Elaborate Stories | 48 Hours" Full Episodes

[@MelissaSurowiecki]

I think the dogs were in the right spot but it was a different child buried there. The shoe they found was very small. And if I was Mary I would run away too. She was being severely abused for years.

[@springreturning856]

The Mary Day story has haunted me since I first watched the episode. It is so painfully obvious she is Mary. I mean, everything else aside, she had VERY distinct features that you can see even in the photos from the end of her life! The detectives and sisters twisted themselves into knots trying to convince themselves it's not her because they can't come to terms with how ugly the truth is. Clearly Mary was psychologically troubled, likely by the levels of trauma she endured from such a young age and the continued cruelty from people who are expected to love and protect her, plus the years of alcohol and maybe other drug abuse. Poor Mary died alone and was disrespected even in her death. Just heartbreaking. I hope she found some peace before she passed.

[@markspeigle575]

I totally agree and very well said! …also, how can they still doubt with the DNA evidence proving kinship. DNA is certainly enough to convict a murderer but not prove relationship?? Don’t make sense to me.

[@rhondaharris93]

Where had she been??? I'm thinking safe to live enough to say I was here, parents yea cops are trash,find "them" other children

[@katiekat4457]

I can’t blame them for thinking she wasn’t Mary. You would expect her to remember the final straw that sent her away for good. I can see how she wouldn’t remember as well. Plus, the dogs finding where a dead body had been buried at TWO different residences of the parents isn’t just a coincidence. It kind makes me think that the parents might have had children after the other kids but it looks like it will never be solved. The children they had other than Sherry would never have looked for her due to their own trama. Whereas Sherry was the only one to see it as something was wrong because she had been adopted and therefore had a history of less trauma and she escaped from the family at a younger age.

[@rochellealexander8271]

I studied for a long time forensic anthropology. There are certain features that do not add up to being Mary just from the pictures of her. And my first thought when they said they found her that yes, it could be one of her daughters, just NOT the one that went missing (Was murdered).

[@rochellealexander8271]

@@markspeigle575They said that the DNA showed that she was indeed the daughter of the mother NOT that the DNA was a perfect match to Mary. There is a HUGE difference between “Yes, she is the daughter of…” and “The DNA was a match to Mary.”

[@marlenen6130]

Regarding the Mary Day case. Mary had cancer when she was discovered and that could have definitely affected her ability to remember things, especially if she had stage 3 or 4 cancer. Her inability to recall things could also have been affected by blows to the head, which is not uncommon when you are trying to survive on the streets and you grow up with a raging alcoholic. Trauma is funny thing, when you experience it, your body and mind can try to protect you by repressing those memories. Her being an alcoholic since she was a teenager also contributed to memory problems. My experience is that people that have had a lot of trauma actually can sound untruthful when telling their history, not because they are lying, but because their mind only lets them see their history as a story, so they retell it in a disassociated way. I can’t imagine the abuse she has lived through. She must have had a high ACE score, Adverse Childhood Experiences. The higher the number, the younger the age of death. I think that police and younger people don’t understand how many women back in the day would have abortions and miscarriages at home. Where do you think those women would bury those babies and fetuses? Do you think those women would just throw their still born or miscarriage in the garbage? No, they would bury them. And if they got pregnant while their husband was deployed, they may have not wanted to go to the military hospital to be found out. Don’t cry for the husbands, they were getting women pregnant all over Asia.

[@HeatherRiosArte]

I think the parents should still be held responsible for child abuse (which they admitted to) and neglect for failure to locate or even try to locate their young child. There shouldn't be any statutes of limitation for child abuse.

[@FemmeFatale0121]

Agreed 😢

[@BrianHoman-o2q]

A

[@AllAboardTheFreedomTrain]

I knew we weren't supposed to talk about bruno. I had no idea the same went for mary😮

[@corallewis3093]

Agree also!

[@mimigrabner4486]

When I was 7 turning 8... I stayed in a hospital in New York. I was from Washington State. I stayed in New York for 4 months. When I came home my Dad noticed I talked a little bit like I was from New York. It stuck with me until I was a young adult. If I am around people from New York... My accent from New York comes back. I can't explain it.

[@LisaBraaten-ls4hu]

I still have my Minnesota accent and I moved to a different state when I was 4 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[@sandyrobertson1980]

People that are neurodivergent can also take on other people’s accents. My eldest is terrible for this and she doesn’t even realise she does it at times. And some people can’t believe she is actually from East London UK as her accent changes depending on who she talks to the most but then suddenly she can go back to talking in a softer tone to my accent which is East London UK. It’s amazing what the mind can do without you even realising sometimes

[@DeeDee4always]

I live in Iowa but have had people tell-ask me where I grew up because they think I have a southern accent. Just a small leftover bit, I just laugh I’ve never even visited anyone in the south.

[@LisaBraaten-ls4hu]

@ I live in Iowa too! We moved here from Minnesota when I was 4 and I still have my Minnesota accent. My brother sounds like he’s from the south, especially when drinking lol. He’s never lived in the south either

[@home4life505]

I use to fly to London 2-3 a month (former flight attendant). I picked up a slight british accent and the lingo😂.

[@Angela-ne9cy]

Imagine Mary Day as an adult, finally meeting her sisters and being doubted by everyone. That poor woman NEVER found love, peace, or comfort even though DNA proved she was telling the truth. What a sad story. RIP, Mary.

[@janicescott6569]

@@Angela-ne9cy Yes, I believe her abuse as a child destroyed her mentally. Shame on the mother and step dad.

[@faithy0810]

Exactly what I was thinking. Besides the DNA matching up the comparassion of adult Mary and child Mary the resemblance is uncanny!

