cover of episode 5 Baffling Cases That Defy Logic

5 Baffling Cases That Defy Logic

2024/11/20
logo of podcast Malevolent Mischief: True Stories of Horror

Malevolent Mischief: True Stories of Horror

Key Insights

Why did the Circleville letters continue even after Paul Freshour was imprisoned?

The letters continued because prison officials confirmed Paul had no access to writing materials or mail while in solitary confinement, suggesting another person or group was responsible.

What was the significance of the voicemail Henry McCabe left before his disappearance?

The voicemail contained strange, unearthly noises and pained screams, suggesting Henry was in distress or danger, but it remains unclear what exactly happened to him.

How did the discovery of Matrice Richardson's remains deepen the mystery surrounding her death?

Her remains were found partially clothed, with some bones scattered by animals, and her skull detached and resting upside down, indicating a possibly sinister or unexplained cause of death.

Why did Dorothy Jane Scott's family believe she was being stalked?

Dorothy received strange phone calls from an unknown man who knew intimate details of her life, making her feel exposed and vulnerable, leading her family to believe she was being stalked.

What unusual behavior did Matrice Richardson exhibit before her disappearance?

Matrice left bizarre messages, wrote incoherent social media posts, and showed signs of mental distress, leading her loved ones to suspect she was struggling with a mental health episode.

Chapters

The Circleville letters brought fear and suspicion to a small Ohio town, targeting residents and officials with intimate details of their lives. Despite arrests and theories, the true identity of the writer remains a mystery.
  • Letters targeted school superintendent Gordon Massey and Mary Gillespie, accusing them of an affair.
  • Mary and her husband Ron received threatening letters and phone calls.
  • Ron's death was initially ruled an accident, but many believed it was murder.
  • Paul Freshour was arrested for attempted murder but the letters continued even while he was in prison.

Shownotes Transcript

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In the mid-1970s, the town of Circleville, Ohio was the kind of place where doors stayed unlocked, where families shared backyard fences, and where everyone knew their neighbors. Life was simple here, with the quiet rhythm of a small town undisturbed, until the arrival of strange letters. No one knew who sent them, and no one knew why, but these letters brought whispers of secrets and shadows of betrayal, painting the town in suspicion and fear.

This is the story of the Circleville Rider, a shadowy figure who would ignite fear, suspicion, and even tragedy across the town. Despite arrests, theories, and decades of searching, this case remains a haunting mystery that is yet to be solved. The first letters targeted school superintendent Gordon Massey, accusing him of having an affair with Mary Gillespie, a married school bus driver.

The writer claimed to know about this alleged relationship in great detail and demanded that Massey confess to the school board. Then, Mary herself received a letter. It warned her that she was being watched, told her to end the supposed affair, and threatened her family if she didn't comply. Mary was horrified. She shared the letter with her husband, Ron, and denied any affair with Massey. They decided to keep quiet, hoping that the letters would stop, but they didn't. They only grew bolder.

mentioning details of Mary's life and repeating the demand that she confess. When Ron received letters of his own, the writer ordered him to expose his wife or face deadly consequences. Soon, phone calls began, and offensive signs appeared along Mary's bus route, even making explicit and threatening references to Mary's young daughter. Mary had initially suspected a fellow bus driver was behind this, a man named David Longberry.

Longberry had shown romantic interest in her, which she had rejected. Mary, Ron, and Ron's sister Karen, along with her husband, Paul Freshour, all agreed to confront Longberry by sending him their own warning letter. And for a short time, it seemed to work. The letter stopped, but soon they returned, more relentless than before. Then, in August of 1977,

A single phone call shattered any sense of safety the Gillespie family had managed to hold onto. Ron answered the call, his expression changing from confusion to fury. No one knows exactly what was said on the other end of the line, but whatever Ron heard was enough to make him grab his gun and storm out into the night. He left without any explanation, with only the darkened road ahead and the urgency of vengeance or justice in his eyes.

