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
  • Joseph "Joe Lupo" Rulli Part 1: A Marked Man
    Apr 14 2025

    On April 20, 1971, 39-year-old Joseph Rulli, also known as Joe Lupo, mysteriously disappeared from Closter, New Jersey. That day, Joe was hosting a party when he stepped out briefly for an errand but never returned, prompting his wife to report him missing. Days later, Joe's car was discovered in Jersey City, riddled with bullet holes and stained with blood. Initially, investigators assumed Joe had been murdered. However, testing revealed a shocking twist: the blood inside the vehicle wasn't human; it was animal blood. This revelation only deepened the mystery: Had Joe staged his own death and disappeared, intentionally leaving behind a gruesome scene to mislead investigators? Or had someone else murdered him?

    Joe Lupo had once been a promising boxer, a local hero with a bright future, but an illness altered the course of his life. When he vanished, he left behind a wife and a young son, also named Joe, who has spent decades determined to uncover the truth about his father’s disappearance. As he grew up, he combed through the memories of family members who were adults at the time, sifted through old newspaper articles, and meticulously examined archival materials in search of any clues that might finally shed light on what happened to his father that fateful day in April 1971.

    If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Joseph "Joe Lupo" Rulli, please contact the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at (609) 882-2000 ext. 2554 or email missingpinformation@njsp.gov. You can also reach out to Joe directly at lupo144@aol.com.

    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 1 min
  • Cynthia Robison
    Apr 7 2025

    In September 2007, 38-year-old Cynthia Robison left Stockton, California, in the company of a truck driver. The two traveled to Florida, and it’s documented that they were there in early to mid-October. On October 15, Cynthia called her mother, Carolyn, from Connecticut, sounding frantic. She claimed to have witnessed the truck driver shoot someone. Before Carolyn could fully understand what was happening, Cynthia abruptly hung up. Carolyn never heard from her daughter again.

    Cynthia’s family was left in a state of confusion and desperation. They didn’t know where she was exactly or where she might be headed. When they reported her missing, they faced significant roadblocks due to jurisdictional issues. Cynthia had lived in California; her disappearance likely occurred thousands of miles away on the opposite coast. The Stockton Police Department in California opened a missing persons case, but jurisdictional challenges have severely limited their ability to conduct a thorough investigation. Nearly eighteen years later, the search for Cynthia continues, with her family and law enforcement still hoping for answers that might finally lead to Cynthia.

    If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Cynthia Robison, please call the Stockton Police Department at (209) 937-8377.

    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
  • Nicholas Marion Part 2: Breaking Point
    Mar 31 2025

    Last week, we brought you Part 1 of Nicholas Marion’s story, and you learned about his life growing up in the Orlando, Florida, area and his eventual move to British Columbia after marrying a woman from there. After relocating, the distance between Nick and his loved ones in the U.S. seemed to widen. In retrospect, Nick appeared increasingly isolated and dependent on his wife.

    Months before his disappearance, Nick's mother passed away, and while he remained strong for those around him, the emotional toll began to show over time. In June 2024, Nick and his wife traveled to Youbou, British Columbia, to attend the Laketown Shakedown Festival, staying at a property owned by one of her friends. His wife claimed that Nick was struggling that weekend and didn’t even want to go. She said he left early Sunday morning for a walk and never returned, ultimately reporting him missing later that day.

    Nick’s family quickly made their way to Canada upon hearing of his disappearance, diving into the search efforts. But as they began to ask questions, doubts started to surface about the details they were being told. Was everything truly as it seemed, or was there more to Nick's disappearance than anyone realized?

    If you have any information about Nicholas Marion’s disappearance, please contact the Lake Cowichan RCMP Detachment at 250-749-6668 and reference file number 2024-1151.

    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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    58 mins
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What listeners say about The Vanished Podcast

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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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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