Margaret Patterson, 42, and her husband William Patterson disappeared from their El Paso, Texas home on the night of March 5, 1957. Their well-maintained house was left in disarray with unwashed dishes, personal items scattered about, and their pet cat Tommy uncared for — details that friends found especially odd given Margaret’s known affection for the animal. No immediate sign of a struggle or clear foul play was reported at the time.

A telegram sent to the couple’s Dallas accountant in the days afterward instructed management of their assets but was signed W.H. Patterson, not William’s correct initials, which raised suspicion. Unconfirmed sightings in Mexico were reported but never substantiated. In 1984 a cleaner who had worked at the Pattersons’ home said he found blood near a water heater and a piece of scalp on William’s boat, a claim that revived questions but produced no conclusive evidence. The couple was declared legally dead in 1964 and the disappearance remains unsolved.