There are a lot of cases profiled on UM where people vanished. For me I think most of of them ended up in foul play or suicide. It just seems like it would be incredibly hard to start a new life from scratch without leaving a paper trail and/or not be subsequently seen/notice moving forward. Especially without financial help.

I'd say any of those in the military were involved in something shady either personally or professionally and left for a fresh start.

Justin Burgwinkel-Of all the UM missing persons cases, I think he stands the greatest chance of still being alive. Based on his profile, I think he ran off to some foreign country so he could fight as a mercenary, a paramilitary group or other kind of combat force abroad. I would say the French Foreign Legion is the most likely; it seems to be the most popular caterer to foreigners seeking the chance to participate in real combat.

Paul Whipkey-Think the consensus is pretty much CIA involvement.

I honestly do believe Cindy Anderson started over. She seemed to be much more on the liberal side or at least wanted to lean that way. But I felt that her ultra conservative parents/siblings were holding her back. The way her Dad talked during her segment, making it seem she was kid napped because "this is what happens when girls become more worldly." I don't know...the whole thing struck me as odd.

Selena Edon is the only one that is possibly still alive, IMO.

I don't think any of the people featured on the Missing Person segments disappeared to start new lives. I do think several of the Lost Loves features probably did in a sense, however--changing legal names, etc.

I honestly do believe Cindy Anderson started over. She seemed to be much more on the liberal side or at least wanted to lean that way. But I felt that her ultra conservative parents/siblings were holding her back. The way her Dad talked during her segment, making it seem she was kid napped because "this is what happens when girls become more worldly." I don't know...the whole thing struck me as odd.

Yeah, it was odd.

Michael Anderson came off poorly in the segment, but I remember reading an article published around '09 about his continued search for Cindy and found it quite moving. I kind of like to think the sharp edges of those attitudes were worn smooth over the years.

I've always wondered if Lenny Dirickson was still alive given the reports about people seeing him in a bar after he disappeared. I still find that case is still extremely baffling. It may be one of the most baffling of all the missing persons cases profiled on UM.

Possibly Ray Hickenbotham.

I think that Star Palumbo might have been trying to disappear, in part due to mental illness and fear of certain associates. I don't think she's still living at this time.

adam hecht, theres just no proof he is dead and signs he wanted to start a new life.

Ed Baker.

He bs'ed his way to being a millionaire. I'm sure he bs'ed about being dead.

I wonder if Gordon Page, Jr. at least initially intended to start a new life away from the institution he'd begged to be taken out of? Regardless, I feel very badly for his family who felt incredible guilt that, despite all their efforts and the quack diagnoses/treatments they paid for, he just became more tormented as time progressed. :(

I honestly do believe Cindy Anderson started over. She seemed to be much more on the liberal side or at least wanted to lean that way. But I felt that her ultra conservative parents/siblings were holding her back. The way her Dad talked during her segment, making it seem she was kid napped because "this is what happens when girls become more worldly." I don't know...the whole thing struck me as odd.

Really? She had tons of money in the back which she never touched. That alone is a huge flag.

And I think it's difficult to tell much from the segment about her beliefs, other than what was actually said. She was about to go to bible college, and there was no talk at all of her not getting along with her family or rejecting their/her own beliefs. I don't feel like you get a "more on the liberal side" thing there. She wanted to wear more makeup and maybe diet - a lot of girls start getting more into that stuff when making a life change like college. Also, her sister wore makeup and jewelry in the segment, so I don't think it was far outside of their beliefs. Coming to that conclusion seems like a stretch.

I think fathers (evangelical or not) can get weirded out by their daughters growing into women. That poor guy didn't come off as well as he might have, but as MeggtheEgg pointed out, there was press coverage just a few years ago about he kept up the search until he died, and never moved or changed his number, in case she might come back.

I don't know why I feel so strongly about this, but it just seems like a tragic case that isn't helped by adding a lot of spurious supposition.*





*most of the stuff we walk about, I guess. Joke's on me! :crazy:

Ed Baker is one that I think could have faked his death, but that was thirty years ago. I doubt he's still alive today.

