Joseph Louis Santi, a 54-year-old businessman, vanished from Salt Lake City on January 22, 1977, under circumstances his family and investigators found suspicious. He ran several ventures, including uranium mining and a hotel, but was reportedly deep in debt and under IRS investigation. He was due to testify in a major stock fraud case the day after he disappeared.

The day before he vanished Santi discussed buying $100,000 worth of coins with a friend; the friend later warned it might be a setup. That evening Santi called to say the deal was back on and was never heard from again. Family members who checked his apartment found shoes by the couch and an ashtray with a cigarette despite him not being a smoker. About $10,000 in cash and jewelry were missing, though his vehicles were left parked outside. He was declared legally dead 17 months later but no body was ever found. The case remains unsolved.