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Justice in the Heartland

A young father's mysterious disappearance haunts a small town with a secret. Was it murder? "48 Hours Mystery" correspondent Susan Spencer reports.

Aug 9, 2011 (43:49)

Tracker Dakota Black

Tracker Dakota Black

The Gaslighting of Hannah Pettey

The Gaslighting of Hannah Pettey

A Death in the Stairwell

A Death in the Stairwell

The Hit-and-Run Homicide of Davis McClendon

The Hit-and-Run Homicide of Davis McClendon

Murder in the Parking Garage

Murder in the Parking Garage

My Uncle Joe's Murder

My Uncle Joe's Murder

Facing a Monster

Facing a Monster

Death at Soho House

Death at Soho House

The Footprint

The Boy Across the Street

The Boy Across the Street

Justine's Voice

Justine's Voice

Searching for Maya Millete

Searching for Maya Millete

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 2

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 2

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 1

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 1

The Day My Mother Never Came Home

The Day My Mother Never Came Home

"Dead Girls Don't Talk"

"Dead Girls Don't Talk"

Could Angela Prichard Have Been Saved?

Could Angela Prichard Have Been Saved?

The Plot to Eliminate Alyssa Burkett

The Plot to Eliminate Alyssa Burkett

Deputy Spivey on Trial

Deputy Spivey on Trial

Kouri Richins: Behind the Facade

Kouri Richins: Behind the Facade

The Man with Two Names

The Man with Two Names

Joe Hunter's Mission

Joe Hunter's Mission

Beverly Hills 911

Beverly Hills 911

The Love Bombing of Gloria Choi

The Love Bombing of Gloria Choi

The Killing of Theresa Fusco

The Killing of Theresa Fusco

Jade Colvin is Missing

Jade Colvin is Missing

Kimberly Langwell's Hidden Grave

Kimberly Langwell's Hidden Grave

The Root Beer Float Murder

The Root Beer Float Murder

The "No Body" Case of Dee Warner

The "No Body" Case of Dee Warner

Denise and Aaron Quinn Get the Last Word

Denise and Aaron Quinn Get the Last Word

What the Neighbors Saw

What the Neighbors Saw

Jocelyn Peters and the Notebook

Jocelyn Peters and the Notebook

The Woman Who Died Twice

The Woman Who Died Twice

Sade Robinson and The Secret Beach

Sade Robinson and The Secret Beach

Cati Blauvelt: Death of a Soldier's Wife

Cati Blauvelt: Death of a Soldier's Wife

The Girl from Wahoo

The Girl from Wahoo

The Rx Defense

The Sneak Attack on Katlyn Lyon

The Sneak Attack on Katlyn Lyon

The Firefighter's Secret

The Firefighter's Secret

The Mother I Wish I Knew

The Mother I Wish I Knew

The Ivy League Murder

The Ivy League Murder

Melissa Rocuba's Final Moments

Melissa Rocuba's Final Moments

The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis

The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis

The Gaslighting of Hannah Pettey

The Gaslighting of Hannah Pettey

Tracking the Killer of Mary Catherine Edwards

Tracking the Killer of Mary Catherine Edwards

Coached to Kill

Coached to Kill

Mystery on County Road M

Mystery on County Road M

Three Days Before Christmas

Three Days Before Christmas

Joe Hunter's Mission

Joe Hunter's Mission

The Batman Intruder

The Batman Intruder

Help Find Molly Bish's Killer

Help Find Molly Bish's Killer

The Setup Murder of Kristil Krug

The Setup Murder of Kristil Krug

Closing the Cold Case of Robin Lawrence

Closing the Cold Case of Robin Lawrence

My Uncle Joe's Murder

My Uncle Joe's Murder

A Death in the Stairwell

A Death in the Stairwell

Murder in the Parking Garage

Murder in the Parking Garage

The Boy Who Killed His Twin

The Boy Who Killed His Twin

Murder at Sea?

A Long Way From Home

A Long Way From Home

The Death of Todd Stermer

The Death of Todd Stermer

The Millionaire, the Model & the Hit Man

The Millionaire, the Model & the Hit Man

Kiss of Death and the Google Exec

Kiss of Death and the Google Exec

Unmasking the "Zombie Hunter"

Unmasking the "Zombie Hunter"

Who Poisoned Angela Craig?

Who Poisoned Angela Craig?

