Real-life Stories
Hundreds of people go missing under baffling conditions in the woods of North America every year. These are cases of individuals who are right in front of their loved ones one moment, and then in an instant, they vanish. In other instances, people disappear only to be found again in places that seem impossible to access. David Paulides, a former police detective, has dedicated his time to investigating thousands of these strange disappearances. He meticulously documents his findings in his renowned book series called Missing 411.
Bruce Farren
The first case discussed dates back to June 23, 1963. Seven-year-old Bruce Farren, accompanied by his aunt, uncle, and cousins, embarked on a two-mile hike into the Uinta Mountain Range in Utah. Their destination was Pyramid Lake, where they planned to camp for a couple of days. Upon arrival, they decided to cool off by the water. However, before entering the water, Bruce informed his aunt and uncle that he needed to use the bathroom. He walked over to a grove of trees and bushes, intending to relieve himself. When he didn’t reappear after a few minutes, his aunt and uncle grew concerned and called out for him. Despite their calls, Bruce did not emerge from the wood line. His uncle ventured into the trees to search for him but couldn’t find him anywhere. The family scoured the area for the next hour, shouting for Bruce, but there was no sign of him. They promptly contacted the authorities, initiating an extensive search. The following day, Bruce remained missing, causing his family to lose hope. However, to their astonishment, a searcher located Bruce walking down a steep trail several miles away from where he was last seen. Bruce was unharmed, albeit slightly hungry. His discovery raised questions because, according to search and rescue models, boys aged 7 to 9 are usually found within a 7.2-mile radius. Bruce’s location, however, required him to cover approximately 20 miles along a rugged ridge line before descending a 500-foot cliff. The circumstances seemed impossible for a missing seven-year-old boy. Bruce himself couldn’t recall what happened to him, except for sleeping between two downed logs, drinking from a waterfall, and encountering various animals, one of which would jump over him at night. Speculations arose that Bruce might have been abducted while using the bathroom, allowing him to cover such a significant distance in a short period. Some believe his abductor may have physically transported him at least part of the way, and the animals he encountered at night could have been associated with the abduction.
The ghost town of Glastonbury
in West Townshend, a rural area on the east side of Glastonbury Mountain in Vermont. This location is significant because it falls within the so-called Bennington Triangle, known as one of the most haunted places in America. The triangle is a loosely defined area that includes the ghost town of Glastonbury, which used to be a small logging community. The town was abandoned in the late 19th century after the logging boom ended. As a result, the greater Glastonbury area, including West Townshend, is now an untouched wilderness, known for its rugged and remote terrain.
The Bennington Triangle has gained a spooky reputation due to the alarming number of unexplained disappearances that have occurred there over the last 100 years. Additionally, numerous sightings of the so-called Bennington Monster, an eight-foot-tall creature roaming the mountains of Glastonbury, have fueled speculation that this creature may be responsible for the strange disappearances.
One of the cases discussed in the video involves 37-year-old Carl Herrick and his cousin Henry. In November 1943, they went deer hunting in West Townshend. During the hunt, the pair got separated, and Henry couldn’t find Carl. When Henry returned to their camp, it was empty, raising concerns that something was wrong. A search was launched, and on the third day, Henry discovered Carl’s lifeless body lying face down in a clearing in the woods.
What puzzled investigators was the lack of obvious injuries on Carl’s body. Although he had minor scratching on his arms and hands, there were no signs of a traditional bear attack. Strangely, Carl’s rifle, loaded and leaning against a tree 70 feet away, was found next to an expended shell casing. Huge bear tracks were also found around Carl’s body. The official cause of death was determined to be Carl being squeezed to death, with a broken rib puncturing his lung.
The video questions the explanation of a bear attack. If Carl encountered a black bear and fired one shot into the animal, it is unlikely that a single shot would be enough to bring down the bear. Carl, being an experienced hunter, would know this and would likely keep a distance with his weapon aimed at the animal, prepared for a potential second shot. Moreover, even if Carl was confident in his shot and approached the bear thinking it was dead, it would be highly unusual for him to leave his gun against a tree and walk 70 feet toward the animal, risking his life. Black bears are known to scratch, bite, and maul their victims, but they do not typically squeeze them to death. Carl’s injuries were inconsistent with a bear attack. This raises the question of what kind of animal could be strong enough to squeeze a man’s chest to the point of breaking ribs and happens to be roaming around the Bennington Triangle.
“Doc”
This story dates back to 1981 and revolves around an 84-year-old man named Maurice “Doc” Demets. Doc was a minister with a Ph.D. in theology, and he had a passion for topaz hunting. Due to his blood condition and arthritis in his knees, he required assistance to move around and engage in his hobby. Doc’s friend, David McSherry, often accompanied him on these hunting trips.
On April 29, 1981, Doc and David decided to go topaz hunting in Pike National Forest, specifically in an area known as Devil’s Head. Despite local rumors of the place being haunted, Doc and David did not pay much attention to such claims. They reached their favorite dig site, and David walked Doc down a hill to a clearing while carrying Doc’s tools. David then proceeded to his own dig site, located approximately 50 yards away.
Throughout the day, David intermittently checked on Doc’s well-being, making sure he was okay. However, at around 3:45 PM, when David looked in the direction where Doc was supposed to be, he noticed Doc’s absence. Although it had only been about 15 minutes since David last saw him, David assumed Doc might have moved behind a tree or gone out of sight momentarily. David walked down to the area but found no trace of Doc. Surprisingly, Doc’s backpack, containing his tools, was also missing.
David began searching the area, considering the possibility that Doc had returned to the car. However, to reach the car, one had to ascend a steep embankment, which Doc, with his physical limitations, could not have accomplished alone. Despite his thorough search, David found no evidence of any incident or altercation. He did not hear any alarming sounds either, ruling out an animal attack. Confused and concerned, David honked the car’s horn and called out for Doc.
Three passing motorists noticed David’s distress and stopped to inquire about the situation. After explaining that his 84-year-old friend had gone missing, David requested their assistance in locating him. The group searched the area for a couple of hours but could find no sign of Doc. Eventually, they contacted the authorities, prompting a week-long intensive search involving bloodhounds and hundreds of people. Unfortunately, no trace of Doc was ever discovered.
Doc’s wife wrote a letter to the governor of Colorado, expressing her belief that someone or something had lifted Doc and taken him away. However, the letter received no response, and the case was eventually closed, assuming Doc had perished. It was only when David Paulides featured the Doc Demets case in his documentary that the investigation briefly reopened. As of now, there are no new updates or additional details regarding Doc’s whereabouts.
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