[@janeclarkson8471]

@@faithy0810 I agree. She’s the adult image of her childhood picture. What terrible treatment of her, which coloured the rest of her life. God Bless her 🙏❤️❤️❤️

[@mikeballard8404]

She found 60K$

[@brischarrer]

Absolutely

[@PeriLyons123]

The lady document examiner, is amazing- such dignity and confidence!

[@melluques8475]

Exactly🙏🏻💪🏻

[@WesBundy82]

Paul lost everything.. His house, His freedom, and most importantly his Son... What a tough life.

[@truthadvocacy]

They sent the wrong man to prison for 10 years. Crappy US "justice".

[@jujulionesselsa1416]

I could see the similarities between the two straight away

[@jujulionesselsa1416]

It's very worrying that someone could come in to your home, in your heart of hearts you want everything to be okay. The sheer heartache of these various moments of never knowing what.

[@jujulionesselsa1416]

It's a tangled Web 😢

[@jujulionesselsa1416]

That is shocking its no wonder that they passed so quickly the risks & dangers they had to endure, all because the promise of vasts amount of Gold and cash.

[@bbennyj]

I have an adult friend that moved to Georgia in the 2000’s. She had to have been in her late 30’s or 40’s. I spoke with her over the phone after probably 5 years of her being in Georgia. She has a straight up southern accent.

[@Oceangirl1234]

Happens for sure

[@Comedybrand]

Where did she move from? Tennessee? Or Australia?

[@rennaehanson9996]

I live in Arizona, there are lots of visitors that come here to hike or climb The Superstition Mountains. Several of these visitors die each year because they do not understand the power of nature and they do not prepare. I don't care where you go, you must do your research, spend time training your mind and body and truly understand what you are considering doing. Going out into these places is not the same as working out in a gym or hiking through a city park or climbing a rock wall in a controlled environment.

[@DBZluvz]

isn't that the same Mountains that the lost Dutchman's mine is suppose to be? and if so hasn't dozens of people died under mysterious circumstances and some have been proven to be murdered? if it's the same Mountains then i wouldn't be worried about nature as much as i would whoever's been killing hikers for decades who search for that mine. there have been a few books written about the disappearances and murders.

[@dreamsofturtles1828]

We have the same problem here in western NC. , "Land of the Waterfalls". Tourists die here every year climbing all over these waterfalls. They think the are in Disneyland or something. The rocks are covered in slippery slime, the water currents strong and over the falls they go. It's tragic .They don't know how to be in nature.

[@kalnfornia]

I grew up in a town like Circleville. You would hardly ever see your neighbors but everyone would be up in your business

[@reneesimerale]

Sounds like where I live now😂😂

[@ZUMBACOSTABLANCA]

The people on the treasure hunt were all grown adults. Described as daring, brave etc, they made their choices, tragic as that may have been for the families of a small amount of those people. They totally chose to do it. This is no different to going on a hike in extreme conditions, which is done all the time, also sometimes with terrible outcomes. I am relieved the dog was saved, the only one who didn't choose to be there. RIP to all of those who didn't make it home

[@cathybassett6432]

My thoughts exactly.

[@nayyr1]

I agree nobody made anyone go on the hunt, and while it is regrettable that some people died, I can think of worse ways to perish. We need to remember that people are mortal, and there are no guarantees for anyone to see their old age. Having written that I believe the treasure did not exist, and the finding was staged.

[@amazinglyjustme]

Going hiking on extreme trails etc are not man-made adventures.Even so there will be caution and some forbidden areas and such.Here if he didn't announce this hunt, people won't be rushing there.I am not saying that you can hold him accountable for other people's choices.But still,I understand the worries of loved ones.

[@ZUMBACOSTABLANCA]

@@amazinglyjustme I also completely feel for the families of the people who chose to do this. And the people who choose to do extreme sports all over the world every day .

[@wheezer324na3]

💯 agree. As others said, no different than hiking Half Dome, or mountain climbing. Inherent risk, no one is forcing anyone to do anything

[@MelissaSurowiecki]

Actually I was a victim of child abuse at a young age until my teens and I never wanted to be home. I ran away a lot also.

[@22ergie]

I'm sorry that happened to you, Melissa. NO ONE deserves that, period. God bless you, and I hope that you are doing well in your life. ~Laura in EU.

[@shannonm9555]

🧡

[@patriotiac572]

I'm so sorry. If I were you neighbor you could've come to our house and we would have helped you. I hope you're doing okay. I'll keep you in my prayers.

[@margaretwhittaker2291]

I hope you can find peace and happiness, my heart goes out to you. God bless

[@hrmtty]

Let me get this straight... Mary is accused (without grounds, she claims) of having an affair with the school superintendent. Her husband dies under suspicious circumstances, trying to protect her from the letter writer. And then she thinks it's a good idea to start an affair with the superintendent?!!?!

[@admin1815]

I thought the same thing. If I were accused of having an affair with someone, and I was not, I would stay far away from that person. Crazy

[@eckored1919]

6pm is z-'xzè❤❤❤

[@denisebenedict6102]

Ironically, sometimes the only person who understands is the other person who was accused. Being thrown together and tarnished with the same brush can make strange bedfellows.

[@redbonesweetE215]

​@denisebenedict6102 YEP.

[@kennethbartels6448]

She probably did have something with him prior but that doesn’t mean she deserved to have her life threatened and everything else. Also if Karen sue wanted the superintendent then jealousy is a crazy motive, especially when the woman is way prettier than you 🙃

[@molliemae6855]

The sheriff of Pickaway County at the time has the distinction of being the longest serving Sheriff in United States history.

[@DeenDesperado]

That Mary Day story sure is something else. Totally unexpected that it could end up that way.

[@davidwoermansr]

I saw it coming

[@ToniHunterOne]

​@davidwoermansr what did you see coming?

