Theodore Jost was 42 and a U.S. Army veteran when he was last known to be alive around January 1, 1980, in Amherst Junction, Wisconsin. He and his mother, Marie Jost, vanished under mysterious circumstances; their disappearances were not reported until 2012 when the Social Security Administration requested a welfare check after failing to contact Marie for years. Marie’s Social Security checks continued to be cashed for decades despite no confirmed sightings of either person.

Investigators found inconsistencies in statements from family members, including Theodore’s brother Charles Jost and sister Delores Disher. Charles said Marie and Theodore were traveling together, but neighbors said they had never seen them. Bones fragments and other physical evidence were recovered on family property, and Theodore had never applied for Social Security benefits, a detail that added to suspicion. Authorities consider foul play possible, but the exact fate of Theodore and Marie remains unknown.