Hello! I’m Crystal, and I write the That Got Dark newsletter, BuzzFeed’s weekly roundup of all things creepy, macabre, and horrible AF. And if you looooove this kind of content, you should subscribe to get your weekly dopamine fix of the macabre delivered RIGHT to your inbox!
Here’s what the newsletter is covering this week:
1.
The truly haunting case of Johnny Gosch, who was one of the first “missing children” milk carton cases.
If you’re of a certain age, you’re probably familiar with the whole “missing children” milk cartons from the ‘80s and ‘90s, right? (If not, don’t worry, I’ll get into it more down below.) Well, one of the first children to appear in these ads was Johnny Gosch. Johnny Gosch was a 12-year-old from West Des Moines, Iowa, who disappeared early in the morning on Sept. 5, 1982, while delivering newspapers.
Witnesses reported seeing Johnny talking to a man in a car and possibly being followed, but no one knew exactly what happened. After Johnny’s parents received calls from customers complaining they hadn’t received their papers, his father combed the route. What he found was Johnny’s wagon, full of newspapers, but no Johnny. Initially, the police didn’t treat the case as a kidnapping, so the investigation started late.
No arrests were ever made, and there was never any conclusive evidence found. Johnny’s mother, Noreen, believed he was taken by a trafficking ring and spent years searching for him. She claims Johnny visited her briefly in secret as an adult in 1997, but this has never been confirmed. Although there have been many theories and reported sightings over the years, the case remains unsolved to this day.
2.
The Alaska Triangle — a large (200,000 square miles!!!), mysterious region between Anchorage, Juneau, and Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) in Alaska where tons of people have disappeared.
Although it’s a naturally beautiful place, the Alaska Triangle is known for a high number of strange and unexplained disappearances. Since the 1970s, over 20,000 people have gone missing there, including a US congressman.
Some people believe these disappearances were due to harsh weather and the rough terrain, while others point to paranormal theories like aliens, time warps, or even strange creatures. Because of its reputation, it’s even been compared to the Bermuda Triangle. So if you ever plan on visiting…be aware!
In the 1980s, US milk cartons began featuring photos of missing children — like Johnny Gosch — to raise awareness. The national campaign peaked in 1985, led by safety organizations, and helped spark laws on child abduction.
However, though iconic, the missing-children milk ads rarely actually helped find kids. In fact, the campaign faced criticism for causing fear, and it faded out by the 1990s as AMBER Alerts and other methods became more effective.
4.
This mysterious and sad disappearance of Connie Converse, a folk singer-songwriter in the 1950s whose music was quite introspective and ahead of its time. Sadly, Converse actually went unnoticed in her lifetime but gained acclaim decades later.
In 1974, at age 50, she quietly disappeared after years of personal struggles, professional disappointment, and declining mental health. One day, she sent cryptic handwritten letters to her loved ones, packed her belongings into her car, and drove off, never to be seen again. Though no trace of her was ever found, many believe she died by suicide and is now presumed dead.
5.
Finally, the case of serial killer and kidnapper Stephen Peter Morin, who was given the moniker “The Chameleon” because he used multiple fake identities.
Morin was known for drifting across the US during the 1970s and ‘80s, abducting and murdering mostly young women. He is believed to have had at least 40 victims, but the exact number is unknown. Morin was arrested in Texas in December 1981, shortly after attempting to abduct another young woman, Margaret “Margy” Palm. In a wild turn, Palm had reportedly talked Morin into surrendering himself peacefully. Morin later pleaded guilty to his charges and was executed on March 13, 1985.
His last meal: A T-bone steak, baked potato, butter, sweet green peas, bread rolls, banana pudding, and coffee.
Well, I think those are enough scary missing people stories for now, don’t you? Next week, we’ll talk about a man who woke up during an organ harvesting procedure, radium girls, and a family annihilator with a penchant for rat poison. Until then, stay safe, keep the lights on, and I’ll see you for another horrifying trip down the rabbit hole…
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