The unanswered questions consume us...

Some crimes stay a mystery no matter how hard people try to solve them. Who was Jack the Ripper? What happened to Amelia Earhart? Who killed JonBenét Ramsey? Where did D.B. Cooper disappear to? People have been asking some of these questions for years—and while there are a lot of theories, so far, there’s been no luck in solving them. Are certain crimes impossible to solve, or are people not looking in the right places? Are the answers out there for these cold cases?

These stories explore unsolved crimes old and new. Is there evidence lost to history? Are there people out there keeping secrets? Are some people just really good at hiding? These stories feed into innate human curiosity. There’s something unsettling about not having all the answers and it’s only natural to try and find them. Some questions have become impossible to answer, but the stories are fascinating nonetheless.

If you’re as fascinated (and disturbed)  by unsolved true crime cases as we are, start with these stories: 

And when you’re done with those, peruse the stories below.

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Who Killed Elizabeth Short? The Enduring Unsolved Mystery of the Black Dahlia Murder

In 1947, the butchered body of Elizabeth Short was discovered in a vacant lot outside downtown Los Angeles.

St. Aubin Street Massacre: The Benny Evangelist Family Murders

On a quiet summer night in 1929, a mystic healer and his family were slaughtered in their home by a mysterious axe-wielding killer.

Star Wars ’76: Who Killed Tom Bush?

In the 1970s, Fred and Tom were two ambitious film students catching an advance screening of Star Wars. But their high times were about to come crashing down...

YOGTZE-Fall: The Perplexing Death of Günther Stoll

In 1984, Günther Stoll scribbled down a cryptic message then disappeared into the night to his death. Could his final note be the key to his killing?

FBI Names Person of Interest in 1989 Disappearance of Jacob Wetterling

In 1989, Jacob Wetterling vanished without a trace. 26 years later, authorities have finally announced a person of interest in the case.

In Cold Blood: The Murder of Bonny Lee Bakley

She had a string of marriages – and famous suitors – but her final relationship with Robert Blake ended when she received a shot to the back of the head.

Panic in the Air: The Toxic Case of the Mad Gasser

Frightened citizens sealed their windows when reports of mysterious gas attacks spread from house to house. Could a mad gasser be on the loose?

Hollywood Homicide: Lana Turner and the Death of Johnny Stompanato

In 1958, Johnny Stompanato was stabbed to death in Lana Turner's Beverly Hills home. Was this a case of tinsel town murder or justifiable homicide?

Cold Case Sleuths: An Interview with the CCIRI

Meet the mind behind the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a real-life detective club that tackles unsolved murders throughout history.