The small town secrets stretched in eerie silence as his truck disappeared into the darkness. Hours later, the quiet night was broken by the sound of his truck, found crashed into a tree. Ron was dead, the gun found beneath him. It was found that a single shot had been fired somewhere along the way, though at what, no one could say. To this day, that phone call remains a mystery, an eerie echo from the past that lingers unanswered.

perhaps holding the key to a secret that would die with Ron that night. Though his death was initially ruled an accident, many believed it was something darker. His blood alcohol level was suspiciously high, far above what friends and family believed possible for Ron, and even stranger. As noted before, his gun had been fired once, though no bullet was ever found. Sheriff Dwight Radcliffe investigated the death as a possible murder, but ultimately ruled it an accident.

possibly under pressure to avoid scandal. In the years following Ron's death, the letters only continued, targeting not only Mary, but other Circleville residents and even public officials. By 1983, Mary was exhausted when one day, she noticed a sign on her bus route with an obscene message about her young daughter. She pulled over, intending to take it down, but as she pulled at the sign, she found it was connected to a booby trap. A clear attempt

To harm her, Mary took the sign and the attached box to the police, who discovered a loaded pistol inside, rigged to fire at first disturbance of the box. The police traced the gun to Paul Freshour, Mary's brother-in-law. Paul admitted that the gun was his but claimed it had gone missing weeks before. However, with his failed polygraph test, accusations from his ex-wife Karen, and the sheriff's suspicions,

Paul was arrested for attempted murder, though not officially for writing the letters. Paul was eventually convicted and sentenced to prison. The community breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the Circleville writer had finally been caught. But, incredibly, the letters didn't stop. They continued. Even while Paul was incarcerated and held under tight restrictions, Paul himself received a letter in prison, taunting him and saying, when we set them up, they stay set up.

"Don't you listen at all?" Prison officials confirmed Paul had no access to writing materials or mail while in solitary confinement. Yet, the letters continued to circulate, seemingly mocking the town's hope for closure. While Paul Freshour sat in prison, more residents began to question whether he was truly the Circleville writer. Some pointed to Karen Freshour, Paul's ex-wife, who had recently gone through a bitter divorce with him. She had been living with Mary Gillespie, further linking her to the case.

And there were other oddities too. A school bus driver later reported seeing a large man with sandy hair near the site of the booby trap shortly before Mary found it, a description that didn't match Paul at all. The man was driving a yellow El Camino, similar to a vehicle owned by Karen's new boyfriend, but police never pursued this lead. Some believe that the Circleville letters weren't the work of one person, but of several.

How else could the writer have known so many intimate details about the lives of so many people in the area? But if it were a group, they took their secret to the grave. No one has ever confessed or provided evidence of their involvement. Paul was released from prison in 1994 and he continued to profess his innocence until his death in 2012. Intriguingly enough, around the time of his release, the letters altogether stopped. There have been no known letters since 1994.

leaving many to wonder, was the Circleville writer truly Paul, or did the real writer simply decide to disappear? In recent years, CBS's 48 Hours revisited the case, enlisting a handwriting expert who linked the letters to Paul. But former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole believes this evidence isn't definitive. O'Toole argues that there are traits suggesting the writer might have been female and not particularly educated.

while Paul had multiple college degrees. The debate rages on, but one thing is clear. No conclusive proof has ever been found to pin the letters definitively on Paul, or anyone else for that matter. Decades later, the Circleville letters still cast a shadow over the town's past, leaving a strange unease for those who remember the events. It was as if a hidden figure had moved among them, invisible, yet deeply intimate with their lives, turning neighbors against each other,

and leaving scars that still last to this day. The mystery of the Circleville writer, anonymous, taunting, and unnervingly elusive, continues to defy explanation. Was this the work of a single vengeful mind, or was it a tangled conspiracy involving multiple people with secrets of their own? The letters stopped abruptly, leaving only questions in their wake, and perhaps that silence is the most unnerving part of all.

Today, the Circleville writer exists as an enigma frozen in time, a puzzle left deliberately unsolved, challenging us to ask questions that may never have answers. And maybe, just maybe, the truth lies somewhere within that silence, known only to the writer who disappeared as mysteriously as they arrived. A big thanks to our friends over at Peloton for sponsoring this episode. I've been using Peloton for a while now, and I've got to tell you,

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A tragedy occurred, one that would leave wreckage, confusion, and a mystery that his family would never forget. Charles Peck, 49 years old, was filled with hope that day. He had been offered a chance to move closer to Andrea, the woman he loved. A job interview awaited him in Salt Lake City, one that could secure his future in Utah and bring him closer to the life he dreamed of. Charles' excitement was palpable. After years of hard work, he was ready for a new chapter.

