True crime has become one of the most popular genres in media because these stories could happen to anybody. Whether it be through a Netflix docuseries, podcast, or best-selling memoir, the U.S. has seen a ton of cold cases over the years. From famous rappers to iconic actors, here are the most famous unsolved cases that left detectives scratching their heads.
The Black Dahlia Was A 1940s Mystery
One of the biggest cold cases of the 1940s was the case of The Black Dahlia. A woman named Elizabeth Short was working as a waitress in Hollywood with a dream of becoming a famous actress.
She went missing on January 9, 1947, and was found unresponsive in a residential part of Los Angeles. After almost 75 years, no one has been arrested for the crime.
No One Knows Why Edgar Allan Poe Left
Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most historic writers of all time with works still being taught in school today.
His passing still remains a mystery. He was found delirious on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland about four days before his passing. Some saw him wearing clothes that were not his with him shouting the name "Reynolds."
The Boston Strangler's Short Life In Prison
One of the most gruesome crimes of the 1960s was the case of the Boston Strangler. There were reports that a man was going around strangling at least 13 women in Boston, Massachusetts.
Most signs led to Albert DeSalvo, but his trial lacked physical evidence. He was sentenced to life in prison where someone ended his life by stabbing him. The person who stabbed DeSalvo was never identified.
The Women Of Ciudad Juaréz Don't Have Justice
Sitting right at the U.S. border is a town called Juaréz. It's usually referred to as the "City of the Lost Girls" because hundreds, or possibly thousands, of women have disappeared there over the last decade.
While Amnesty International has urged the Mexican authorities to find the perpetrators, there has been little done to stop the injustice.
What Happened To John Middleton Clayton?
This event is rarely taught in history class. When John Middleton Clayton was running for a seat in the U.S. Congress in Arkansas, the ballot box was stolen.
Four masked men stole it at gunpoint and it turned out most of the votes were for Clayton. Clayton was later assassinated and declared the winner. His assassin remains unknown.
Feet Washed Ashore In America And Canada
The case of the disembodied feet first came into public knowledge in August of 2007 when five human feet washed ashore in Vancouver, Canada.
There have been a few other discoveries along the U.S. and Canada border in Washington. Some think they belong to the victims of the 2005 plane crash off Quadra Island, but authorities still have no leads.
The Rashawn Brazell Case Has Been On America's Most Wanted Five Times
There have been many horrific cold cases in New York and one of the most memorable was the 2005 case of Rashawn Brazell.
He disappeared from his home after an unknown man stopped by his house and the two were seen going to a subway station. His body was found four days later and the identity of the unknown man is yet to be determined.
People Were Poisoned By Tylenol
One of the biggest mysteries of the 1980s were the Tylenol poisonings during September and October of 1982. Seven people in the Chicago area passed after taking Tylenol pills laced with cyanide.
The medicine was quickly removed from shelves and no one was able to trace the location of the laced pills.
Mary Meyer Was Close To JFK
Those close to John F. Kennedy have dealt with immense tragedy. Mary Meyer was a personal friend to JFK and a Washington D.C. native.
Her body was found in 1964 after a man followed her and shot her while she was on a walk. A man was arrested for taking her life, but was later released because he wasn't the man who shot her.
The Grimes Sisters Were Supposed To See A Movie
On a Chicago night in 1956, two sisters named Barbara and Patricia Grimes decided to go see a movie. They never made it to the theater and their bodies were found a year later.
A suspect was never declared, but the man on the right, William J. Willingham, Jr., was a supposed accomplice to the crime.
Jack The Ripper Was A Lot More Vicious Than Most Thought
Jack the Ripper may sound like a character from a children's book, but he was a lot more vile and vicious than most probably knew.
Between August 7 and November 10 of 1888, five women had their lives taken by him. Jack the Ripper would often leave taunting notes with his victims, but his identity was never revealed.
Tupac Shakur Has Been Gone For Over 25 Years
Tupac Shakur was one of the most popular rappers and actors of the 1990s. His music is internationally acclaimed after selling more than 75 million records worldwide.
Shakur was involved in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas during September of 1996 and he was gone six days later. There is no sufficient evidence that has led to any arrests.
There Are No Suspects In The Case Of The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace went by several stage names including The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie, and Biggie Smalls. He was one of the most influential hip hop artists in the 1990s, especially on the East Coast.
Wallace was the victim of a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles in March of 1997 and no one was named a suspect.
O.J. Simpson's Glove Didn't Fit
Millions of people watched the O.J. Simpson trial in the mid-1990s when he was accused of ending the life of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her partner Ron Goldman.
Simpson was acquitted by the jurors when he convinced them that the gloves of the killer didn't fit. He was later found liable in a civil suit, but the criminal case is still unsolved.
There Were Many Suspects With The William Desmond Taylor Case
One of the biggest cold cases of the 1920s was the case of silent film director William Desmond Taylor. He was found shot in the back in his home on February 2, 1922.
There are many suspects to the case including a young actress who had unrequited love for him, a shady valet driver, and a jealous boyfriend.
Jimmy Hoffa's Body Has Never Been Found
Jimmy Hoffa may look familiar because he was a former labor union president and a famous gangster. He was last seen in Bloomfield Township, Michigan in 1975 in the parking lot of a restaurant.
Experts revealed he was waiting to meet someone, but Hoffa was never seen after that. His body has never been found after almost five decades.
Game Show Host's Case Remains Unsolved
Not only was Dorothy Kilgallen a game show host, but she was also a columnist and journalist. She started working for the New York Evening Journal at 17-years-old.
Kilgallen's body was found in her Manhattan townhouse on November 8, 1965. While some think it was because she was intoxicated, there are suspicions that someone took her life by needle injection.
Thelma Todd Found Inside A Garage
Thelma Todd was an actress in the 1920s and 1930s known for roles in The Maltese Falcon, The Bohemian Girl, Monkey Business, and more.
On the morning of December 16, 1935, Todd was found inside the garage of the ex-wife of her current partner Roland West. While her passing was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, it was never determined if she or someone else ended her life.
TV Actress Barbara Colby Was Shot For No Reason
Barbara Columbo was a relatively unknown TV actress who had guest roles on shows such as Columbo, The Odd Couple, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
On July 24, 1975, she and fellow actor, James Kiernan, were walking to their cars after an acting class in Los Angeles. Both were shot by two men they did not recognize and there was no motive that detectives could figure out.
Hogan's Heroes Star Bob Crane Will Be Remembered
Bob Crane was an actor, drummer, radio personality, and disc jokey, but he was best known for his leading role of Colonel Robert Hogan on Hogan's Heroes.
In June of 1978, Crane's body was found inside his Scottsdale, Arizona apartment with an electrical cord tied around his neck. He was also bludgeoned with a camera tripod. After many DNA tests and court trials, his case remains unsolved.
