Lists about real people who were held against their will, the monsters who tormented them, and the grisly details of what went on during those dark times.

Human Captives

In July 1976, summer school was in full swing in the small California town of Chowchilla, and bus driver Ed Ray had 26 children in his care as he drove them home. Out of nowhere, three men blocked the bus and perpetrated one of the largest-scale kidnappings in US history.

As if the abduction&nbsp;from a school bus - what is supposed to be a safe location - weren&#39;t enough, the three male kidnappers loaded their 27 targets into windowless vans for transport to a poorly made&nbsp;underground prison&nbsp;without sufficient food or water. Luckily for the children, Ray was determined to protect them and, joined by one of the students, succeeded in <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/lisa-mcvey-noland-surivor-story/april-a-taylor?ref=collections_page" target="_blank">securing their escape</a>.

Still, while the story&nbsp;has a seemingly happy ending, the long-term effects of captivity on the children,&nbsp;as well as the senseless reasoning behind the event, continue to haunt survivors and the town itself.

The Story Of The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping, One Of The Biggest Abductions In US History

General

Facts About The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping

Jodi Smith

Drama

Frequently, courtroom dramas deliver on a central premise: immersing viewers in the sound and fury of a climactic moment during the trial, when a lawyer gets a confession from a person on the stand. However, some of the most gripping, if often underrated, examples of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-all-courtroom-drama-movies/ranker-film">courtroom drama films</a> are those which are based on real events.These films, while using the same conventions of their fictional counterparts, also ask the viewer to become emotionally invested in the injustices of the past and the efforts of those who sought to right them. In doing so, they once again prove just how powerful films can be when it comes to creating an investment in the past.

Underrated Movies Based On Real-Life Trials

Film

Thomas West

A closer look at mysterious disappearances that continue to baffle detectives.

Gone Missing

Unspeakable Times

On June 4, 2010, in Portland, OR, then-7-year-old Kyron Horman was reported missing. His stepmother, Terri Moulton Horman, took him to Skyline Elementary School early that morning for a science fair and watched him walk off to his first class. Nevertheless, by the end of the day, he was nowhere to be found.&nbsp;What started as the largest search and rescue operation in Oregon history quickly turned into a criminal investigation, but despite the focus largely remaining on one suspect - his stepmother - for the last 12 years, an arrest has <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/corinna-slusser-missing/patrick-thornton">never been made</a>. As such, Kyron's case remains open, and police as well as his family hold onto hope that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/andy-puglisi-disappearance-case-facts/patrick-thornton">he will be found alive</a>.&nbsp;

Kyron Horman Vanished From His Elementary School In 2010 And Hasn’t Been Seen Since

The Strange Mystery Of Kyron Horman's Disappearance 

Aspen Stevens

True Crime

Catch Me If You Can and American Hustle are two of the best-known movies about real-life con artists. If you've seen them but crave more fact-based scam films, try one of these underrated titles. The subject of scamming has long fascinated audiences, likely because it plays into a couple primal emotions simultaneously. We admire the ingenuity and creativity that goes into devising these schemes, yet at the same time, we loathe the idea of amoral scammers ripping off and deceiving other people. Such cognitive dissonance makes it easy to get sucked in.Many big stars appear in the following movies. Among them are Melissa McCarthy, Jim Carrey, Jennifer Lopez, and Robert DeNiro. In each case, the stories provide a captivating look at how true cons were carried out and what the consequences were for the parties involved. They turned to some ethically dubious individuals for inspiration, making great art out of crimes that were often shocking.

Underrated Movies About Real-Life Scammers And Con Artists

Mike McGranaghan

Graveyard Shift

Crime-related <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-new-tv-dramas-of-the-last-few-years/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">dramas on TV</a> and in film often make even the most mysterious cases seem relatively easy to solve. After a few scenes depicting frustration and bewilderment, the expert CSI agent or forensic scientist suddenly makes a case-breaking discovery by analyzing a piece of hair, pulling together cellphone data, or having a witness crack under pressure. Often, the heroes of these stories overcome another corrupt entity within their division to ensure that justice is served as they save the day.&nbsp;While these dramas make for excellent and entertaining stories, they're often a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/how-forensic-science-actually-works/zack-howe">far cry from reality</a>. What happens when a killer leaves behind all his clothes at a crime scene, full of DNA, and experts still can't identify the perpetrator? Or when crooked law enforcement agents don't have anyone there to expose their evidence-meddling tactics? Or when a serial killer strikes a city, and no one finds out about it for years?&nbsp;Unlike the popular mystery-solving dramas in the entertainment industry, these true crime stories are a collection of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-history-moments/lauren-glen">eerie mysteries that remain unsolved</a> - despite the evidence and clues the murderers left behind.&nbsp;

Creepy And Disturbing Mysteries That Sent Shivers Down Our Spines

Lauren Glen

September 17, 1992, was supposed to be an ordinary trip to the fair for two teenage girls just looking for a fun weekend outing. Misty Copsey was a popular, straight-laced student with good grades, and despite her mother's struggles with alcohol, she was seemingly able to avoid the trappings of her upbringing. All that was cut short, however, when she mysteriously disappeared from the Washington State Fair in her hometown of Puyallup, WA.Misty Copsey hasn't been seen since, and the search for her whereabouts was both messy and mismanaged. This case is filled with complications and rabbit holes, and has it countless active players - perhaps why the case is still open to this day.