[@davidwoermansr]

@@ToniHunterOne what was totally unexpected

[@lisavizzini9609]

One of the deepest Character Flaws of being human is to blame someone else for your own actions and bad decisions. In no way is Fenn responsible for those people's deaths...

[@mccallosone4903]

to be fair, the dead people arent blaming Fenn, their families are. seems like they are after money. the adventurers probably wouldnt blame the guy

[@Dontcomeformepeople]

My brother and my father have identical handwriting. It’s been looked at by experts (in a dispute over a will). My brother was not raised by my father. Was not exposed to him. So maybe “experts” aren’t always correct. There are people that write alike.

[@janicescott6569]

Genetic’s run deep! Mannerism’s, all sorts of things can be so identical of family members that were never together.

[@SueP-D]

Crazy. My late mother and my handwriting were NOTHING alike. She was German and I was born and raised in the U.S. Every once in a while I randomly make letters or numbers exactly the way she had written them. I always catch it immediately when I do, and like I said, it’s really random. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@Dontcomeformepeople]

@@janicescott6569 if you saw their handwriting it would seem a bit uncanny. Two experts were unable to decipher which man wrote what. Some things are just a part of who we are as a gene bound group.

[@wagner5424]

That was my first thought. It was the son’s handwriting.

[@fionagregory9147]

​@@janicescott6569those apostrophes were not needed.

[@katzolitamason6729]

I don’t think Paul did it. I think it was his wife who did it- she might have used blank papers lying around the house that already had her husbands fingerprints on them- and then copied - forged her husband@s writing. I think when the son found out he had been deceived all his life by his mother, - that’s when the killed himself.

[@jillricci587]

But what’s her motive?

[@IheartDogs55]

Did Paul Freshour write the Circleville letters? My answer is, I don't know. The fact that the letters continued while he was incarcerated is too high of an improbability for me to be certain. I worked as a nurse at a state prison, and I find it hard to believe he could have sent them from prison.

[@redbonesweetE215]

That's what I said.

[@79SteelyMatt]

This person was a crazy beyond words crazy this happened in Ohio

[@truthadvocacy]

They sent the wrong man to prison for 10 years.

[@davidb2206]

He didn't have to. He wrote a mass of them during the trial and had somebody else mail them while he was in prison as a ruse to make it look like the criminal was somebody else and to exonerate himself. A real bozo conman trick.

[@jasuke13]

Also: how did he get access to everybody‘s secrets in prison? What kind if secrets were revealed? Were the letters just crazy talk or did these people who received letters actually have secrets?

[@janicescott6569]

I’m really puzzled that the mom and stepdad of Mary were never arrested and held accountable for her disappearance!

[@racyt5683]

Especially if they were depositing her checks.

[@haydeemaldonado1733]

Because the law didn't protect the kids that good in those days. Now it's even worse, they send them back into the abusive home so that they disappear for good, and then they take action when it's too late, 🤦.

[@redbonesweetE215]

​@@racyt5683That's a crime within itself

[@Speakfordemocracy]

I think the only way she could possibly have been an imposter is if they were identical twins… otherwise believe a dying woman as a kindness and last wish, to be believed…

[@ifchi7842]

They collected her welfare checks too. It was fraud against the Social Security Administration. So unfair!

[@Enlightened77777]

The accent is not a smoking gun, if she lived in the south once she ran away is easily developed over time. Then she moved to Arizona! SO that's not unusual.

[@lesare6509]

So true! I lived in GA from 5-7 yrs, then Ft.Worth Texas from 7 to 12 then Ohio 2 yrs, I had a accent until I moved to CA at 15yrs till now, only few words I say different by habit but no accent after a few yrs!

[@beatleographer_10-51]

I have a friend that moved to London for 2 years. When she moved back to Texas she had developed an accent that sounded like she was originally from England. It took about 2 years for it to wear off but she never got the Texas accent back.

[@quantumnature514]

I thought that they said that the accent would have had to have been developed in early childhood.

[@amandafight7627]

Arizona Mary Days DNA proves she is Mary Day who went missing cause her parents were cazy and abusive. She ran away and went to the south. Why are they questioning her DNA? DNA doesnt lie. I grew up with a Kentucky accent until I lived in the North (southern and Northan Indiana) more in my teens and still today where I dont have a Kentucky accent but I can bring it back any time. So its plausible Mary Days accent changed. My accent changed within 11+ years. She was gone 20 years. The family is in denial.

[@HeatherRiosArte]

They weren't questioning the DNA, they only thought that it could have been a different daughter.

[@vripp757]

The DNA only showed that she was a child of Charlotte. It wasn't her complete profile.

[@JJJJ-gl2uf]

The investigators were questioning the DNA because it didn't prove their theory. As for thee accent, people can adopt and / or mimic an accent. Not sure why the police didn't figure this out.

[@xrey83]

@@vripp757 I thought additional DNA said it matched the father. I was getting angry that no one thought to compare to the husband's DNA before coming up with a stupid theory. How dense can they be?

[@amandafight7627]

@@vripp757 why wouldn't they get the full results of her DNA when they can? Mary's DNA matches mom and bio dad. DNA doesn't lie. The authorities do cause they can't stand being wrong. Arizona Mary is the real Mary. She looks exactly like the picture.

[@Chieftain81]

I think Mary Day did not just struggle with alcohol but also with drug addiction from an early age which explains the memory deficit...

[@jujulionesselsa1416]

@Chieftain81 that I really identify with.

[@lisalo.lisalo]

Mary’s sister thought all this years Mary would still remember the code??? Heck I don’t even remember my KZbin password and still need to check on my password file to look it up! RIP Mary Day. Such a devastating life she had. Her own sisters don’t even believe her. Sad sad sad.