As he boarded the train in Los Angeles, he had no way of knowing what lay ahead. The promise of a future with his fiancée was all he could think about, and with every mile, he came closer to that reality. But sometimes, life has other plans. It was nearing evening when the Metrolink commuter train carrying Charles collided with a Union Pacific freight train. The impact was catastrophic. Train cars were crushed, metal twisted, and the once bustling commute

turned into a scene of horror and chaos. News of the crash quickly spread, and Charles' family held their breath, waiting for any word. Loved ones like Andrea and Charles' children gathered, anxious for any update. They clung to the hope that he was safe, that he would be one of the lucky ones to walk out of the wreckage. Then, just when hope began to dim, something incredible happened. It started with a single call,

Charles' name appearing on one of his kid's caller IDs. His son answered, heart pounding with anticipation, but when he picked up, all he heard was silence. The silence stretched on for moments before the line ultimately went dead. But that call was only the beginning. Over the next several hours, Charles' fiancée, his children, and other family members received call after call from his phone. Each time they answered,

desperate to hear his voice but were only met with silence on the other end. For hours, his phone kept calling them, and each call rekindled their hope that Charles was somehow alive, struggling to reach out for help from beneath the wreckage. The calls continued, each one a small beacon in the dark, offering his family a glimmer of hope that perhaps Charles had survived. His loved ones could imagine him, trapped somewhere in the wreckage, unable to speak but still breathing.

They prayed that each new call would bring the sound of his voice, or a clue to his whereabouts. Rescue crews too heard of these calls and focused their search efforts, combing through the wreckage with the belief that Charles might still be alive, trapped, but resilient, fighting to hold on. As the night wore on, fatigue set in and the calls grew less frequent, but the family continued to hold their phones close, hoping for one more ring, one more chance to hear from him.

Hours passed, and dawn began to break, casting light on the wreckage and the long, grueling search. Rescuers worked tirelessly, following every lead, checking every part of the wrecked train. Then, as the final call stopped coming in, a heavy silence settled over Charles' family. They could feel the weight of it, like an unspoken answer to the question they dared not ask. At last, rescuers made a discovery that would end the family's wait.

They found Charles' body in the wreckage, and the news was devastating. He had not survived the crash, and from the condition of his remains, it became clear that he had likely died upon impact. The sudden loss of hope left his family with not only grief, but also confusion. If Charles had died on impact, then how had his phone continued to make calls for hours after his death? Even after Charles' family laid him to rest, questions still lingered.

Many have speculated about the mystery of the phone calls. Could it have been a technical malfunction? Some believe the severe impact of the crash may have damaged Charles' phone, causing it to repeatedly redial his loved ones at random. In the chaos of bent metal and broken circuitry, perhaps the phone's programming was somehow activated, dialing in a strange pattern as a result of its damaged state. Others suggest that electrical surges from the collision or malfunctioning cell towers might have triggered the calls.

This theory could explain why the phone continued reaching out even when the line went silent, but none of those theories can fully explain the eerie consistency with which Charles' family received those calls, or why the phone call stopped shortly before his body was discovered. For some, the mystery defies technological explanations. They wonder if there was something more, a final message from Charles somehow reaching out to his loved ones.

One last attempt to tell them he was near, even if he couldn't speak. Whatever the answer, his family was left with a haunting memory of those silent calls, a series of echoes that bridged life and death. Today, the calls from Charles Peck's phone remain one of those inexplicable events that leave us with more questions than answers. Was it a glitch, a technical malfunction, or something beyond our understanding? His family will likely never know for sure,

But they carry with them the bittersweet memory of that night, the night when, against all odds, Charles seemed to reach out to them one last time. Some mysteries fade with time, but others last, inviting us to wonder, to question, and to look for meaning in the silence. The calls from Charles' phone have become just such a mystery, an open question that, to this day, haunt all those who hear it.

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Henry McCabe, a 32-year-old man from Minnesota, vanished after a night out with friends. He was an immigrant from Liberia, a husband and a father, known for his kind nature and joyful spirit. But something went terribly wrong that night. What began as an evening of socializing quickly turned into a mystery that has haunted his family, the police, and anyone who has heard the chilling voicemail he left in the early hours of his disappearance.

