10 Biggest Unsolved Mysteries Cases That Were Finally Solved

Unsolved Mysteries has 10 big cases that were eventually solved. Unsolved Mysteries is a documentary program with hundreds of episodes featured on various networks, including NBC, CBS, Lifetime, Spike, and most recently, Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries reboot. The show covers a variety of mysteries, including fraud, unexplained deaths, conspiracy theories, and disappearances. There is no limit to what the show will cover, especially considering Unsolved Mysteries’ creepiest cases. Although each segment encourages viewers to submit tips to the show’s hotline, many cases remain unsolved.

However, Unsolved Mysteries has proved its worth by the dozens of cases that have been solved because of the show. Most recently, Netflix’s reboot helped solve the missing person’s case of Kayla Unbehaun. Throughout the show’s 35-year run, there are 10 big cases featured in Unsolved Mysteries that have been solved. These cases are largely impactful, whether it is because of the notorious crime or the attention Unsolved Mysteries brought to the case. Regardless of the reason, Unsolved Mysteries has 10 famous cases that have significantly impacted today’s culture.

10 Elizabeth Carmichael: Season 1, Episode 22

A Woman Committed Fraud By Creating A Fake Car

In 1973, Elizabeth Carmichael seized a fraudulent opportunity when the United States endured an oil crisis. She created Dale, a car with three wheels that cost less than $2000 and drove 60 miles per gallon. Carmichael even insisted that Dale could survive crashing into a brick wall at 50 miles per hour. In 1974, Elizabeth Carmichael created the 20th Century Motor Car Corporation, and she made three million dollars before the Dale was even available. However, people began questioning the vehicle’s legitimacy, which led Bill Hall, a detective for the California Department of Motor Vehicles, to investigate the situation.

“On inspection of this vehicle it was not a viable vehicle at all. It had no engine. Two-by-fours were holding up the rear wheel. The accelerator was just sitting on the floor. It wasn’t even attached. The windows were not safety glass. They would bend back and forth. The doors were put on by regular door hinges, like one might find on a house door. The vehicle just absolutely did not exist.”

– Bill Hall, The California Department of Motor Vehicles

He quickly learned that there was no factory in the process of creating the vehicle, and when stumbling upon a prototype, Bill Hall realized the concept of the Dale was total fraud. During Bill Hall’s investigation, Elizabeth Carmichael moved to Dallas, Texas, with her five children. However, before authorities could close in on her, she escaped Dallas with her family once again, only to be found in Miami nine weeks later under the alias Susan Raines. Another shocking factor appeared during this investigation—Elizabeth Carmichael was once known as Jerry Dean Michael, who was wanted by the FBI for counterfeiting and escaping bail.

Authorities finally arrested Carmichael on April 12, 1975, and she was eventually convicted of conspiracy, grand theft, and fraud. Although she spent four years attempting to appeal, a sentencing hearing was scheduled in 1980. However, Elizabeth Carmichael inexplicably disappeared. After this segment of Unsolved Mysteries aired, a viewer called the hotline and reported Elizabeth Carmichael’s whereabouts. She had been living in Dale, Texas, under the name Kathryn Elizabeth Johnson. Once authorities apprehended her, she was sentenced to 32 months in prison but served only two years. She was then released on a three-year probation program.

9 Stockton Arsonist: Season 3, Episode 1

A Video Shows A House Set On Fire

Unsolved Mysteries season 3, episode 1, one of the show’s most befuddling cases. On August 15, 1989, a man and his son found a video tape, which they took home to watch. They were horrified to discover that the cassette contained footage of a house burning down. Despite some vague clues in the video, there was no evidence that pointed to where this house was located. However, after Unsolved Mysteries aired this segment, several viewers called the tip hotline to report that they had recognized the house.

Although the video was found in Stockton, California, the actual house was located 80 miles away, in Redwood City, California. The Redwood City Police Chief had his own footage of the burning house, which he was able to match to the disturbing video. Two minors had already been arrested for arson in this case—one had been tried in a juvenile court, while the other went to a mental health institution. The Stockton Arsonist case is one of Unsolved Mysteries‘ most notoriously disturbing cases, so it was certainly a relief when it was finally solved.

8 Kevin Poulsen: Season 3, Episode 4

Kevin Poulsen Hacked The Pentagon’s Computer Network

Kevin Poulsen became a hacker upon receiving a computer for his birthday. He went by an alias, Dark Dante, and eventually discovered a computer network funded by the Pentagon. Shortly afterward, the authorities tracked him down because Poulsen had accidentally logged in as himself on one occasion. However, Kevin Poulsen was a minor at the time, so authorities let him off with a warning. Kevin Poulsen continued his illegal activities but was caught again a few years later. On February 8, 1988, owners of a storage building emptied Poulsen’s locker because he failed to pay rent on time.

When the owners of the storage building discovered stolen telephone equipment, they immediately contacted the police. This new investigation revealed that Kevin Poulsen’s illegal activities were much more severe. He tracked private phone conversations and trespassed on private property to hack into computer systems. Poulsen had even hacked into the US Army’s network and retrieved classified documents. The FBI concluded their investigation and announced 19 indictments against Kevin Poulsen on October 19, 1989. Kevin Poulsen and his accomplices were charged with conspiracy, computer fraud, wiretapping, embezzlement, and public property theft.

