Page 75 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - Late January 2019

Mysteries from Unsolved Mysteries Show 75

10 Still-Unsolved

Mysteries From Unsolved

Mysteries

Jake Rossen

Unsolved Mysteries, which premiered in
January 1987, captivated viewers with tales of
peculiar cold cases, missing persons, and
paranormal activity. Actor Robert Stack
introduced reenacted segments—often while
clad in a trench coat—and invited the audience
to contribute tips and information to help law
enforcement resolve their most baffling
investigations. Thanks to their assistance, the
series (later hosted by Dennis Farina) helped
recapture numerous wanted fugitives, unite
fractured families, and even exonerate a few
Francke in the face during the confrontation. using the phone next to hers. They talked for
wrongfully-convicted inmates.
Francke had a bruise on his face consistent with another few minutes—until Hammond
However, many of the 1000-plus cases
Crouse’s description. Though Gable is still screamed. Shafer raced to his car and drove to
featured on the series are still awaiting
considered the perpetrator, both Francke's the phones, which were just blocks away. He
resolution. We asked Unsolved co-creators John
family and the team at Unsolved Mysteries told police he passed the pick-up driving away,
Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer to share their
consider Francke's untimely death an open case. with Hammond screaming his name. He tried to
picks for stories that have stuck with them over
give chase, but his transmission failed, and he
the years. In no particular order, here are 10
2. A.W.O.L. (1993) watched helplessly as the truck—which had a
mysteries that still keep Cosgrove and Meurer
up at night. Soldiers who flee military enlistment giant fish decal on the back window—
without permission are known as being disappeared into the night.
1. SALEM SECRETS (1989) A.W.O.L.: Absent Without Official Leave. Shafer was initially considered a suspect,
Private Justin Burgwinkel didn’t seem like a but was quickly cleared. Despite the telltale
The Oregon state prison system didn’t
plausible candidate for stepping out on his window sticker, police were unable to locate the
have a great reputation in the 1980s. Allegations
responsibilities. He had worked hard and aspired vehicle or Hammond. They believed her
of employees smuggling drugs behind bars and
to become an Army Ranger, which required disappearance might have been connected to
stealing state property were rampant. To combat
specialized and intensive training at Ford Ord in two other women who were abducted and
the perception of impropriety, then-Oregon
Salinas, California; he seemed committed to a murdered within 100 miles of Clinton, but no
governor Neil Goldschmidt invited Michael
career in the military. And then he began acting one has ever been charged with the crimes.
Francke to come in and clamp down on the
oddly around his girlfriend, Iolanda Antunes.
activity as well as cure an overcrowding
While visiting her, he would abruptly tell her he 4. DREAMY DISAPPEARANCE
problem in facilities. Francke, who had
had to leave in order to meet unnamed parties. (1981)
previously worked within the New Mexico
When she pressed for details, he told her it was
prison system, had a reputation for doing things Cynthia Anderson worked as legal
a secret, hinting only that it might involve arms
by the book. He spent two years slowly building secretary in Toledo, Ohio, sometimes passing
smuggling. She noticed he carried a briefcase
his case, but before he was able to point the the time in her office by reading suspense or
full of shredded paper. Once, she answered the
finger at anyone publicly, he was found dead romance novels. In 1980, the 20-year-old told
phone and was told to deliver Burgwinkel a
outside of his office in Salem on January 17, her mother that she had been having a recurring
message: “The mission” was being called off.
1989—a victim of a knife-wielding assailant dream about allowing someone into her house
After three years in service, Burgwinkel
who had pierced his heart. Police pieced who meant her harm. At work, she received
simply vanished. His car was recovered at a
together Francke’s final moments and believed harassing phone calls to the point her
motel three months after his disappearance, with
he was robbed and stabbed by a drug dealer employers—lawyers Jim Rabbit and Jay
named Frank Gable. all of his belongings—including his wallet, Feldstein—had an emergency buzzer installed at
keys, and ID—inside. So were his military-
Although Gable was convicted, her desk. When Rabbit arrived at their office the
issued dog tags, which he once told Antunes
Francke’s family believed Michael’s death was morning of August 4, 1981, they expected to
were useful in identifying the bodies of dead
related to his investigation into the prison find Anderson behind her desk. Instead, the front
soldiers, adding "If you ever see these ... lying
system. One eyewitness said he saw multiple door was locked, and Anderson was nowhere to
around, that means I’m dead." Some believe
men running away from the crime scene on the be found. The novel she had been reading was
Burgwinkel suffered from a mental illness;
night of his death, contradicting the Gable story. open to a passage describing a violent
others think he was involved in illicit activity
Oddly, no paperwork detailing Francke’s abduction. Her car was still in the lot.
that might have gotten him killed. No one has
research was ever found—but several A month later, a mysterious phone call
eyewitnesses saw employees carrying bags of seen or heard from Burgwinkel since June 12, came into police headquarters. A woman
1993.
shredded documents out of his office following insisted Anderson was being held in a basement
his death. but wouldn’t give any specifics. She called a
Gable has thus far been unsuccessful in 3. DIAL H FOR ABDUCTION (1991) second time to tell police the house was
getting his appeals heard, despite several Angela Hammond and her boyfriend occupied, but never contacted them again. Some
witnesses coming forward to cite police Rob Shafer lived in Clinton, Missouri, and likely theorize Anderson may have heard
coercion during interviews and recanting their didn’t concern themselves much with the incriminating conversations involving a drug
statements that he was at the crime scene. In possibility of being victimized by the same types dealer who became concerned that she knew too
2016, a magistrate judge heard arguments for a of crime that plagued larger cities. But on April much. To date, no one has been charged in
new trial, including statements that deceased 4, 1991, the worst-case scenario came true. connection with her disappearance.
criminal John Crouse made to relatives in which While phoning Rob from a pay phone, 20-year-
he confessed to killing Francke in a car burglary old Hammond remarked that a green Ford pick-
gone wrong. Crouse revealed several key details up had been circling the block. Hammond said (Continued on Page 76)
of the crime, including the fact that he punched that a “filthy, bearded” man had exited and was