[@brendaduncan4347]

But children and young adults remember a lot better than we do when we get older. there are many more things I remember when I was growing up than in the last 5 years. I now cannot remember any of my passwords, but I can remember my address and phone number from when I was 12 years old.

[@BeautyisHerName692]

I’m 35 but I was always a life long fan of the show Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack, I believe that the circle ville case was on one of those episodes. Creepy as hell.

[@Abryferhj]

I think it's all BS

[@truthadvocacy]

They sent the wrong man to prison for 10 years. Not creepy but crappy US "justice".

[@reneevaz7848]

Something dead was buried in their backyards. That’s why the cop couldn’t give up on his initial theory.. Strange.

[@donnacabot3550]

Mary didn't even get a funeral. Heartless and cruel. Rip misses. 😢😢😢

[@jessicahannah2522]

Funerals are not really a 'thing' anymore. Ridiculously expensive and for the living, not the dead. I have cremation pre=paid and no funeral/memorial plans when I die. I haven't been to a funeral for over twenty years for anyone, friend or family. A few memorials here and there. But if there is no one in Mary's life who needs to grieve and mourn her death, no point in a funeral. Sounds like the loss happened when she was a teen, not as an adult.

[@molliemae6855]

Lol!!! Funerals aren’t a THING anymore?!! Where do you live?! That’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard! 😂 Just because YOU haven’t been to a funeral in 20 years doesn’t mean they’re not a “thing”. 🙄 I went to 3 in the matter of a few months. Look in a newspaper there’s funeral services all the time!

[@molliemae6855]

Why is it heartless and cruel she didn’t have a funeral. Some people just don’t want one.

[@tempusername-l5d]

@@molliemae6855 At the time, her family didn't believe that she was actually Mary despite the dna evidence. Instead, at the time they listened to the police conspiracy theories about a secret love child from Charlotte who conspired with the mother she never knew to pretend to be Mary. Of course, this is nonsense. Later on, Charlotte's daughters finally did accept that it was their sister Mary, but these people are still disgusting and cruel, because there was objective evidence proving that they were full sisters, yet they couldn't be bothered to treat her as family. I suspect that they didn't accept Mary as an adult because of her troubled past and didn't want to be associated with her. I bet that if Mary was employed and lived a middle-class suburban lifestyle that the "sisters" would have accepted her without DNA proof.

[@suekelley2109]

According to.Wikipedia her neighbors were taking care of her and they did not even notify her family when she died. So can't blame them.

[@kmyoung180]

The Centerville Letters was a story that always fascinated me, when I saw the story on Unsolved Mysteries!!!

[@ConnieMitchell-k3n]

Circleville

[@annamariadipancrazio7315]

Couldn't they do DNA testing on the stamps and envelopes of the Circle ville letters?

[@janicescott6569]

Good question!

[@melissadavis225]

My thoughts exactly 😮

[@Original-q11]

Probably did. Many people know the calorie count for licking a stamp or envelope.

[@tanishakahclamat2719]

If the individual in question has no DNA on file in the database law enforcement would still come up empty

[@xioeldel9885]

It was 1977... they barely had computers back then I don't think DNA technology exists

[@janicescott6569]

In the second episode did anyone else notice how odd the stepfather of Mary and his wife looked together? He looked young enough to be her son.

[@davidwoermansr]

As long as they're of the age of consent I figure it's none of my business

[@liseklerekoper2441]

I thought the same thing. I wonder what the age difference was b/w the two.

[@doonqui]

Not a loving or real relationship imo. Seems as if the stepfather was more interested in Mary than her mom. Some evil men will find a weak and dimwitted single mother who can be manipulated for easier and consistent access to abuse her children, or child in this case.

[@janicescott6569]

@@doonqui I think you are exactly right. And if the woman that died of cancer was indeed Mary, her mental illness spoke volumes of being abused.

[@JY-tq8dr]

Yes! I thought the same thing!

[@KevinN-df8eo]

If you saw the Mary story as a TV show you'd probably think, like me, this would never happen in real life, it's just too far fetched.

[@reallyseriously7020]

Circleville: I think the letters came from someone in law enforcement or was being protected by someone in law enforcement. The level of incompetence in not finding the writer cant be genuine. Hundreds of letters over decades and continuing after a man was convicted. It doesn't seem possible the writers identity has never been found.

[@janicescott6569]

@@reallyseriously7020 Exactly! There seems to be a big missing piece to this puzzle.and It was frustrating. And no one has mentioned how odd it was that the woman that was targeted to be having the affair all that time, the bus driver, actually started having an affair with that man after her husbands suspicious death. What was the motive behind this lunatics obsession? Was he in love with the bus driver? Why did the son commit suicide. How were all those letters sent from prison. Were the post marks from the town the prison was in. You are right that something had to be going on for this not to be stopped sooner but maybe bc no DNA then?

[@ell97918]

When did the letters stop?

[@janicescott6569]

@@ell97918 I’m wondering that also. It would be interesting to know if now that the son and his dad are both dead, if the letters continued and if they continued after the son committed suicide and if they continued until the dad died. This case needs to be definitely solved. There was no way the dad could have sent hundreds of letters from prison but his fingerprints were found on some.

[@janicescott6569]

@@reallyseriously7020 Why do you think someone in LE?

[@funwithFred]

And the post office wasn't able to track them? No cameras inside for who was mailing them?

[@dkcorderoyximenez3382]

Fascinating stories...thank you for posting them...

[@ktrayn78]

In the Mary Day case it is hilarious to see how cops will twist and turn in outlandish ways rather than admit that their pet theory was wrong. Poor Mary, I don't believe the sisters would have found Mary so hard to believe if the cops hadn't treated her like an imposter from the get-go. I mean, give me a break, I spend 10 days somewhere and it changes my accent, and they think a twang trumps her DNA results?