While authorities found Poulsen’s accomplices, they never found Kevin Poulsen himself. However, after this Unsolved Mysteries segment aired, the FBI was notified of Poulsen’s whereabouts, and he was quickly arrested. Kevin Poulsen pleaded guilty to his crimes and was sentenced to over four years in prison in addition to paying $56,000 in compensation. After Poulsen served his sentence, he was released on five years of probation. Now, Kevin Poulsen works as a journalist and has a program on Myspace that catches sex offenders. Poulsen turned his life around and uses his computer skills for positive reasons.

7 David & Patty Stallings: Season 3, Episode 19

A Mother Was Wrongfully Convicted Of Murdering Her Child

On July 9, 1989, Patty and David Stallings rushed to the hospital with their baby, Ryan, who exhibited symptoms of poisoning. The hospital staff immediately suspected that Patty Stallings had poisoned her own child, so David and Patty Stallings could not take their son home and were restricted to seeing him only on supervised visits. Patty Stallings visited her baby again just a few weeks later, and three days afterward, Ryan Stallings was rushed to the hospital for the same reason. Unfortunately, he did not survive the illness this time.

Despite Patty Stallings’ insistence on her innocence, authorities charged and tried her for first-degree murder. During this time, she became pregnant and gave birth to another baby boy, David Jr. He was given to foster care but eventually experienced similar symptoms, which doctors attributed to MMA, a rare genetic disorder. However, the prosecution insisted the two cases were different, and the jury convicted Patty Stallings on March 4, 1991. When Unsolved Mysteries aired this segment, doctors called the hotline to vouch for Patty Stallings, and she was subsequently released from prison and reunited with her family.

6 Edward Bell: Season 5, Episode 12

Edward Bell Killed A Marine, Committed Sexual Offenses, & Later Confessed To Being A Serial Killer

On August 24, 1978, Larry Dickens was visiting his mother, Dorothy Lang, in Pasadena, Texas. While Dickens was mowing the lawn, Lang noticed a strange man outside approaching a group of children, naked from the waist down. Lang immediately called the police, while Dickens went to confront the man and protect the children. The strange man, named Edward Harold Bell, took out a gun and shot Larry Dickens four times. Dorothy Lang ran to her son and begged him to stay still while she updated the authorities over the phone.

When Dorothy Lang ran inside, Edward Harold Bell retrieved a rifle from his car and shot Larry Dickens one last time, which Dickens’ sister, Dawna Parks, had witnessed. Although Texas authorities arrested Edward Harold Bell, he got out on bail after two months and mysteriously disappeared. Afterward, he was only seen breaking into a house in Bryan, Texas, in September 1984. Bell prepared to attack the woman living there, but she chased him out. However, she did not know who he was until she saw an advertisement for Texas Most Wanted in the newspaper featuring the assailant.

Within minutes of Unsolved Mysteries airing this segment, viewers called in after recognizing Edward Harold Bell in Panama. The Panama police arrested him and brought Bell back to the US, where he was convicted of murdering Larry Dickens and other sexual misconduct charges and sentenced to 70 years. However, the most shocking aspect about Edward Harold Bell is his violent history of sexually abusing children and his confession to being responsible for the Texas Killing Fields, where more than 30 bodies were found over three decades.

5 Bonnie Haim: Season 8, Episode 8

Bonnie Was Killed By Her Husband While Their Toddler Was The Only Witness

Bonnie Haim was a young mother last seen on January 6, 1993. Shortly after her disappearance, authorities begin to suspect her husband, Michael Haim, of murdering her. Bonnie Haim’s case is shocking for two reasons. One, Michael Haim’s family believed he had something to do with his wife’s disappearance, while Bonnie Haim’s father believed in his innocence. These circumstances are highly unusual when a spouse is the primary suspect. Bonnie Haim worked for her husband’s aunt, Eveann, who had witnessed her nephew’s abuse firsthand.

The night that Bonnie Haim went missing, she was supposed to go to Eveann’s house to work on an upcoming baby shower, but she called Eveann, suddenly changing her plans. After that, no one had heard from or seen Bonnie Haim again. Investigators discovered her car near the Jacksonville Airport, and her purse was found in a dumpster nearby. Bonnie Haim had filled her purse with cash, cards, and documents, indicating she was planning to leave. Detectives also discovered Michael Haim’s footprint inside his wife’s car and determined he was the last person to have driven it.

Despite the suspicious circumstances, Bonnie Haim’s father firmly believed in his son-in-law’s innocence. The second reason why this case is particularly shocking is Bonnie and Michael Haim’s three-year-old son, Aaron, witnessed his mother’s murder. Of course, Bonnie Haim’s father refused to believe his grandson, even though Aaron Haim’s recount of January 6 indicated that Michael Haim had killed his wife. Detectives could not move forward without a body, which Aaron Haim found while searching the backyard in 2014. Michael Haim was tried and convicted of murdering Bonnie Haim, and the judge sentenced him to life in prison.

