Unsolved Mysteries, a perennially popular true-crime series, was so adored that its one season in 1987 wasn’t enough; it returned in 2008 and will return once again in 2020. When the 2020 television series on Netflix made its debut, it swept the globe.
The series was widely discussed on social media due to real crime’s brand-new interest in mainstream culture. Unsolved Mysteries, a perennially popular true-crime series, was so adored that its one season in 1987 wasn’t enough; it returned in 2008 and will return once again in 2020. When the 2020 television series on Netflix made its debut, it swept the globe.
Unlike the first season of the series, which was presented by Robert Stack, the current season of Unsolved Mysteries is a pure documentary-style program with no host or narrator. The first half of the new season of Unsolved Mysteries debuted on Netflix on July 1, 2020, while the second half of the season aired on October 19, 2020.
From 1987 through 2010, it was hosted by Robert Stack, Raymond Burr, Karl Malden, Virginia Madsen, and Dennis Farina and broadcast more than 500 episodes over 14 seasons on NBC, CBS, Lifetime, and Spike.
The show mostly focused on criminal cases and people seeking closure with deceased loved ones. These historical events remain unsolved or are the subject of conspiracy theories (such as Kurt Cobain’s death) and the paranormal. The series was widely discussed on social networking sites due to real crime’s brand-new interest in mainstream culture.
20. Death Row Fugitive
- Season- 2
- Episode- 3
Among the group, “Death Row Fugitive” is by far the most bizarre crime story.
A 14-year-old Ohio girl was shot by a killer in the 1960s as she was en route to obtain cash to spend at the laundromat. We can immediately identify the killer as Lester Eubanks, a serial sex offender who confessed to the crime and was given the death penalty.
But the killer seized the chance to escape while out shopping for Christmas with the other inmates shortly after the death sentence was repealed in 1972. The killer hasn’t been located yet.
19. Tsunami Spirits
- Season-15
- Episode-10
The episode transports us to Japan in 2011, when an earthquake sparked a terrible tsunami that killed over 20,000 people. The terrifyingly high seas make the opening of “Tsunami Spirits” look like it belongs in a disaster movie, and watching people fleeing to higher ground as the buildings fall to bits.
As taxi drivers narrate their ghostly customers and people get glimpses of their lost loved ones, the mood becomes eerier, and they recount their ghost passengers.
These outlandish claims have evidence to support them, which makes them much more intriguing — especially when considered in the context of Japanese society and the way it pays tribute to the deceased. This tale is surely one of a kind.
18. Berkshire’s UFO
- Season-1
- Episode-5
Unsolved Mysteries, revived by Netflix, focused on purportedly paranormal events that allegedly took place in the Massachusetts hamlet of Berkshire in 1969 in its fifth episode of the first season. Residents report seeing UFOs and other strange occurrences firsthand, although definitive proof of such events is probably impossible to find.
17. Lady in the Lake
- Season-15
- Episode-11
Was JoAnn Romain assassinated, or did she commit suicide? The second of these possibilities is much more feasible, according to the story “Lady in the Lake.” Romain had a quieter existence than Jack Wheeler.
She didn’t hold a top-secret job, and from what her family could tell, she got along with everyone she met. But even so, in 2010, a 55-year-old Michigan woman left her Catholic church on a snowy, chilly night, only to later be discovered at the bottom of a nearby lake.
Romain seems so ordinary, which helps the episode’s engaging narrative develop in a way that is simple to relate to. Even though there is evidence that suggests murder, the fact that the culprit is still at large is troubling.
16. A Death in Oslo
- Season-15
- Episode-8
When a woman was discovered dead in her room at the opulent Oslo Plaza Hotel in Norway in the middle of the 1990s, it seemed weird enough.
The hotel’s discovery that she checked in using a bogus identity and lacked any kind of identification made things even stranger. The story of this strange guest, who has not been identified to this day, is told in “A Death in Oslo.” She was who? She was heading somewhere. What took place?
