 Mystery: November 19, 2025 Issue [#13458] |
This week: The Missing Person Case Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Mystery Newsletter by Dawn
Watching tv shows with focus on mystery, there are some cases where people are reported missing. At times, that is the beginning of the case and it soon becomes a murder investigation. Other times, it takes much longer to find them, dead or alive. Some aspects might be useful for writing stories that involve a missing person case. |
Twenty four hours can feel like a life time when a loved one appears to have disappeared by nothing can be done until that person has been officially gone for that long. It can feel like an eternity. This is also a big number that people hear about because it has been said in some shows that it's the requirement. However, that actually isn't always the case. I've heard in some instances that the person being interviewed for a show will say that factors can make an official search be started sooner than 24 or 72 hours because those can be the most important hours. An example of this is when the person is elderly. Whether it's a risk of late stages of dementia, heart attack risks or many other things can be involved when an elderly person has disappeared. Children below a certain age aren't going to go far on their own, so there is the risk of kidnapping.
They are less likely to be as quick when it's an adult because they have more free reign to leave when they want. Unless they are supposed to follow certain rules like for probation. This means that a missing person case isn't going to look the exact same every times but they are definitely something that can count as a mystery. Which means, I'm going to guess that some of the mystery stories being written are going to involve a missing person.
I'm not an expert. I just watch a lot of the television shows now that I live with my mom because she is a big fan of shows like Snapped. And when I watching the different shows, even one about grandmothers, it gets me thinking. What are some factors that people might consider when writing a mystery story that involves a missing person? Well, I also have some ideas.
One aspect to really consider is the year. Sounds strange at first but hear me out. The way people can look for a missing person is very different now than it used to be many years ago. Similar to the creation of DNA tracking and testing for solving crimes. Technology could be an important factor. Many years ago, it was a lot easier for someone to disappear when they wanted. My stepdad has even told me stories about how one could buy a general plane ticket, then decide their destination. So, the location wouldn't even be on the ticket. Sounds strange now. Then there are the old tales of men who would decide that they have had enough with one family/relationship. They would leave and start new somewhere else, never to be found again.
Technology has been a game changer in the missing person field. The cell phone is one in particular because as long as the phone is on, there is a way to track things. I've seen a number of cases on the shows where the murderer is found to be involved in part because their phone was tracked in an area when they said that they were somewhere else at the time. Plus, if someone is missing it starts to look suspicious if they are always posting on their phone but suddenly it gets turned off. And nowadays, it is strange for someone to go anywhere without a phone. There are a few places with no reception, but those aren't many. We have a cabin in the mountains in Wyoming and after a certain point on the drive up, there is no reception unless you can use satellite. But the satellites still work so there is the potential for tracking abilities.
If the story happened thirty years ago, that is going to be very different than one happening today. So, you need to take those details into consideration. Not only how people dressed and political climates, but the use of technology and how crime investigators might solve a case. The location could be a factor too because places like Detroit and Chicago or New York are going to have different options than like Texas, where they also have people known as Rangers. Then there are the times when FBI and other federal government agents could be involved.
All of these details could be involved in what might have started out as a simple missing person case. Somone missed an appointment, doesn't show up for work when they are always there early, something is out of place... Minor details spark a question. That question becomes waiting. Then someone has to decide to get police involved. You have the start of a mystery about a person who is now missing.
What happens next?
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Have you ever read or written a story that revolves around a missing person case?
Challenge: Write a story that starts with a missing person. Who reports them missing? What is strange about the circumstances? Find creative ways to add different elements and see where the story take you.
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