[@quantumnature514]

I don't blame them at all. There was a body buried there, a child's shoe, an accent that could only be developed in early childhood, seriously sketchy behavior from parents, last-minute license, dad who said he might have done it. I'd doubt, too. I'm just surprised that they couldn't get the DNA dialed in better or check the adult photo against the child with photo recognition software.

[@ktrayn78]

@quantumnature514 Many people have experienced a change in their accent well into their adult life. My mom left Georgia for Illinois around the same age that this woman ran away from home and her accent changed so drastically that many never realized she was from the south. As for the DNA, it confirms that she was telling the truth, she is their daughter. And as for the shoe, all kinds of crap ends up in the backyard of a family with kids, that doesn't mean that one of the kids is out there too.

[@GnortsMrAlienn]

Idk what fool they paid off to say accents can only develop in early childhood, but that's false. The dogs alerted to decomposition, but no body was found. The shoe was too small for a 13 year old. My guess is the mother buried miscarriages. She clearly wasn't into birth control, and something like 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Poor Mary, what a horrible life and cruel family. They found her but still rejected her.

[@Nisie23]

Poor doggie 😢 Thank God he was rescued! If you wanna be dumb, leave your pets home!

[@juliashearer7842]

Bless that lovely rescuer who kept him. 🥹

[@milissabaadsgaard7865]

The letters speak of a very jealous woman.

[@dourakine1]

I concur.

[@Nurse_Kathy]

12:10 I was just saying the same thing: “This sounds like an Agatha Christie novel!” Poison Pen letters are typically written by women. We need Miss Marple to solve this mystery.

[@zephyrcalm9717]

The Moving Finger. A Jane Marple mystery.

[@MugatuJag]

School bus driver, she was gorgeous wow…. She would’ve been a model even by today standards.

[@kimberlyshaw5778]

Yes! I wanted to see what she looked like later in life. Did they explain why they didn’t interview her?

[@Samantha-ys2pp]

The Mary Day story broke me into tears. I dont think it is clear if the sisters stayed with her until the end or may be she wanted to die alone. Once they confirmed she was the sister they so awaited to meet, I'd assume as riddled with cancer and she was that the family would unite. In any event a tragic story.

[@fataiabdul402]

The letters were written by Sue and her son.

[@BoxingLegends2024]

then why did they stop when the dude died?

[@lisalo.lisalo]

@@BoxingLegends2024because the dude died and they didn’t have any more reason to keep on going on those stupid letters.

[@VicksWander]

Fenn treasure: It's like blaming Henry Ford for automobile deaths.

[@brischarrer]

Hmm. I see your point... I'm conflicted on whether that is, in fact, the truth

[@AustinB.3322]

I believe that Phoenix Mary was Mary Day because of the eyes looking similar.

[@moonbubbles3046]

Mary Day had the same nose, downturned eyes, lip shape - everything. As an armchair detective, I’m sure that’s who she was.

[@catherineturley]

yep. i'm shocked that people questioned her. that's the best facial match i've ever seen.

[@gee8631]

The left earlobe really stood out to me.

[@lesare6509]

I was surprised she was doubted too! Looks like an older Mary, DNA matched. That story of another girl born & given up, being Mary, was crazy!

[@Userhdhd-t5l]

Thank you... she's exactly like the kid on the picture...

[@hoss-lk4bg]

agree sir

[@CMack19]

The circleville letter writer being Paul makes a lot of sense. Dude idolized Mary and Tim's relationship so when Mary stepped out on Tim, he took it to heart. Third story. You can't blame Fenn for what happens to people who willingly go and look for treasure. They are grown adults who can make their own decisions.

[@davidwoermansr]

Paul couldn't have written the letters from prison because all incoming and outgoing mail is read

[@jazamaraz8029]

Such a strange story. I would love to hear from Paul's ex wife. She could tell us something about Paul's personality behind closed doors. Was it wildly different from his public persona? Or not? His divorce was contentious and his son sided exclusively with his mother. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there is more to Paul than what's portrayed here. Your suggested motive makes sense to me.

[@awesomebeautiful8782]

He could have written them in advance and had an accomplice mail them. You can't explain his fingerprints on the envelopes. ​@@davidwoermansr

[@dees2868]

@@davidwoermansr His fingerprints were on those letters though. How could they have ended up on there if he hadn't written them? Also, lets be real here, while all ingoing and outgoing mail *should* be read in prisons, we have so many examples of that not happening either because of laziness or making deals with prisoners.

[@davidwoermansr]

@@dees2868 the first ones it wouldn't be hard to take a page off a legal pad on his desk and have his prints on it if they took enough the ones supposedly from prison could've been acquired before he was locked up he spent alot of his time in solitary and the mail is highly scrutinized there it's a short list of people who can write you and you can't write back you get 1 hr twice a week to use the phone you either give up rec time or 1 of your 3 showers that week to use it at least that's how it is in the 4 states I know inmates in

[@CatskillsGrrl]

Oh, this was a humdinger. Mary Day - both of them - deserve love and peace in their hereafter.

[@debisybesma5855]

it makes me sad she didn't have a funeral, or a "send off" or anything?....considering what it sounds like she'd been thru, i think she deserved at least a proper send off!! but that's jus' me....

[@CatskillsGrrl]

@@debisybesma5855 even if she wasn’t Mary Day. She was a lost soul.

[@R.Iamondi]

Did anyone tried to find out where the paper sheets and the envelopes of the letters were bought from?