And may there have been foul play involved? This mystery is one of the more compelling stories since it seems like it could have been taken right out of a movie. Although we are aware that this woman was shot, the exact circumstances are still mostly unknown. Also, the specifics appear to be pointing to a larger picture. This unsolved mysteries episode is definitely worth a watch.
15. Stolen Kids
- Season-15
- Episode-12
The final episode of “Stolen Kids” describes the kidnapping of a young child from a park in New York City in May 1989. His family was astonished and anxious, and there were very few leads to pursue.
A few months later, though, another kid was taken from the same park, which only served to deepen the enigma. Both have not been located. Since what finally happened to the kids is predicated on what typically occurs to children who go missing at such a young age, “Stolen Kids” is considerably more reliant on speculation than actual proof.
There is still the hope that they might still exist and are being nurtured by someone who was unable to have children of their own by using various, fictitious names even though hope is not that strong. This is one of the best-unsolved mysteries episodes.
14. Washington Insider Murder
- Season-15
- Episode-7
The story of Jack Wheeler, a former White House aide whose body was found in a landfill on New Year’s Eve 2010, opens Volume 2. Wheeler worked in cybersecurity for a defense contractor at the time of his death. Given the significance of his highly-confidential work to the country, it’s likely that he was murdered because of it.
But there are gaps between his work for the government and his untimely demise. “Washington Insider Murder” is heartfelt, depressing, and a bit plodding. Anecdotes from Wheeler’s wife about their romantic connection are set against security footage showing him acting unusually agitated. Although this makes his argument compelling, it isn’t the best developed of the group.
13. 13 Minutes
- Season-1
- Episode-2
“13 Minutes” is a heartbreaking episode of Unsolved Mysteries, just like most of them. The narrative is told from the viewpoint of Patrice Endres’ son because his mother vanished when he was still a high school student.
One day, she vanished from her salon, and the following 13 minutes of her life remain a complete mystery. Nearly two years later, in Georgia’s forested interior, her body was discovered. There were many people who were considered to be persons of interest in this case, but it appears that none of them had sufficient information or stood out as a likely candidates to be a real suspects.
12. No Ride Home
- Season-1
- Episode-4
The fourth episode of season one, “No Ride Home,” deals with the case of 23-year-old Alonzo Brooks, who vanished after going to a party. Alonzo’s body was discovered in Kansa a month after his abrupt disappearance.
Alonzo’s buddies had to leave the party apart, and hours later, they contacted his house to check on him. However, he still wasn’t there. The fact that they discovered his boots and cap in various locations along the long road leading from the celebration as if they had been thrown out of a moving car initially struck them as terrifying.
Although the case has been closed, many parties involved believe that this murder was a hate crime.
11. Missing Witness
- Season-1
- Episode-6
The season one finale, “Missing Witness,” centers on a young woman’s mysterious disappearance after her family learned the truth about what really happened to their long-missing stepfather.
Lena, who has gone missing, told her family that her mother had killed her stepfather. All of Sandy’s children, including Lena, were quite worried since Sandy had an affair just before her husband went missing.
Years later, when Lena attempts to present her claims in court, she vanishes, turning into the missing witness in her stepfather’s abduction. This is one of the cold cases that one needs to watch.
10. Mystery On The Rooftop
- Season-1
- Episode-1
The first episode of the 2020 Unsolved Mysteries series, “Mystery on the Rooftop,” left viewers with many more concerns than it did answers. She wasn’t seen alive again since Rey Rivera left his house in a hurry after getting a strange call one evening.
His vehicle and corpse were discovered at a historic hotel, but nothing made sense. His body was recovered slightly from across the hotel, a few floors down, while some of his personal items were on the roof.
Many police and his family believe foul play was involved, despite many others declaring it to be a suicide. This is especially true given that their house alarm went off twice in the same week and that his shady closest buddy entrapped him. This episode of the original series was surely one of the best too.
9. House Of Terror
- Season-1
- Episode-3
The third episode of season one, “House of Terror,” is entirely in French. It’s also a fan favorite from the newest round of Unsolved Mysteries programs. When the authorities start searching for the family after they mysteriously vanish, they find something much more horrible.
