I was just watching this one again and I've always been really bothered by the update. While I'm glad that his brother and niece came forward, it was apparent that they were mystified as to why Marsh (real name Joseph Zalenka) had changed his name and cut ties with the family.

Any theories?

There is a family member on my father's side who we have not spoken to in about 15 years. We never were clear on the reason why she cut off ties with us, but she has engaged in this behavior with other family members as well for seemingly ridiculous reasons only to re-establish the relationship on a random whim, I guess when it's convenient for her.

Some of the lost heir cases are pretty depressing if you really study them. Charles Scheel is another example. The guy seemingly had lots of friends and was well liked and respected in the community. Then you watch the update and find out that he basically walked away from his wife six months after their first daughter was born. The whole thing is just sad and messed up.

I"m just speaking purely on the basis of generalities but the generation that George Marsh and Charles Scheel grew up in, these men were products and survivors of The Great Depression. These were times where people would have to travel the United States to find work which in enough of itself could make family relationships become difficult. I've had the opportunity to have grown up in a community which was frequented by retirees and you'd be surprised how many stories you hear about young men jumping boxcars traveling to areas of the country where they had no relations just to find work. This stuff makes for great folk lore now but a lot of it is actually based in fact.

Now that doesn't explain away everything but we live in an age where we take a lot for granted with all the different means we have of communicating with one another. It was obviously an entirely different story back then where distances were far greater than they are today.

PS: Also JS regarding Scheel, it's worth remembering that good people, amiable people even well respected people don't automatically make good parents. The bottom line is some people make good parents and other people don't. In my opinion it's as simple as that.

I agree with Dante's theories here and would also like to add the popular "mental anomaly" hypothesis to the mix. These folks simply wander off from their roots, lost in worlds of their own. That really seems to be the common ground they each share regardless of the detailed reasons for their actions.

As I have stated in the past, these are the UM cases which most fascinate me. While it would be great to have known Curly Green or Howard Drummond, the chances of exchanging more than simple pleasantries would be slim to none.

How about that one lady who got messed up by a blow to the head and her family thought was being controlled by a companion? It made an impression because there was a disclaimer that UM doesn't usually seek adults who willingly break off contact from their families but they thought this was a special case.

that sounds like the elderly lady that was "kidnapped" by a man she was dating (she was returned safely) but there was no blow to the head....I don't think I've seen the case that your talking about.

How about that one lady who got messed up by a blow to the head and her family thought was being controlled by a companion? It made an impression because there was a disclaimer that UM doesn't usually seek adults who willingly break off contact from their families but they thought this was a special case.

Loretta Myers was believed to be in the early stages of Alzheimer's. She married a man that she had only known briefly, he behaved suspiciously not wanting family members to have contact with Loretta and then they disappeared.

There was no bump on the head.

Was Loretta Myers an older white lady? The one of whom I am thinking was a young or youngish black woman.

Yes Loretta was an elderly white lady...I'm positive now that I've never heard of/seen the episode your talking about Cori.

I was just watching this one again and I've always been really bothered by the update. While I'm glad that his brother and niece came forward, it was apparent that they were mystified as to why Marsh (real name Joseph Zalenka) had changed his name and cut ties with the family.

Any theories?


Given his later life and taking the family at their word, I would not discount the possibility of some mental illness making George want to cut off communication - even depression or the like could have caused him to retreat into a shell that became harder and harder to break out of as the years passed.

Was Loretta Myers an older white lady? The one of whom I am thinking was a young or youngish black woman.

I know which one you are talking about. I don't recall her name, but she was injured in a motorcycle accident. She seemed to undergo some sort of personality change after the accident and eventually just left with an acquaintence. I think at one point she called her mother but they never heard from her again. I always wondered if they ever found her.

I know which one you are talking about. I don't recall her name, but she was injured in a motorcycle accident. She seemed to undergo some sort of personality change after the accident and eventually just left with an acquaintence. I think at one point she called her mother but they never heard from her again. I always wondered if they ever found her.

Could it be Selena Edon? I watched the segment a few weeks ago on the forbidden site.