This is the story of Henry McCabe, the night he vanished, the terrifying message he left behind, and the questions that still surround his tragic death. On September 6th, 2015, Henry McCabe spent the evening out with friends at a bar in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota. His wife, Corrine, was out of town visiting family, so Henry took the opportunity to enjoy a night out with his friends. The evening was mostly uneventful, with the group chatting and drinking until later in the night.

when Henry's friends noticed a shift in his mood. Henry's friend, William Kennedy, who happened to be the last person to see him that night, claims that Henry asked him to drop him off at a gas station at around 2:00 a.m. This gas station was roughly four miles from Henry's home in Mounds View, a suburban area in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. It was an unusual request, but Kennedy complied, leaving Henry near the gas station.

He drove away, believing that Henry would find his way home from there, but Henry never made it home that night. At sometime between 2 and 3 am, Henry's wife, Corrine, received a voicemail from his phone. The message was haunting, filled with strange, unearthly noises. There were guttural groans, whimpers, and what sounded like pained screams. Occasionally, words seemed to break through the noise, but they were barely intelligible.

While it is widely accepted that Henry can be heard in the recording, it is possible to hear other voices in the background, although it's not clear how many other people may be present. The voicemail was both confusing and fear-inducing. Henry's family and friends listened to it repeatedly, hoping to hear a clue, something that might explain his distress or his location, but each listen only deepened their fear, as the sounds were unlike anything they had ever heard. I'd like to play an excerpt of that voicemail

The audio has been cleaned up for clarity, but please be advised, it's deeply unsettling and at times difficult to listen to. After hearing the voicemail, Corrine immediately contacted the police and reported Henry missing. His family and friends sprang into action.

contacting local authorities and beginning a search. The voicemail left them shaken and confused, but they hoped Henry might still be out there, perhaps injured or in need of help. Days passed and searches continued, but there was no sign of Henry, no credit card use, no phone activity, nothing to indicate where he might have gone. As police investigated, they grew more puzzled by the circumstances of Henry's disappearance.

Surveillance footage from the gas station where his friend had last seen him showed no signs of him entering the station. Henry seemed to have vanished into the night, leaving only that eerie voicemail as a clue to what might have happened. The voicemail itself added to the confusion. Experts analyzed the audio, hoping to decode the sounds and identify any background noises, but nothing definitive emerged. Some listeners thought they could hear splashing, others believed they heard a struggle.

and still others pointed to the strange growls and vocalizations that didn't quite sound human. As days turned into weeks, theories about Henry's disappearance began to emerge. Some speculated that Henry had been attacked or was in serious distress, possibly injured and disoriented. Others suggested a more sinister explanation, that he was being pursued or tortured, as implied by the desperate, painful sounds in the voicemail.

But one key detail complicated these theories. Henry was known to have struggled with personal and financial difficulties. Friends and family acknowledged that he had been stressed in the weeks leading up to his disappearance, and some wondered if his distress might have led him to an isolated area alone. But this theory too didn't account for the disturbing sounds or the multiple voices found within the recording.

The voicemail haunted everyone who listened, and soon the case gained national attention. Investigators searched tirelessly, combing through nearby lakes, forests, and trails, hoping to find any sign of him. Friends, family, and volunteers joined, but after weeks of searching, there was still no trace. Then, on November 2nd, 2015, two months after he vanished, Henry's body was discovered in Rush Lake,

a shallow lake in New Brighton, Minnesota, located about six miles from the gas station where he was last seen. His body was found floating near the lake's edge, and while the discovery brought some closure, it raised many more questions than it gave answers. The medical examiner determined that Henry's death was caused by drowning, but the circumstances of how he ended up in the lake were never clarified. His body showed no signs of trauma or foul play,

The official ruling only deepened the mystery, as the voicemail suggested Henry was in pain or danger, yet there was no evidence of an attack, struggle, or injury on his body. Henry's family was devastated, left without the answers they had hoped for, and the voicemail became the only remaining clue to his final moments of life. Speculation about Henry's death remains rampant. Some believe he may have experienced a psychological episode,

disoriented, and overcome by stress, which could explain the unusual sounds in the voicemail. Others suggest he may have encountered someone dangerous in the hours before his death, leading to a fatal altercation that somehow left no trace on his body. Yet another theory is that Henry was under the influence of drugs or other substances, which could have led to both the strange sounds and the drowning. However, no conclusive toxicology report was ever released,

to confirm or refute this idea. For Henry's family, these theories offer little comfort. To them, the voicemail remains a harrowing puzzle, an unspoken message from a loved one lost in the darkness. The pain in his voice, the confusion, the urgency, they leave behind the sense that something or someone was with him that night. And as far as the chilling words contained in that voicemail,