4 Mia Zapata: Season 8, Episode 9

Musician Mia Zapata Was Sexually Assaulted & Murdered

Mia Zapata was part of an up-and-coming Seattle band, the Gits, when she was brutally murdered. She was last seen alive at 2 a.m. on July 7, 1993, and was found just an hour later, only miles away. Zapata had been sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled to death. The detectives faced difficulty in collecting evidence because Mia Zapata was found in a different location from where the crime was committed. Investigators had three possible theories. One, Mia Zapata took a cab home, and the cab driver murdered her—but there was no taxi activity reported in the area at the time.

The second theory involves Mia Zapata walking in the opposite direction towards the Seattle reservoir, supported by a witness who heard a terrifying scream in the middle of the night. The third and final theory involves Mia not leaving the building in the first place. Regardless, there was no additional evidence to advance the case. Detectives ran the DNA collected from the crime scene 10 years later, and it matched felon Jesus Mezquia. In 1993, Jesus Mezquia lived three blocks from where Mia Zapata’s body was found. Jesus Mezquia was tried and convicted, eventually sentenced to 36 years in prison.

3 Frank Montenegro: Season 11, Episode 5

Frank Montenegro Sexually Abused Children

Frank Montenegro is one of Unsolved Mysteries‘ most surprising cases because of the circumstances. Frank Montenegro was only 24 years old when his parents died, and he stepped up to become his siblings’ primary caregiver, who were all under 18. Montenegro also taught special education at an elementary school—his persona was so heroic that he became viral in an era before the digital age. However, Patricia Jackson, the mother of one of Montenegro’s students, noticed her son came home with a pair of underwear that she did not recognize. Her son explained that Frank Montenegro had given it to him.

Although Patricia Jackson thought it was strange, she dropped the subject until a year later, when her son admitted that Frank Montenegro had sexually abused him. Detective Teresa Martinez was immediately assigned to the case, and she was determined to investigate the accusation. Although the boy lied about the entire class witnessing the assault, he was afraid of being discredited regarding the incident. When Detective Teresa Martinez went to Frank Montenegro’s classroom to investigate, she discovered inside a side door containing two rooms, split by a double-sided mirror.

When Martinez returned to Frank Montenegro’s classroom again, the mirror was replaced by plain glass, indicating he knew the authorities were catching on. Martinez received a search warrant for Montenegro’s house, where she discovered a second victim and books about intercourse with children. When Martinez was ready to arrest Montenegro, he disappeared after abandoning his rental car in La Paz, Mexico. Frank Montenegro was arrested on August 12, 2015, after police received a tip regarding his new identity. Frank Montenegro was tried and convicted of sexual abuse, and he was sentenced to 195 years to life in prison.

2 Eric Rudolph: Season 12, Episode 10

Eric Rudolph Was The Olympic Bomber

Eric Rudolph was responsible for the notorious 1996 Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta, Georgia. He committed several bombings after the first one before disappearing. On July 27, 1996, Eric Rudolph placed a pipe bomb in Centennial Olympic Park, which injured many people but only killed Alice Hawthorne. Her daughter, Fallon Stubbs, was with her mother when she died. The FBI and law enforcement proceeded to receive several notes from a group called the Army of God, who claimed responsibility for the attacks. Three more bombings occurred after the Olympic Park incident.

However, no one else died until a bombing at an abortion clinic in Alabama. Healthcare worker Emily Lyons survived after losing her eye, but the bomb killed security guard Robert Sanderson. Police noticed a suspicious vehicle and later tracked it to Eric Rudolph. Unfortunately, Rudolph disappeared, having last been seen by George Nordmann, who owned a food facility that Rudolph had robbed. Five years later, Eric Rudolph was arrested in Murphy, North Carolina, after a police officer deemed him to be suspicious. Eric Rudolph was tried and convicted of the bombings, receiving four life sentences and an additional 120 years.

1 Anthrax Murders: Season 12, Episode 13

Five People Died From Deliberate Anthrax Poisoning

In October 2001, the United States endured a series of mysterious anthrax attacks targeting news corporations and the post office. On October 16, 2001, Norma Wallace and Leroy Richmond both fell gravely ill and were rushed to the hospital. Despite the difficulty in determining the cause, doctors eventually realized they had suffered anthrax poisoning. Just weeks prior, journalist Robert Stevens died from an unexpected anthrax attack, but Norma Wallace and Leroy Richmond’s incidents began a series of anthrax poisonings. Four more people died: Thomas Morris, Joseph Curseen, Kathy Nguyen, and Ottilie Lundgren.

The culprit of the anthrax poison also taunted news stations with clues, but it did not help with the investigation. The perpetrator would not be found until after his death. On July 27, 2008, scientist Bruce Ivins died of a drug overdose. The FBI subsequently announced that Ivins had been the anthrax poisoner, claiming he had been a suspect early on. It is unclear what motivated Bruce Ivins to target journalists and post office workers. However, considering the nature of their jobs, the reason might have to do with differing ideologies and the concept of free speech.

Sources: CBS News, CNN