Misty Copsey Vanished From A Small-Town Fair In 1992, And We’re Still Looking For Answers

The Disappearance Of Misty Copsey: Still Searching For Answers

Stephen Morin

On June 3, 2011, 20-year-old Indiana University student Lauren Spierer disappeared. On the evening of June 2, Spierer went to a friend's apartment before going out to a popular local sports bar. By the time she left the bar in the early hours of June 3, surveillance footage showed her acting extremely intoxicated. After going by two friends' apartments, she reportedly headed home by herself around 4:30 am.The case remains open, and authorities have seemingly reached no concrete conclusions, though Spierer is presumed to be dead. Her parents believe that her friends and others around her that night know details that could finally answer the nagging question of what happened to their daughter. Even 11 years later, her family and friends believe that if they keep looking, the truth will eventually come out.

Lauren Spierer Disappeared After A Night Out, And No One Can Make Sense Of What Happened

The Shocking Disappearance Of IU Student Lauren Spierer

Mysteries

Whether <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/solved-cold-cases/patrick-thornton">five years have passed or 50</a>, there's something about an unsolved case that captivates the true crime community. Perhaps it's the unsettling idea of a dangerous culprit still out there, or the frustrating stories of families who have gone decades without answers, closure, or justice for their loved ones. There's also the enticing possibility that the right person will come forward, or that one important piece of evidence will pop up to finally close the case, or that an amateur investigator taking another look might connect the dots.&nbsp;These unsolved cold cases all have an element that stands out. Maybe it's a particular person who seems suspicious, a specific clue that raises red flags, or just <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weirdest-true-crime-stories/patrick-thornton">a strange part of the story</a> that defies logic. With new technology and heightened awareness of these enigmas, cold cases won't necessarily be cold forever. Read on for just a few eerie unsolved cases we'd really like answers to.

11 Cold Cases That Don't Sit Right With Us

Cold Cases That Don't Sit Right With Us

Mel Judson

During the last days of summer in 1976, 10-year-old Andy Puglisi went swimming at a public pool in Lawrence, MA, with his friends and younger siblings. By evening, everyone had made it home except for Andy, who seemed to have <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/amber-alert-case-facts/jacob-shelton">vanished into thin air</a>.Five child sex offenders were in the area where Andy disappeared, but police could never link his disappearance to any of them. More than 45 years later, the disappearance of Andy Puglisi remains one of the most perplexing <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/how-adam-walsh-changed-missing-children-response/bailey-benningfield">missing children</a> cases of the 1970s.&nbsp;Andy's case gained renewed interest in the late '90s and early 2000s when a childhood friend, who had been with him the day he disappeared, produced a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unsolved-true-crime-documentaries/rayven-crawford">true crime documentary</a> about her missing friend. In 2020, state police also vowed to solve the case once and for all.Despite all the research and coverage the disappearance has garnered over the years, however, no one seems to know what happened to Andy Puglisi that day at the pool.

10-Year-Old Andy Puglisi Vanished From A Public Pool In 1976 And Still Hasn’t Been Found

Facts About The Disappearance Of Andy Puglisi

Patrick Thornton

There is no official database for how many people go missing in national parks every year. Unofficial reports put the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kron4.com/mystery-wire/missing-411-author-sheds-light-on-mysterious-disappearances/">total number in the thousands</a>, but the count remains unconfirmed by the National Park Service.Most disappearances result from accidents inherently related to the outdoors, such as under-preparing for extreme weather, chance encounters with animals, and hikers getting lost. Alive or deceased, most missing persons are found and returned to their loved ones. Some disappearances, however, remain shrouded in mystery indefinitely.In June 1969, Dennis Lloyd Martin snuck into the woods to play a prank on his father and was never seen again. His disappearance <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/foia/upload/1969_GRSM_DennisMartin_dissapearance_REDACTED.pdf">sparked the largest search in park history</a>, but no traces of Dennis were ever found. A span of 20 minutes turned a family's celebrated camping tradition into a disaster and forever left them - and their community - wondering what happened. But how can a child simply vanish, especially with his family so close?The mystery of Dennis Lloyd Martin's disappearance has lasted decades, and time hasn't revealed any more answers.