The Strange Shooting of Alex Pennig

The Strange Shooting of Alex Pennig

Son of Sam: The Killer Speaks

Son of Sam: The Killer Speaks

The Yogurt Shop Murders

The Yogurt Shop Murders

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 2)

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 2)

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 1)

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 1)

The Bugs Bunny Defense

The Bugs Bunny Defense

The Fitbit Alibi

The Fitbit Alibi

Who Killed Aileen Seiden in Room 15?

Who Killed Aileen Seiden in Room 15?

Melissa Turner's Closing Act

Melissa Turner's Closing Act

The Monica Sementilli Affair

The Monica Sementilli Affair

The Suzanne Morphew Case: Nothing Is What It Seems

The Suzanne Morphew Case: Nothing Is What It Seems

The Life and Death of Blaze Bernstein

The Life and Death of Blaze Bernstein

The Troubled Case Against Jane Dorotik

The Troubled Case Against Jane Dorotik

Murder on Prom Night

Murder on Prom Night

The Day My Mother Vanished

The Day My Mother Vanished

The Killing of Officer Green

The Killing of Officer Green

Where is Jermain Charlo?

Where is Jermain Charlo?

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 2

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 2

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 1

My Mother's Murder Trials - Part 1

The Kidnapping of Michelle and Breea Renee

The Kidnapping of Michelle and Breea Renee

In Jason's Name

In Jason's Name

The Footprint

Fatal First Date

Fatal First Date

Facing a Monster

Facing a Monster

The Depraved Heart Murder

The Depraved Heart Murder

The Boy Across the Street

The Boy Across the Street

The Bathtub Murder of Kendy Howard

The Bathtub Murder of Kendy Howard

The Farris Wheel

The Farris Wheel

The Detective's Wife

The Detective's Wife

First Love, Then Murder

First Love, Then Murder

The Day My Mother Never Came Home

The Day My Mother Never Came Home

The Gilgo Beach Serial Killings

The Gilgo Beach Serial Killings

"Dead Girls Don't Talk"

"Dead Girls Don't Talk"

The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills

The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills

Could Angela Prichard Have Been Saved?

Could Angela Prichard Have Been Saved?

The Unending Search for Sara Anne Wood

The Unending Search for Sara Anne Wood

Cati Blauvelt: Death of a Soldier’s Wife

Cati Blauvelt: Death of a Soldier’s Wife

The Assassination of Jeff German

The Assassination of Jeff German

The People v. Kouri Richins

The People v. Kouri Richins

Justine's Voice

Justine's Voice

It's About Danni

It's About Danni

Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind

Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind

The “No Body” Case of Dee Warner

The “No Body” Case of Dee Warner

Death by Eye Drops

Death by Eye Drops

The Ivy League Murder

The Ivy League Murder

Unraveling the Case Against Melissa

Unraveling the Case Against Melissa

The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury

The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury

Deputy Spivey on Trial

Deputy Spivey on Trial

The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis

The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis

Who Poisoned Angela Craig?

Who Poisoned Angela Craig?

The Journals of Maria Muñoz

The Journals of Maria Muñoz

Shootout at the Shaughnessys'

Shootout at the Shaughnessys'

The Search for JonBenét's Killer

The Search for JonBenét's Killer

Scott Peterson: Case in Question

Scott Peterson: Case in Question

The “Batman” Intruder

The “Batman” Intruder

The Firefighter’s Secret

The Firefighter’s Secret

For the Love of Cayley Mandadi

For the Love of Cayley Mandadi

Capturing Moriah Wilson’s Killer

Capturing Moriah Wilson’s Killer

The Plot to Eliminate Alyssa Burkett

The Plot to Eliminate Alyssa Burkett

The Suspicious Death of Megan Parra

The Suspicious Death of Megan Parra

Tracking the Killer of Mary Catherine Edwards

Tracking the Killer of Mary Catherine Edwards

Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game

Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game

Fatal First Date

Fatal First Date

The Strange Shooting of Alex Pennig

The Strange Shooting of Alex Pennig

Who Killed Aileen Seiden in Room 15?

Who Killed Aileen Seiden in Room 15?

The Brighton Ax Murder

The Brighton Ax Murder

Where is Jermain Charlo?

Where is Jermain Charlo?