[@BoxingLegends2024]

DNA on the stamps would be better

[@vanessaboman9840]

People's greed and hunger for extreme adventure led to their deaths... It's very sad, but it shows people are driven by greed... People die all the time in extreme adventure type pursuits, I will never understand the risk they take... Life is way too precious to waste it falling off a mountain or freezing to death up there... Such a total waste of life, leaving people with empty broken hearts to live on without them.

[@DyanF]

I think they should tell where it was found so many can figure out if they came close to it. I agree tht Fenn should allow ppl to look for the treasure .....he gave ppl a dream. Any time one goes out in nature there are chances of falling, being attack, possibly freezing.....one needs to take the proper precautions. Should we stop ppl from hiking in the parks because some of them die????

[@robertasmith7780]

Please turn on the captions for the Deaf/hard of hearing community. Thank you

[@liMe-leMon]

You can do it yourself! Just find the CC in top right corner

[@donnablack8602]

On the top of your screen, look for CC and tap that

[@brandolpahuamba4343]

@@donnablack8602there are non available for this video. I tried also

[@nancyann1014]

Please turn them on for all future videos. Thank you. ❤

[@melky3011]

​@liMe-leMon yeah, but the auto-subtitles usually are off/slow/too fast...and that's if they have the right words at all! wish all videos had actual subtitles. i joke that my life is one big madlib, because im so hard of hearing. it's 2024, almost 2025, how is it not standard to have subtitles on every video??

[@alisong2328]

Didn't they save any of the original Centerville letters and envelopes? Why couldn't they be tested for DNA?

[@beatleographer_10-51]

I don't blame Forest for the deaths. It's a pity that it happened, but these gentlemen were obviously not prepared, experienced, or careful. Unfortunately, that is on them.

[@wendydebois1685]

Some of them were not even in shape for this hiking.

[@Asia-sk8lc]

Remember our eyes never ever change as we grow.

[@MilaB1111]

Mary Day case was so sad. 😢

[@lulububs]

So someone tries to cross a swollen river and everyone else is blamed. If I choke on a peanut are you all going to blame the farmers?

[@threejs86]

Think about how many young kids this has happened too. Those poor family members that had to grieve, especially her sister. Those parents should be ashamed

[@dixirose111]

It is evil.

[@judywilliamson2068]

I grew up in Arizona, and people went out to the desert, and in the mountains, “all the time” searching for Indian artifacts, silver, gold, or the lost Dutchmans mine. Lots of people were injured, some died, some had to be rescued. But the great thing was they weren’t sitting in front of a TV or a computer screen. They were out enjoying the beauty of nature. I think Forest did a great thing he encourage people to get out in nature, and be excited. The people who died might have died walking across the street. Or had a heart attack sitting on their sofa. Those who blame Forest for their loved ones death are just hurt and grieving. Searching for an answer why.

[@jeffthomas3707]

Its major attraction is the annual pumpkin show. Wow, what a town

[@BreeLvee]

1:20:34 Was The DNA Not Good Enough?

[@TheEMC99]

I don't blame Forest. Who do you blame when mountaineers die? Or anyone who has a high risk tolerance and seeks adventure. A certain percentage of people want adventure and it's not regardless of the risk it's BECAUSE of the risk. People like that help us see the and push the limits of humanity. They display courage. And it's not for us to stifle that si that we can enjoy them, fettered and stunted. We should celebrate them for those wonderful things about them are what makes us love them so. ❤️

[@BeautyMarkBae]

Ppl like Eric, whose own father claimed suffered from histrionic personality disorder, which is the need to be recognized aren't the kind of ppl who need therapy. Their lack of emotional intelligence causes extremely immature, irrational thoughts & behaviors. It's far from courageous, actually extremely dangerous. Especially for ppl who aren't able of differentiate the two.

[@Userhdhd-t5l]

How could you not see that Mary was actually telling the truth about her identity??? She looks exactly like the picture of her as a kid. The nose, the lips, eyes... how could you not see that?

[@BeautyMarkBae]

The DNA...?🤷🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

[@Userhdhd-t5l]

@@BeautyMarkBae 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐷𝑁𝐴 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠...?!

[@joiathegreat]

There was a lot of data, history, feelings, trauma, and time for those people. But when I saw it, as a KZbin detective, it gave me goosebumps right away that I was looking at her

[@Userhdhd-t5l]

@@joiathegreat 𝑆ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒. 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑠ℎ𝑒'𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑜𝑤.

[@jessdobb1049]

Exactly

[@amazinglyjustme]

So Mary Day was who she told she was? (Especially since she matched with her mother and her birth father).Sad.She found a lot of people who cared for her after her disappearance,but none believed her after reappearing. Btw who died then?

[@cynthiaarbuckle1648]

I moved to texas from New Jersey but grew up in Chicago. I have a texas twang, the words and expressions of speech. It's possible to get a accent after after 21, in my case 28. The story of Mary Day reminds me if recent case of Amanda Overstreet who's parents never filed a missing report. 😢

[@jessicahannah2522]

A Southern accent is sooo easy to pick up. I spent a few months in Louisiana, and when I returned to the PNW everyone laughed that I had picked up a "Southern accent". It wasn't some big ol' drawl, it was pretty subtle and went away after a month or so back home. Later I married a man from Alabama. When he first moved to the PNW, he was barely understandable the accent was so thick. A few years later, it's a gentle lilt in his speech. But get him on the phone with his family still down South, and it comes roaring back lol. He even laughs and asked: "Did I sound that country back then?" Yup and yup! His Kentucky friend has a very slight barely noticeable hint of Southern after over 20 years out of the South. A road trip home, and he was twanging away lol. It gentled out after a few weeks and back to his normal speech. It's super easy to pick up without realizing. There are some who never try to let it go easy and keep it strong no matter where they are. Seems like an affectation. I hear a deep Southern drawl/twang and they've lived here 16 years, that's on purpose. .

