Get ready for a new binge session because Unsolved Mysteries just dropped season 2. Here are the new set of cases.
With Halloween right around the corner everyone’s looking for something to watch for their quarantine costume parties. Well look no further, Unsolved Mysteries has arrived and has already rocketed to the #1 spot on Netflix. In this list, I’ll be ranking the episodes so you know which ones to visit first and which ones don’t strike your fancy.
Tsunami Spirits
Unsolved Mysteries dedicates at least one episode every season to a supernatural phenomenon. This haunting episode explores the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan. In the wake of the disaster, survivors experienced supernatural events and appearances in their lives. The testimonies from the people who experienced the harrowing events are extremely powerful, especially the story of a woman named ‘Ami’ who finds herself tormented by the spirits of the fallen and seeks the help of a Reverend. This episode is an incredible look at how people deal with tragedy and how thin the veil between our world and the other side can be.
A Death in Oslo
A woman checks into an Oslo hotel room under a false name. Upon discovering that she hadn’t paid, one of the employees comes to her room. Suddenly, a gunshot is fired. In a panic, the employee ran downstairs for help and by the time they returned they discovered the woman shot in her bed. Among her body were also clothes with all the labels neatly cut off, a suitcase only containing twenty five cartridges, and a gun. Unable to locate her identity or any family members, the woman was buried in an unmarked grave and the case was ruled a suicide. When a journalist becomes interested in the story, he works to uncover who exactly this woman was.
Lady in the Lake
This one is a doozy. JoAnn Romaine was attending a nighttime prayer service in Michigan like she did regularly. When she didn’t return home that night, her children became concerned. Her car was found in the church parking lot with only her purse inside. A set of footprints in the snow led to a shallow and rocky lake. Not being able to find her in the frozen lake, the search was widened. To the police, this was obviously a suicide, there were no signs of a struggle, or weapon, or robbery. However, her family knew she would never commit suicide and certain things weren’t adding up. The heels JoAnn was wearing that night made it impossible for her to venture into the rocky water below and her purse was ripped in what seemed to be a struggle. JoAnn was also attempting to hire an investigator before she disappeared. Things get even crazier when JoAnn’s body is found in Canadian waters. Ultimately, this story follows three incredibly dedicated children who would do anything to seek out justice for their mother.
Death Row Fugitive
Described as “the biggest miscarriage of justice,” from a seasoned detective, this episode follows death row inmate Lester Eubanks. After murdering a young child in cold blood, Lester was sent to prison to die. However, Lester escapes the jaws of death when Ohio bans the death penalty. One can only assume that he would spend the rest of his life in prison. Through a series of seemingly impossible circumstances, Lester escaped prison and has not been found since. His name simply slipped through the cracks of the system. The interviews in this episode are impactful to watch, especially, from the victim’s sister. There is also the question of Lester’s devoted family, who have more to hide than they let on.
Washington Insider Murder
Jack P. Wheeler had the perfect life. He was chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, senior planner for Amtrak, official of the Securities and Exchange Commission, chief executive and CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, consultant to the Mitre Corporation, and a presidential aide to Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush administrations. He had a loving wife and family, which made it all the more odd when his body was discovered in the Cherry Island Landfill in Delaware. The mysterious death and Jack’s erratic behavior in the days leading up to it are the subject of this episode. Did it have something to do with Jack’s job in the government? Or the fact that his precious briefcase was stolen the day before and has yet to be found? Using security camera footage and witness testimonies Jack’s last days are painstakingly pieced together. Even with all the information we have, the case remains unsolved.
Stolen Kids
The most heartbreaking of the cases, this one follows two boys who went missing in Harlem, NY in 1989, and their mothers as they seek justice. This episode doesn’t just dive into the detective work done to locate these boys, but also how technology has changed the way missing person’s cases operate. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s Forensic Imaging Unit has come up with a method of aging up these children to show what they would look like today. The department would use things like family characteristics and natural aging to photoshop a grown up version of the missing child. If you can handle it, this episode offers a fascinating look at the lengths in which technology has improved.
