The Vanished Podcast

By: Wondery
  • Summary

  • The Vanished is a true crime podcast that explores the stories of those who have gone missing. The Vanished goes beyond conventional news reports to take a deep dive into the story of a different missing person each week. Host Marissa Jones brings you exclusive interviews with family members, friends, law enforcement and experts. What will The Vanished uncover next?

    Listen to The Vanished on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-vanished-podcast/ now.

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Episodes
  • Charissa "Hazel Grace" Caster Part 1: Chaos Puzzle
    Mar 10 2025

    In late July 2024, 32-year-old Charissa Caster vanished under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a trail of unsettling clues. Her disappearance came to light when her belongings were found scattered along a roadway in Edmonds, Washington. Shortly after, her car was discovered abandoned near Sequim, WA, roughly 50 miles away. The last confirmed sighting of Charissa was captured on video, showing her picking flowers in the area, but after that, she seemingly disappeared without a trace.

    As the reality of her disappearance set in, Charissa’s loved ones immediately launched a search around the location where her car was found, but they turned up empty-handed. In a desperate attempt to piece together what happened, they began retracing her steps in the days and weeks before her July 2024 disappearance. To share what little information they had, they created a group chat to exchange details from their personal interactions with Charissa. Slowly, a haunting picture of her life in the lead-up to her disappearance began to emerge.

    But what do these fragmented pieces mean, and how might they help uncover what happened to Charissa?

    If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Charissa Caster, please contact the Edmonds Police Department at 425-771-0200.

    If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.

    Follow The Vanished on social media at:

    Facebook

    Instagram

    Twitter

    Patreon

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Replay: Toby Anderson
    Mar 3 2025

    At just 16 years old, Toby Anderson found himself tangled in a web of trouble. His teenage years were marked by hardship, pushing him to act out in ways that strained his relationships. Sent to a juvenile facility in Northern California, Toby was shuffled between different family members, struggling to find stability. Then, without warning, he vanished. Everyone assumed he had run away, a plausible scenario given his troubled past.

    Toby's father searched for him, reaching out to relatives across the country in hopes of tracking him down. But Toby never turned up. When his father passed away, the search slowly faded into the background.

    Decades later, a determined cousin became intrigued by the mystery surrounding Toby. As she dug deeper, she began to uncover startling truths that contradicted what she had been told. What she uncovered was not just puzzling, it was terrifying.

    If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Toby Anderson, please contact the Oregon State Police at (541) 776-6236.

    If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.

    Follow The Vanished on social media at:

    Facebook

    Instagram

    Twitter

    Patreon

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Shannon Merry
    Feb 24 2025

    It was Easter Sunday in 2013 when Shannon Merry's family last heard from her. During a phone call with her mother, who was in North Carolina while Shannon was in Ronkonkoma, New York, they had a disagreement, and the conversation ended on a sour note. After the call, Shannon's mother did not hear from her again and assumed that her daughter was upset. As time passed, Shannon's friends also noticed her absence; she stopped texting, calling, and posting on social media. Their concern grew as days turned into weeks, then months, and eventually years. Seven years later, they were finally able to have Shannon reported as a missing person.

    However, the considerable time that had passed since anyone had heard from Shannon posed significant challenges for law enforcement in their investigation. The lack of immediate leads, fading of physical evidence, and difficulties in tracking down new information after such a long period hindered investigators' efforts to piece together what happened to Shannon Merry.

    Today, Shannon's loved ones are appealing to the public for leads, hoping that someone will come forward with vital information. They believe that even the smallest clue could make a significant difference in their search and remain hopeful that the public’s assistance will bring them closer to finding Shannon.

    If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Shannon Merry, please call the Suffolk County Police Department Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452 or 911.

    If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.

    Follow The Vanished on social media at:

    Facebook

    Instagram

    Twitter

    Patreon

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 7 mins

What listeners say about The Vanished Podcast

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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent True Crime Podcast

I love true crime and The Vanished is one of my absolute favorite programs to listen to. I appreciate the dedication to facts, truth, accountability and follow through! I honestly have come to understand that there are a lot of awful, sloppy, uncaring police departments. No wonder there are so many unsolved crimes in the US. I love programs that hold agencies accountable and tell the story as it is without any BS politics being involved!

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I’m a picky listener; this is a fantastic podcast.

My taste regarding podcasts and true crime content creators can be temperamental but I absolutely love this podcast. The narration is perfectly balanced and well-paced. The information is always relevant and pertinent, her voice is soothing and her tone is respectful. I appreciate how she gives the victim’s family and friends the time and space to speak about their lost loved ones. Good job!!

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Stands out from the rest

I listen to true crime podcasts to help me fall asleep. They're interesting enough that I don't get stuck in my thoughts but not so fascinating that they keep me awake waiting for the next bit. I heard a sample of "The Vanished" and thought it would do nicely. But I was wrong --- this one got moved to 'Daytime Only' because it is mesmerizing. The research is impressive, the delivery professional and the interviews with family members put this on a whole other plane. It's become my favorite podcast-- and I never sleep through it!

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Amazing!

I love this podcast because they do great research and actually include the families in the process. Kudos to you for doing ethical work.

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This one will stick with you...

Wow! Just wow! How utterly heartbreaking. This family's strength is immeasurable. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. As a mother I pray to never know this pain. Karma is an unruly being with no discrimination and she/they (ex-husband included) will certainly get what's coming to them, God willing.

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A crime that appears to be easily solved.

Such a heartbreaking tale. you would think they should have a trail, I mean, it was broad daylight. there were people all around this baby on the porch. nobody saw anything? no suspects? no person of interest? COME ON!!! This sounds far fetched, doesn't it?

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missed this podcast

ust to listen to it on sticher then they stopped with podcast. glad I found it. it's by far 1of the best

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    2 out of 5 stars

Too many interviews, just tell the story

I think the producers of this show mean well, but they're lazy. Do the interviews with the relatives and friends and then write the narrative and facts around those interviews. I feel like with Isaac Seidel's disappearance, I can't even find out the circumstances of his disappearance because it's mired in the endless interviews that take up the entire podcast. Hopefully a better podcast team that can actually do the missing persons justice, like "Where are The?", takes up his story. Drop the interviews - there shouldn't even be a Patreon group for this podcast since they don't do much work except play back what others say.

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1 person found this helpful