Who Took Our Dad? The Abduction of Ray Wright

Who Took Our Dad? The Abduction of Ray Wright

The Depraved Heart Murder

The Depraved Heart Murder

The Hunt for Sarah Yarborough’s Killer

The Hunt for Sarah Yarborough’s Killer

The Bathtub Murder of Kendy Howard

The Bathtub Murder of Kendy Howard

The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom

The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom

The Unending Search for Sara Anne Wood

The Unending Search for Sara Anne Wood

The Life and Death of Blaze Bernstein

The Life and Death of Blaze Bernstein

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 2)

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 2)

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 1)

The Case of the Black Swan (Part 1)

Andreen McDonald: A Millionaire Vanishes

Andreen McDonald: A Millionaire Vanishes

Missing Marsha

The Snapchat Clue

The Snapchat Clue

"The Dexter Killer"

"The Dexter Killer"

Death at the Front Door: Who Shot Heidi Firkus?

Death at the Front Door: Who Shot Heidi Firkus?

What Happened in Apartment 4C?

What Happened in Apartment 4C?

The Poisonous Wife

The Poisonous Wife

Cold-Blooded Killer

Cold-Blooded Killer

Stephen Smith: A Death in Murdaugh Country

Stephen Smith: A Death in Murdaugh Country

Solve this case: Who killed Kay Wenal?

Solve this case: Who killed Kay Wenal?

The Plot to Kill Dr. Sievers

The Plot to Kill Dr. Sievers

The Devil's Twin

The Devil's Twin

Blood in the Sand

Blood in the Sand

Murder on the Cape

Murder on the Cape

The Night of the Idaho Student Murders

The Night of the Idaho Student Murders

Fighting for Aniah

Fighting for Aniah

Jade Janks and the Secret Photos

Jade Janks and the Secret Photos

The Pact

The Gilgo Beach Serial Killings

The Gilgo Beach Serial Killings

Hannibal Unmasked

Hannibal Unmasked

Who Wanted Nicki Lenway Dead?

Who Wanted Nicki Lenway Dead?

Sole Survivor

The Game Show and the Murder

The Game Show and the Murder

Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game

Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game

The Fenn Treasure

The Fenn Treasure

The Circleville Letters

The Circleville Letters

The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills

The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills

The Day My Mother Vanished

The Day My Mother Vanished

A Stabbing in Colts Neck

A Stabbing in Colts Neck

The Detective's Wife

The Detective's Wife

Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind

Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind

The Case of the Poison Cheesecake

The Case of the Poison Cheesecake

Death by Eye Drops

Death by Eye Drops

The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury

The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury

Where is Diana Duve?

Where is Diana Duve?

The Conspiracy to Murder Jennifer Dulos

The Conspiracy to Murder Jennifer Dulos

The Troubled Case Against Jane Dorotik

The Troubled Case Against Jane Dorotik

Who Poisoned Angela Craig?

Who Poisoned Angela Craig?

Lamar Johnson: Standing in Truth

Lamar Johnson: Standing in Truth

The Monica Sementilli Affair

The Monica Sementilli Affair

The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom

The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom

The People v. Kouri Richins

The People v. Kouri Richins

Alisa Mathewson's Night Terrors

Alisa Mathewson's Night Terrors

The Assassination of Jeff German

The Assassination of Jeff German

Justice for Amie Harwick

Justice for Amie Harwick

Christy and Hilda's Last Dance

Christy and Hilda's Last Dance

Who Took Our Dad? The Abduction of Ray Wright

Who Took Our Dad? The Abduction of Ray Wright

Capturing Moriah Wilson’s Killer

Capturing Moriah Wilson’s Killer

The Mysterious Death of Tiffiney Crawford

The Mysterious Death of Tiffiney Crawford

For the Love of Cayley Mandadi

For the Love of Cayley Mandadi

Shootout at the Shaughnessys'

Shootout at the Shaughnessys'

The Suspicious Death of Megan Parra

The Suspicious Death of Megan Parra

Kassanndra's Secret

Kassanndra's Secret

Lori Vallow Daybell: Guilty

Lori Vallow Daybell: Guilty

The Search for Christie Wilson

The Search for Christie Wilson

What Ever Happened to Mary Day?

What Ever Happened to Mary Day?

The Journals of Maria Muñoz

The Journals of Maria Muñoz

Andreen McDonald: A Millionaire Vanishes

Andreen McDonald: A Millionaire Vanishes

Death at the Front Door: Who Shot Heidi Firkus?

Death at the Front Door: Who Shot Heidi Firkus?

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