[@miwi3095]

The second case is crazy…

[@davidwoermansr]

More normal than you think

[@fannyfreckle]

Every few months someone dies falling off Half Dome in Yosemite. Being not too far from there, I know a LOT of people that have chosen to climb it, and brought their older kids. Should we close Half Dome? I don’t think so…but you’ll never find me climbing that thing…I know I’m a bit clumsy and I’d fall right off and probably take a friend with as I try to grab on to something for dear life. However, friends that climb it are ALL experienced climbers, and all did intense training on climbing and safety (but there’s still a risk). We often want to blame someone else for a person’s reckless behavior, but these treasure seekers made a choice…and we’re also told not to do anything an 80 year old man couldn’t do, so rather than blame Finn, celebrate that they died doing what they loved.

[@scaryclarey654]

I was so excited for a Circleville update. It was my favorite story from OG Unsolved Mysteries. I felt so sorry for Paul Freshour and the taunts he received in prison. I thought he was a sympathetic victim of the letter writer. I didn't want it to be him. 😮

[@redbonesweetE215]

I feel like they owed that guy a lot of back pay for the time he served. Come on... How can the letters continue if he's in prison. You can't get away with much when you're in prison They practically read your letters before they're sent out. Why am I leaning towards the suicidal dude. Even with his age he could have been a teenager like that's a small town teenagers do crazy stuff like I don't know Just wondering if he killed us up cuz he felt bad about what he did to that Paul

[@BalletTapJazz]

@@redbonesweetE215did you miss the part where several of the letters had Paul’s DNA on them, even those sent while he was in prison? They snuck that in at the end

[@BalletTapJazz]

@@redbonesweetE215I worked in a prison & they read the INCOMING mail, not the outgoing, and even someone in solitary has a constitutional right to send uncensored & unscreened letters to any lawyer, federal, state & local officials, news organizations, etc. It would have been easier than you think

[@redbonesweetE215]

@@BalletTapJazzomggg so you think I'm feeling sorry for a guilty man?? But how could he do it? Through other prisoners? I absolutely abhor cases like this.... I'm gonna watch it again. Just because....

[@redbonesweetE215]

@@BalletTapJazz yeah you're right Ughhh

[@BarryAlexanderKing]

If the Letters continued, why didn't they let Paul out of prison?

[@caraodoherty5940]

🤬 Poisoning a defenceless, helpless, innocent, vulnerable dog should be a automatic jail sentence

[@susannahv7219]

Hear hear!

[@caraodoherty5940]

​@@susannahv7219 🙏♥️

[@reneegott133]

As far as Mr Fenns treasure, I think it’s a good idea. He said to all don’t go anywhere a 75-80 year old man couldn’t go. So that’s a big clue and no one is making these people go out to look they chose to.

[@dolinaj1]

Another tale confirming why life in a small Midwestern town constitutes a slow death from boredom, gossip, small-mindedness.

[@nicole04050809]

I think phoenix Mary is Mary Day!

[@caraodoherty5940]

Happy Leo survived and heartbreaking for Randy's family. R.I.P Randy🌈❤️

[@WatercolorMama2345]

It’s mind boggling to me that all calls were for Fenn to call off the treasure hunt. How about “Hey, thrill seekers and idiots, stop searching for this treasure.” Always blaming someone else for their own decisions.

[@BeautyMarkBae]

Adults... suffering from peter pan syndrome😫 They haven't recovered from failing to find the treasure as children.

[@tempusername-l5d]

Fenn was profiting off a scam which was also causing people to lose their lives, so of course there would be demands to hold him accountable. What you are suggesting is no different than blaming investors for getting scammed from cryptocurrency or ponzi schemes.

[@Francie-FontaineRiemann]

The search for adventure will always be in human hearts.

[@BlkMagickGaia3]

Karen Sue has her son's blood on her hands.

[@dourakine1]

Most definitely

[@WesBundy82]

Poor Paul... What a story...

[@dayinthelifeofmycat]

It was the son, Mark, who was a Mama's boy. His mother initially had her son write the letters, emulating his father's writing so that they could frame him and she could profit financially after he went to prison. Then Mark, feeling guilty, kept writing letters after his father was sentenced hoping to spring him from prison. Later, he killed himself because of guilt, after Dad was released. Edit: And to explain the fingerprints, the son had him touch papers before he was sent away. You have to consider how diabolical the perp was in order to pull this off!

[@dees2868]

But then, how do his fingerprints end up on those letters? You can mimic someone's writing style, but you can't exactly mimic their fingerprints

[@dayinthelifeofmycat]

@@dees2868 His son set him up by having him touch envelopes or pieces of paper before he was sent to prison. You have to remember that the person who did this was extremely diabolical in his planning.

[@FemmeFatale0121]

@@dees2868they just said he had him touch the papers prior to going to jail

[@jasuke13]

I also don’t think it was Paul but how did Mark have access to so many different secrets??

[@missmandy2049]

Marks mom/Paul's ex wife was a nosey woman with nothing to do apparently & lived on the bus drivers property.

[@matselisomatseletsele3791]

Fenn created an adventure. The risks are evident. The Grand Canyon has not closed and many have been hurt and died. Many still tour Death Valley despite risks.

[@peggystrickland1435]

Did the letters stop after he died? 😇❤️🦋🇺🇸

[@MusgraveRitual]

First story is a case of life imitating art - there actually is a book by Agatha Christie with the exact same premise - an anonymous letter writer terrorizes a small village by sending obscene and accusatory letters to various people in the village. It's called "The moving finger". It's Miss Marple mystery.

[@lisavizzini9609]

Love this episode. Of course it was Paul who was writing the letters. The handwriting expert knows what she's talking about...