Ed Baker is one that I think could have faked his death, but that was thirty years ago. I doubt he's still alive today.

I definitely don't think he's alive today, but I don't think that was him in the car either.

I definitely don't think he's alive today, but I don't think that was him in the car either.

Yea, something always seemed odd about that entire scene and the events leading up to it. Plus back then, I'm sure it was WAY more easier to do something like that than it is today.

Yea, something always seemed odd about that entire scene and the events leading up to it. Plus back then, I'm sure it was WAY more easier to do something like that than it is today.

I remember reading something about how it looked like the ring on his finger looked like it was put on after the fire, and there was a dead oil field worker close to the car. I'm sure that wasn't a coincidence.

Ed was just a shady dude. He lied and swindled his way into millions, and his wife going to Europe was odd. I really think he ran somewhere (Europe).

I remember reading something about how it looked like the ring on his finger looked like it was put on after the fire, and there was a dead oil field worker close to the car. I'm sure that wasn't a coincidence.

Ed was just a shady dude. He lied and swindled his way into millions, and his wife going to Europe was odd. I really think he ran somewhere (Europe).

The fact that he told people that he may kill himself or be disappearing soon seemed odd to me. I don't think many people broadcast that before doing either one of those. I think he may have wanted people to tell the authorities "Oh yea, Ed was suicidal and talked about killing himself" just to make it seem more believable.

The fact that he told people that he may kill himself or be disappearing soon seemed odd to me. I don't think many people broadcast that before doing either one of those. I think he may have wanted people to tell the authorities "Oh yea, Ed was suicidal and talked about killing himself" just to make it seem more believable.

Absolutely. Ed was just creating multiple fake alibi's with his "they're going to kill me" claims.

The fact that he went to his ex-wife screams that he was creating a false alibi, if he just didn't pay her off to lie. Instead of going to the police to be put in protective custody (I understand he had some illegal dealings) he runs to his ex-wife? Why? It doesn't make sense.

His suicide note ties in well to all of this. Ed played dead so his wife could collect on his insurance policy and they could go into hiding in Europe. I'm sure with that money Ed got some plastic surgery done.

I also firmly believe that his wife was throwing a fake private investigation to seem legit. She said that the mafia from Florida killed Ed, so why not just have the police investigate? Why "hire" a P.I. if you knew who did it? Even if you felt like the mafia couldn't be touched, then what would a P.I. do?

Her private investigation was as fake as his "suicide" note.

Absolutely. Ed was just creating multiple fake alibi's with his "they're going to kill me" claims.

The fact that he went to his ex-wife screams that he was creating a false alibi, if he just didn't pay her off to lie. Instead of going to the police to be put in protective custody (I understand he had some illegal dealings) he runs to his ex-wife? Why? It doesn't make sense.

His suicide note ties in well to all of this. Ed played dead so his wife could collect on his insurance policy and they could go into hiding in Europe. I'm sure with that money Ed got some plastic surgery done.

I also firmly believe that his wife was throwing a fake private investigation to seem legit. She said that the mafia from Florida killed Ed, so why not just have the police investigate? Why "hire" a P.I. if you knew who did it? Even if you felt like the mafia couldn't be touched, then what would a P.I. do?

Her private investigation was as fake as his "suicide" note.

I trend to agree. The only thing that keeps me from fully agreeing is the phone call he made to his insurance company a week or so prior to his "death" asking if his life insurance would pay out in the event of a suicide. If he was faking his own death, that phone call does not need to be made. If he was murdered, then why in the world would he even make that call to begin with?

I trend to agree. The only thing that keeps me from fully agreeing is the phone call he made to his insurance company a week or so prior to his "death" asking if his life insurance would pay out in the event of a suicide. If he was faking his own death, that phone call does not need to be made. If he was murdered, then why in the world would he even make that call to begin with?

Good point about the phone call, calling asking about the insurance is definitely telling on yourself, but it doesn't make sense if he was going to be murdered.

I won't discount it because of the phone call. It makes more sense he would call and ask about the suicide pay out as it fits in with his fake suicide and his escape,more than him being murdered.

Unless Ed was murdered, and his wife got another man to call the insurance company. Doubt it though.