers. His real identity was discovered and was eventually reunited with his family, he had a wife and two children---but it turned out he was wanted for embezzling money.

There was another guy with amnesia, he was found on the side of the road I believe. He was called Pat and went to a homeless shelter. Later he discovered he could use an adding machine without looking at the numbers. His real identity was discovered and was eventually reunited with his family, he had a wife and two children---but it turned out he was wanted for embezzling money.

Is it cynical to say the amnesia ones are ALWAYS wanted for something???:happyface

Is it cynical to say the amnesia ones are ALWAYS wanted for something???:happyface

Yes, isn't it funny that whenever these amnesia cases are solved and we learn the victim's true identity and that they're wanted for something, we never seem to find out HOW they got amnesia in the first place? :rolleyes:

Is it cynical to say the amnesia ones are ALWAYS wanted for something???:happyface

All but Craig Williamson. I often wonder if he just didn't have a delayed case of runaway groom syndrome or some other extenuating circumstance.

I think when he was attacked it caused his amnesia...I think his was the real deal.

Some of the cases that I think would fit in this category would include:

Joseph Schambier- the Radio Santa who had been looking for his daughter that he gave up in the 1930s. He learned the night the story aired that his daughter had died decades earlier. :(

Dyann Hahnlein- she was searching for her younger sister, Marilyn, because she needed a bone marrow transplant. Fortuanetly, she was able to locate and reunite with her sister, but sadly, she died a year later because her sister wasn't a match.

David Shipenburg/Marianne Malky- Marianne had been searching for her son David, who was kidnapped by his father in 1974. In 2005, she learned that her son was alive and well, but that he didn't want to contact her.

Wendy Von Hubben-She and her boyfriend ran away from home in 1997. A few months later, her boyfriend was found murdered and she was missing. However, a few weeks after that several phone calls and a gas station video suggested that she was still alive. Then, a few years later, Angelo Resentiz (sp) confessed to murdering her and her boyfriend, and her remains were found soon after that.

All of these cases were solved but with very sad endings.

David Shipenburg/Marianne Malky- Marianne had been searching for her son David, who was kidnapped by his father in 1974. In 2005, she learned that her son was alive and well, but that he didn't want to contact her.


Cases like this are just plain awful. The above reminds me of the Baskin kids case.

I've been reading through the threads and so many solved cases. (that we were so happy to see solved...have later gone all wrong)

Like the Gilbert Ortiz case...his son is in jail for beating him.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=283159&highlight=gilbert+ortiz

This case of an abducted baby found 23 years later:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=278457

This case of the man with amnesia found and reunited with his family:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=217858

and of course the Maple case

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=240362&highlight=Baskin+children

Every one of these cases had a happy "solve" and every case later went bad.
Why do you think that is?

I saw David Shipenberg, they said his name was now David Kaplan. I happen to know a David Kaplan who is from that area and about the same age. I believe he may be the same person but I have no way of confirming that,