No one can say for certain who or what they're directed at, or what Henry faced in those final moments. All that's left is the voicemail, a disturbing reminder of the unknown forces that may have surrounded him. Today, the case of Henry McCabe remains unsolved. His family holds onto their memories, hoping that one day the truth behind his death will be revealed. But until the truth is known, Henry's voicemail remains a troubling piece of the puzzle.

a last trace of his presence that seems to defy explanation, a final message from a man who vanished into the night, leaving behind only questions and a voice crying out for help. Sometimes, the darkest mysteries lie not in what we know, but in the things that evade understanding, the voices from the edge of existence that leave us haunted by what they left unsaid.

Dorothy Jane Scott was a devoted single mother, living a quiet, simple life in Staunton, California. She spent her days working as a secretary at a small business in Anaheim, and her evenings caring for her four-year-old son. Dorothy was reserved and deeply religious, a woman who kept to herself, avoided nightlife, and stayed close to her family. By all accounts, her life was steady, predictable, until one day in early 1980, everything changed.

It started with strange phone calls. Each time Dorothy picked up, she heard the voice of an unknown man, a voice that seemed to know her every move, as though he were watching her. His words left her feeling exposed, vulnerable, as if someone were following her every step. Disturbed by this, Dorothy reported the calls, hoping they would stop and that life would return to normal. But one night, Dorothy simply vanished, leaving no trace, no explanation.

only an enduring mystery that would plague her family for years to come. At first, Dorothy tried to brush off the calls, thinking they might be harmless pranks, but the voice on the other end of the line seemed to know things he shouldn't. He described details about her daily routines and mentioned clothing she wore or places she had recently been. Each time he called, his tone shifted from a disturbing, almost infatuated admiration to chilling threats. He would say he loved her,

then in the next breath described violent things he wanted to do to her. The calls made her feel like someone was watching her, lurking nearby, just waiting for the right moment. Dorothy was utterly terrified. She told her parents about the caller and reported it to the police, but with no clear identity or evidence. There was little they could do. She tried her best to shake off the unease, hoping the calls would stop on their own and went back to her routines, clinging to the shreds of her normal life. But the calls continued.

a constant nudge that someone out there was watching her every move. On the night of May 28th, 1980, Dorothy attended an employee meeting at her workplace. During the meeting, she noticed that one of her coworkers, Conrad Bostron, looked unwell and had a strange red mark on his arm. Concerned, Dorothy offered to drive Conrad to the hospital with another coworker, Pam Head, joining them for support. The three arrived at UC Irvine Medical Center

where Dorothy waited with Pam while Conrad received treatment. It was late by the time Conrad was discharged, but Dorothy, ever the thoughtful person, offered to bring the car to the hospital entrance so Conrad wouldn't have to walk far. Pam stayed with Conrad at the hospital doors while Dorothy walked alone to the parking lot. Pam and Conrad waited, expecting Dorothy to pull up at any moment. They waited, then waited, but she never arrived. Minutes passed. Pam and Conrad grew concerned,

looking down the road for Dorothy's car when suddenly they saw her white Toyota station wagon speeding towards them, its headlights blinding in the darkness. But before they could waver down, the car veered sharply out of the lot and disappeared into the night, leaving them in stunned silence. Hours later, Dorothy's car was found abandoned and burning in an alley about 10 miles from the hospital in Santa Ana, California. Dorothy was nowhere to be found.

Dorothy's family was devastated by this. Her father, Jacob, filed a missing person report, and friends and family searched the surrounding areas, hoping for any sign of her. The discovery of her burning car raised fears that something terrible had happened. Yet with no evidence, no leads, and no sight of Dorothy, the police had little to go on. Days turned into weeks, and Dorothy's family could only wonder what had become of her.

They held steadfast to the hope that somehow she might be alive, perhaps injured and unable to reach out. But then, something happened that turned their confusion into dread. About a week after Dorothy's disappearance, her mother Vera received a phone call. She answered, hopeful it might be news of her daughter, but instead, she was met by a cold and unfamiliar voice. "Are you related to Dorothy Scott?" the caller asked. Vera confirmed,

Holding her breath, the man on the other end of the line said, "I've got her," before hanging up. It was the same caller, the same voice that had tormented Dorothy in the months leading up to her disappearance. Vera was horrified. She and her husband immediately told the police, but with no way to trace the call, the lead nearly immediately went cold. Over the weeks and months that followed, the caller continued to taunt the family, calling them almost like clockwork every Wednesday night.