[@lesare6509]

Wow that Letter writer really had to be very busy to know so much about so many people, or had a job where they heard all gossip! It wasn’t Paul F. The misspelling (which I notice first thing in everything I read) was very high & he was to educated to have that many misspelled words. Not saying educated people are great spellers, but Paul would not mess up certain words I saw. ALSO, when the letters suddenly stopped, why didn’t they check the deaths in that month & previous month in that town & where the letters were postmarked? Normally when something stops like this, that is usually the cause.🤔🤔🧐

[@jasuke13]

Exactly, thank you! Maybe Paul could manage to write letters from jail but access all the latest gossip in town? From prison? I don’t think so…

[@danielnapoli649]

I enjoy speculating about crimes and mysteries. These shows are right up my alley so to speak. I,m wondering if perhaps there even WAS a treasure. Saying there was sold a lot of books. The treasure made an old man into a cult figure and won him a great deal of admiration. I'm not buying the feeble excuses for not revealing the location of the treasure to see if it fit the clues. I do believe that the hunt did indeed enrich the lives of more people than it killed. Living an exciting life can sometimes end tragically. to some folks living a safe, mundane life is worse than death. May they rest in peace.

[@Ohio_Hippie]

First time hearing about this and I’ve lived in the area forever.

[@saritacruz3020]

My brother in law moved from California to Tennessee at age 18 but has a strong Southern accent after decades living there, so that is not unbelievable that someone can acquire an accent as an older teen.

[@CynthiaSchoenbauer]

I love your tongue-in-cheek commentary on life today with the scourge of vicious narcissism that plagues society and actually takes a lot of us down for a long time, some forever. When we laugh hysterically, 🤣we know that you speak truth! Thank you for my daily laugh. Laughing helps reduce the stress of it all.

[@janeclarkson8471]

I'm uneducated. Explain your text in layman's speech.

[@MegCazalet]

You’re addressing this to 48 Hours? You get your daily laugh from 48 Hours?! Did you mean to comment this on a different video and channel?

[@RideoutMr]

Mar Day's mother......UGH!!!! Just no words that would no be blocked.

[@josephinepeery6938]

I think that man who created the treasure hunt is egotistical, loving all the adoration from the thrill seekers and not giving a damn about those who lost their lives or their families.

[@Angela410R]

No shaming... Mike S. not being prepared and not physically fit is a dangerous situation, first of all!!

[@wendydebois1685]

Oh I agree, he probably got so exhausted and couldn't keep going! You can tell he wasn't in shape at all. Very sad. You have to prepare the body inside and out, including the brain😮

[@lisaethridge666]

The dad of the guy who died becase he got in a raft, alone, in rough waters without a life jacket needs to stop blaming anyone other than his stupid reckless son. He blames the others that were with him and the guy who buried the treasure. Sir none of those people are respodible for the decisions youd son mades that resulted in his death. Every single thing that caused his death was 💯 on him amd him alone

[@scooter2501]

I dont blame the father its natural for a parent to want somebody to blame. Their loss is so huge. In his mind his son wouldnt be dead if it wasnt for Fenn. So I get that. Its personal. But the rest of can be more objective & say that they all chose by free will to go on the adventures. Risks & all. Like doing a bunjee jump or rock climbing. Or hiking generally.

[@lisaethridge666]

@scooter2501 you are exactly right. I was too harsh on the dad. Thank you for your compassionate perspective.

[@lisajoplin6415]

I think it was his wife. Being married for a long time, you can learn to write like him.

[@jacquelinedevinemilana4913]

my dad is deceased, but my mom has the same exact handwriting as him 0_0 like identical. very possible

[@ljjackson7106]

How/Where did this “letter writer” gain such damning dirt? A bartender? Hotel worker? VERY CURIOUS STORY INDEED.

[@davidwoermansr]

Small town gossip spreads quick

[@tammydayrhoads7017]

Someone jealous of Mary, (the wife of Jim and a school bus driver). A woman?? Another school bus driver?? Or somebody smearing the principals life and livelihood because of jealousy?? Or a woman that had a romantic interest in him??

[@MsLilsweets]

My life has been so normal comparatively, even though it hasn't been compared to a lot of others. I'm grateful for that because others have been so much more tragic.. God bless each and every one of us ❤

[@davidwoermansr]

I wouldn't have called off the search if it was me he said don't go where an 80 year old man couldn't go so why were idiots going places where they couldn't go

[@lesare6509]

Saw that treasure chest story on some show on tv few months ago, I wouldn’t believe the host guy! I think it was a setup but if people want to do that, best wishes! I only was happy about the furrbaby! He didn’t choose to go! Mary Day story is very strange,, but did her parents just let her walk away? Didn’t report or go find her, how awful. Sounds like a tough life for the girls. 🙏❤️

[@Comedybrand]

In my forty three years of experience on this earth I find that people do really really dumb things.

[@AllAboardTheFreedomTrain]

Why on gods green Earth have people been going out searching for this treasure in the winter months? That makes no sense at all and you cannot attribute that level of carelessness to the man who invented the treasure hunt.

[@BeautyMarkBae]

Sure, Fenn could've called the treasure hunt off. But that wouldn't have stopped ppl from hunting. Ppl like Eric, whose own father claimed suffered from histrionic personality disorder, which is the need to be recognized aren't the kind of ppl you can talk sense into. They're mindset causes extremely irrational thoughts & behaviors. Adding fearless & "obsessed" to that creates an unreasonable person who can't be stopped.

[@melaniemanning2462]

I think Fenn died so soon after because someone found the treasure and he felt he didn't need to hold on anymore.

[@janpierzchala2004]

Amazing! All reporters would want to cover this weird story!

[@janpierzchala2004]

The first, Gillespie, one