The Odd Disappearance Of Dennis Martin, Who Vanished In The Smoky Mountains

Sonja Ska

There's nothing quite so fun as feeling the thrill of danger from the safety of a theater seat. The heart-pounding adrenaline of waiting for a killer to pounce upon their unsuspecting prey has been terrifying and delighting moviegoers for decades, but the sense of security that comes with fiction can be short-lived and fragile.Hollywood has turned heart-wrenching and vile true crimes into box-office hits practically since its inception, but what's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/controversial-movies-true-crime/sonja-ska">truly stomach-churning</a> is that some elements borrowed from real life are so twisted and disturbing, moviemakers had to tone them down to put the stories on film. Let's take a look at some of these wicked transgressions - and the movies they inspired.

Disturbing Movies Loosely Based On Actual Crimes

Most Disturbing Movies Loosely Based On True Crime Stories

Jennifer Mee skyrocketed into the national spotlight when she sought treatment for a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://nypost.com/2016/02/28/hiccup-girl-from-social-media-darling-to-convicted-murderer/">case of incurable hiccups</a>. With her shy, soft-spoken demeanor and an innocent aura that begged for help, it was easy to sympathize with the young woman.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-daytime-tv-shows/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Daytime TV show</a> audiences rallied around Mee, offering advice, support, and even trips to water parks. Nicknamed "Hiccup Girl," Mee captivated a nation and dominated headlines. Attention momentarily faded once Mee's hiccups were cured, and her status as a medical curiosity ceased - but the frenzy resumed when she went on trial for murder.As quickly as the “media darling” rose to fame, she would fall into disgrace.

From Media Star To Murderer: The Rise And Fall Of 'Hiccup Girl' Jennifer Mee

How 'Hiccup Girl' Jennifer Mee Was Found Guilty Of Murder

Bethany Anne Decker was a 21-year-old college senior studying global and economic change when she went missing in early 2011.Decker was also the wife of an Army National Guard private, the mother to a 17-month-old son, and was about three months pregnant with a second child; however, there was tension in Decker's life - her marriage was struggling, and she began an affair with a man named Ronald Roldan, whom she said was abusive. Then one day in late January, Decker seemingly disappeared without a trace.Decker's case was seemingly cold until Roldan was charged in the attempted murder of another woman. In 2020, new evidence led to Roldan's arrest in Decker's disappearance, with a trial scheduled for 2023.

Bethany Decker Was Three Months Pregnant When She Vanished, And Her Whereabouts Are Still A Mystery

Bethany Decker Was Three Months Pregnant When She Vanished Without A Trace

Interesting

Interrogation scenes have kept audiences' hearts playing hop-scotch for minutes on end in prominent films like Casino Royale, The Dark Knight, and Killer Instinct. The cat-and-mouse game between interrogator and detainee is exciting to watch, and it's hard not to root for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/underdogs-in-history-who-won/melissa-sartore">underdog</a>. While the Joker shoving a pencil in an interrogator's eye is a fictional occurrence, many other interrogation scenes contain slivers of truth and reality that are found in precincts around the world.Experts advising police and detectives have employed numerous interrogation tactics and methods; should the interrogator build rapport and respect the detainee, or should they intentionally hike their cortisol levels to get a quicker confession? Below, we'll look at the science of interrogations and some of the common techniques that have dominated interrogation rooms since the mid-20th century.

Interrogation Techniques And Tricks Everyone Should Know

Hannah Upp was a young woman with a positive attitude and a zest for life. Despite having divorced parents and struggling with her personal understanding of religion, she was a&nbsp;seemingly happy, successful woman <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/04/02/how-a-young-woman-lost-her-identity/amp">aspiring to become a Montessori teacher</a> in order to effect positive change in the world.Unfortunately, she also suffered from a rare disorder best known for afflicting Jason Bourne, the fictional protagonist from The Bourne Identity and its sequels. Because of this condition, she went missing twice and was later found with no recollection of what had happened. In 2017, Upp <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/what-happened-to-hannah-upp-the-mystery-around-the-young-womans-disappearance-continues">went missing for a third time</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/paula-jean-welden-disappearance-vermont/patrick-thornton">has never been found</a>.

A Teacher With A Rare Form Of Amnesia Disappeared Three Times And Hasn't Been Found

A Teacher With A Rare Form Of Amnesia Disappeared Three Times And Has Not Been Found

Motorcycle clubs often bring to mind images of guns, drugs, bikes, and leather. From afar <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/life-of-bikers/philgibbons">their lives seem mysterious and full of danger</a>. The US has many motorcycle clubs all over the country, and most are harmless enough, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/biker-rules/nathan-gibson">with rules that denote what members can and can't do</a>. In general, it's believed 99% of these clubs are law-abiding groups of people brought together by a particular passion for riding. Unfortunately, that leaves 1% of clubs that aren't interested in following the rule of law.Out of the many motorcycle gangs in the US, few are as feared as the Pagans Motorcycle Club. The group has been causing mayhem and frustration for law enforcement since the mid-1960s. Read on to find out more about one of most notorious and deadly motorcycle gangs in America.&nbsp;

14 Facts About The Pagans Motorcycle Gang

Pagans Motorcycle Gang: 14 Facts About The Biker Outlaws

Christina Chilin

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