The Vanished Podcast

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

  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 [email protected]. You can also reach out to Joe directly at [email protected] 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:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee 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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• Cynthia Robison

  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:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee 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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• Nicholas Marion Part 2: Breaking Point

  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:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee 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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• Nicholas Marion Part 1: Beneath the Surface

  On the morning of June 30, 2024, at around 6:30 AM, 38-year-old Nicholas Marion left a property he was staying at in Youbou, British Columbia, to go for a walk. However, Nick never returned, and his phone was left behind, making it impossible to contact him. Nick, along with his wife Dory, had traveled to Youbou, a peaceful community nestled along the shores of Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island, for a music festival. What was supposed to be a weekend of fun quickly turned into a heart-wrenching mystery when Nick disappeared without a trace.When Nick's family, who live in the U.S., learned of his disappearance, they wasted no time in traveling to the area to join the search. What followed was an intense search effort that lasted for days, but despite their efforts, only a shirt was found, and no other signs of Nick were uncovered. Several eyewitnesses claimed to have seen Nick, but these sightings were ruled out or could not be confirmed.Now, nearly nine months later, the search is still ongoing. Nick's family remains desperate for any clue or piece of information that could help them understand what happened to him.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:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee 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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• Charissa "Hazel Grace" Caster Part 2: Through the Cracks

  Last week, we shared Part 1 of Charissa Caster’s story. You learned that in July 2024, Charissa vanished without a trace. Her belongings were discovered along a roadside in Edmonds, Washington, prompting law enforcement to notify her family. Days later, her car was found abandoned approximately 50 miles away in Sequim, Washington. Surveillance footage later surfaced, showing her picking flowers in the area; this was the last confirmed sighting of Charissa Caster. Despite extensive searches, no further trace of her has been discovered.As Charissa’s family and friends combed through the details, they revisited the events leading up to her disappearance. Charissa had recently ended a relationship with her boyfriend and had expressed concerns to multiple people about his alleged abusive behavior. She had even sought medical care at a local hospital, where a rape kit was performed. These revelations sparked alarm, especially with Charissa now missing. Yet, there were also signs that Charissa had been struggling with her mental health in the lead-up to her disappearance, as her behavior had become increasingly erratic. She also made a significant change in her life by deciding to change her name to Hazel Grace, signaling a possible desire to start anew. This name change has added even more mystery to her case. Was it an attempt to escape her past, or did it signify a more profound personal transformation?As the mystery deepened, the lack of answers and clues only intensified the uncertainty surrounding her case. Her loved ones were left grappling with a difficult question: Was Charissa the victim of violence, or did she leave on her own due to mental health struggles? In this week’s episode, we will continue to explore Charissa’s story, delving into the information her loved ones have uncovered in the months since her disappearance. Despite their tireless efforts, they remain hopeful and continue piecing together the fragments of her journey, holding on to the hope that Charissa may still be out there.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:FacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonSee 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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