The four kids, two parents, and two dogs all appeared to have started packing and fled. That is what the authorities initially thought, at least, until the remains of the mother, kids, and dogs were discovered in the garden under the terrace, leaving only the dad unaccounted for.
8. Edward Bell
- Season- 5
- Episode- 12
McConaughey’s dramatic debut occurred in the Edward Bell case in 1992.
In 1978, McConaughey portrayed Larry Dickens, a juvenile counselor living in Pasadena, Texas, with his mother and sister. His mother saw Bell disembark a pickup truck in front of their house as he was mowing the lawn, nude below the waist.
Dickens’ mother warned him while dialing the cops. Bell shot him many times as he took the keys out of the truck. Bell was caught after attempting to flee but was later released on bail and failed to appear in his court. Two viewers’ tips helped solve the case in the end. This is one of the cold cases that one needs to watch.
7. Teresita Basa
- Season-2
- Episode-26
The Teresita Basa case combines elements of paranormal phenomena and brutal crime. At her residence, Basa’s body was found in 1997 with a knife in her chest, below a burning mattress.
Months later, a colleague reported to a detective that she had dreams and visions in which Basa begged her to explain what had happened. The coworker’s spouse said that she was even twice possessed by a voice that identified the murderer.
The case was solved before the Unsolved Mysteries episode aired, but it served as the basis for the 1996 movie Voice from the Grave.
6. The Bermuda Triangle
- Season-3
- Episode-2
The Bermuda Triangle episode explores a mysterious past rather than a specific case.
Although there have been other disappearances in the area, ideas didn’t start to take off until five Navy planes from Flight 19 vanished in 1945. The episode’s main topic is the search for one of the five missing planes.
Over the years, a number of bomber aircraft have been located near the Florida coast, but none of them have matched those from Flight 19.
5. The Circleville Writer
- Season-7
- Episode-6
A number of Circleville, Ohio, individuals started getting strange letters of sensitive classified information around 1976 under mysterious circumstances. Bus driver Mary Gillespie was charged with having an affair. Her husband, Ron, received a letter warning him that continuing the affair would endanger his life.
After Ron’s brother-in-law Paul sent a letter pretending to know who the writer was, the writer threatened to go public but decided against it. Ron’s suspicions were confirmed when he got a call from the alleged author.
The case continued to escalate from there, with an unusual vehicle crash, booby traps, a contentious trial, and a postcard from the author to the Unsolved Mysteries P.O. box. Moreover, this is one of the best episodes of unsolved mysteries.
4. Mary Celeste
- Season-7
- Episode-7
Capt. Benjamin Briggs set sail from New York for Europe in 1872 with his family, fellow crew members, and other passengers. A dangerous decision given how combustible they were, thousands of expensive barrels of pure alcohol were kept below the deck.
More than a month later, the ship was found abandoned off the coast of Portugal. No one was aboard, but the cargo, money, and jewelry were all found unharmed. Naturally, conspiracy theories began to surface for Mary Celeste too.
3. Craig Williamson
- Season-6
- Episode-23
The case of Craig Williamson is a perfect illustration of how mysteries can change after being broadcast.
After only one month of dating Christine Reinhard, Williamson wed her in 1990. He went on a trip to Colorado Springs in 1993, a few weeks after sustaining a concussion. Thereafter, two days after he went, Reinhard had not heard from him and started looking into his absence.
Even if this is intriguing on its own, what happened after the episode aired is, to put it mildly, mysterious.
2. The Men In Black
- Season-9
- Episode-21
No, this is not a discussion about Will Smith (though this episode did air the same year as the first Men in Black movie). Ray Muniz and Collette Peters assert that after UFO sightings, men dressed all in black started to approach them.
Moreover, do they represent a covert government organization, or are they actually aliens? It’s still an unsolved mystery!
1. Coral Polge
- Season-3
- Episode-11
Coral Polge, a “psychic artist,” has the ability to sketch persons who have passed away without ever seeing them. The program focuses on how Polge found her talent and assisted bereaved families. Also, it takes seeing the images of the dead victim to believe them; Polge’s renderings are startlingly precise.