Sometimes, he would ask if Dorothy was home, as if she might just walk through the door at any moment. Other times, he would tell them he had killed her. Each call left the family more disturbed, more desperate for answers, and more aware that they were dealing with someone who took pleasure in their pain. The police attempted to trace the calls, but the man always hung up before they could track him down, leaving only his voice on the line and fear in the connection.

Years passed, and Dorothy's family was left in limbo, unable to mourn, unable to move on, when in August of 1984, four years after she vanished, a construction crew discovered human remains along a remote road in Santa Ana Canyon. The remains were identified as Dorothy's through dental records, and nearby, investigators found a few personal items, including a turquoise ring that her family recognized as being Dorothy's.

The coroner estimated that she had been dead since the night she disappeared. Dorothy's family was shattered. They had held onto hope for years, but now, with the discovery of her remains, they had to confront the reality that she was gone. And yet, even this grim discovery brought zero closure. There was no cause of death, no new clues to her last moments, and still no trace of the person who had stalked her. The identity of Dorothy's stalker and killer remains one of the most troubling mysteries in California's history.

Friends and family speculated that the caller might have been someone Dorothy knew, perhaps a coworker or a customer she saw at work who observed her daily life. Others believed he was a stranger who had fixated on her, drawn to her quiet nature and seemingly easy target. But despite the speculation, no one was ever brought to justice, and the caller's identity has remained a mystery. The disturbing calls finally stopped after her remains were found, as if the unknown man

had achieved what he set out to do. Dorothy's family was left to grieve without answers, tortured by the chilling messages that seemed to follow her even after death. Today, the case of Dorothy Jane Scott remains unsolved. Her son grew up without his mother, and her family was left with only memories and the unsettling knowledge that someone, somewhere, knew what happened to her. Dorothy Jane Scott's life ended in mystery,

with only a series of calls and an unidentified voice left behind. And even now, more than 40 years later, her story endures, not because of the answers it offers, but because of the silence and shadows that remain.

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Matrice Richardson was a vibrant, driven young woman, a 24-year-old college graduate, former beauty pageant contestant, and part-time substitute teacher with big plans for her future. But in 2009, after a night out in Malibu, California, Matrice was taken into custody, exhibiting unusual behavior that worried those around her. Hours later, she was released, alone, with no phone, wallet, or car.

into the darkness of the Malibu Mountains. She was never seen alive again. This is the story of Matrice Richardson, a young woman whose disappearance raises questions that remain unanswered, a case filled with strange details, missteps, and lingering mysteries. Matrice Richardson was ambitious and intelligent. A recent graduate of Cal State Fullerton, where she had studied psychology, she was close to her family, especially her mother, Latisse Sutton.

and her father, Michael Richardson. Known for her warm personality, Matrice had dreams of pursuing a career in psychology and was known as a caring, thoughtful person. But in September of 2009, friends and family noticed a shift in her behavior. Matrice began leaving bizarre messages, writing social media posts that didn't quite make sense, and showing signs of mental distress that left her loved ones worried.

They suspected she was struggling and feared she might be suffering from a mental health episode. Despite her family's growing concerns, Matrice decided to head to Malibu for a solo evening out. She arrived at a popular restaurant, Jefferies, known for its ocean views and affluent clientele. But that evening, she would exhibit behavior that left everyone, including the restaurant staff, deeply unsettled. On the evening of September 16th, 2009,

Matrice sat down alone at Jeffrey's restaurant. She ordered an expensive meal but seemed distracted and unsteady, reportedly talking to herself and, at one point, mentioning that she was receiving strange, subliminal messages. When it came time to pay, she told the staff that she had no money, leaving them confused. The bill was only $89, but when she couldn't settle it, the staff felt something was off and promptly contacted the police.

When officers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department arrived, they quickly assessed that Matrice was exhibiting strange behavior. They found a moderate amount of marijuana in her car and decided to take her into custody for unpaid bills and possession of a controlled substance. Her car, phone, and wallet were all left at the restaurant, and Matrice was taken to the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station deep in the hills of Malibu, surrounded by rough, mountainous terrain.

