Four-year-old Melvin Horst vanished from Orrville, Ohio, on the afternoon of December 27, 1928. He had been playing in a vacant lot off Chestnut Street near the railroad tracks with four neighborhood children and told them he had to walk home, about one block, but never arrived. His new red toy was found abandoned in his front yard; no other trace of Melvin turned up.

A massive search of roughly 100 square miles involved much of the town and was led by Melvin’s uncle, village marshal Roy Horst. Early theories ranged from ransom kidnapping to retaliation by local bootleggers because of Roy Horst’s enforcement of liquor laws. Elias Arnold and family members were arrested after an eight-year-old witness implicated them, but the witness’s account was later shown to be impossible and the Arnolds were released. Later accusations, coerced confessions, and other leads — including claims of involvement by an Akron crime figure and suggestions Melvin was cared for briefly by a woman — have all failed to produce a conclusive resolution.

Melvin’s parents later moved to Florida and have died; his younger sister remained locally and has provided DNA in recent years. The disappearance remains officially unsolved.