Matrice's mother, Latice, was quickly notified and called the station. Concerned about her daughter's mental state, she urged officers to keep Matrice overnight, hoping they would hold her until she could safely pick her up in the morning. But shortly after midnight, the sheriff's department made the decision to release Matrice. She was released alone, with no phone, no wallet, and no transportation, into the pitch-dark night. Her mother, unaware of her release until later that morning,

was devastated. Matrice was now alone in a remote area, unfamiliar with the surroundings and likely still experiencing disorientation. The question remains, why would authorities release a young woman showing signs of distress without even informing her family? In the early hours following her release, Matrice was spotted by a resident in Montanito, a small community near the station.

The witness reported seeing a young woman wandering through their backyard, barefoot and obviously disoriented. Later, another sighting placed Matrice walking down a remote canyon road, but these sightings were the last confirmed trace of her. When Latisse discovered her daughter had been released, she immediately demanded answers. Her calls to the sheriff's station were met with vague responses, and soon she and Matrice's father, Michael, began a desperate search.

They distributed flyers, organized search parties, and pressured law enforcement to act, but as time went on, the trail eventually went cold. During this time, both parents began receiving strange messages, tip-offs, and rumors from people claiming to know where Matrice was or what had happened to her. Some alleged sightings placed her far from Malibu, and there were even rumors that she had been seen in Las Vegas, but nothing led to real answers.

Nearly a year later, in August of 2010, hikers in Dark Canyon, just a few miles from the sheriff's station, stumbled upon a gruesome scene. They had found human remains scattered in a secluded area, nearly hidden in the dense brush. Authorities quickly identified the remains as Matrice Richardson, but the condition of her body raised even more troubling questions. Her remains were found partially clothed, and some bones appeared to have been scattered by animals.

Stranger still, her skull was detached from her body and was resting upside down, adding to the unsettling nature of the scene. The official cause of death was left as undetermined, and there were no clear signs of trauma or foul play. Yet, the location and circumstances surrounding her death left her family and supporters convinced that something more sinister had happened. The Sheriff's Department's handling of her remains only fueled the suspicion.

Matrice's father, Michael, later stated that deputies removed her remains before notifying the coroner's office, which is a violation of protocol. The sheriff's department has never provided a full explanation, leaving her family with suspicions about a cover-up and a chilling sense that the truth might never be uncovered. Matrice's death raised many theories, with some believing she may have suffered from a mental health episode that night, possibly due to bipolar disorder, causing her to wander into the dangerous canyon area.

Others, however, believe she may have encountered someone with harmful intentions. Her mother has long believed that Matrice met with foul play, and many supporters argue that her strange behavior was a clear sign she needed protection, not a release into an unfamiliar and dark landscape. Adding to the mystery, both family members and friends received strange messages and cryptic leads throughout the search. Sightings, rumors, and alleged contacts from people claiming to know where she was were

or who might be involved. But each lead faded into nothing, leaving her family to wonder if these messages were genuine, pranks, or part of a larger, darker scheme to divert attention from the truth. Even after her remains were found, the questions didn't stop. Letizia continued to press for answers, questioning every official report and demanding a full investigation into how her daughter was treated on the night of her arrest and release.

To this day, the death of Matrice Richardson remains one of the most haunting unsolved cases around. Her family has never stopped fighting for the truth, holding vigils, and keeping her memory alive in the hopes that one day, they'll receive the answers they deserve. The Sheriff's Department has since faced intense scrutiny and criticism, but no one has ever been held accountable for her death, and the case officially remains unsolved.

Matrice's story endures as both a heartbreaking tragedy and a cautionary tale of what can happen when cries for help go unanswered. Her family's calls for justice, the strange messages they received during their search, and the unexplainable condition in which her remains were found all combine to form a mystery that remains as unsettling today as it was over a decade ago. Matrice Richardson's story continues to evoke more questions than answers.

Was she failed by a system that was supposed to protect her? Did someone take advantage of her vulnerability? Or did she succumb to the dangers of the wilderness alone? Until her family uncovers the truth, Matrice's disappearance and death remain a profound mystery, an untold story marked by shadows and unanswered questions. Thank you for tuning into this episode. It really means a lot to me personally, and I hope you enjoy these cases that we covered. If you'd like to support the channel,

please consider checking out our Patreon at patreon.com/malevolentmischief. Your support allows us to continue creating content and exploring even more disturbing untold stories. Thank you again for taking the time, and as always, I hope to catch you on the next one.

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