MISSING: The Thompson Family
A frantic phone call, an abrupt departure, and then…silence. When Everett and Lydia Thompson disappear along with their two young sons, the trail leads to one man whose story keeps changing. But instead of swift action, investigators initially delay and brush off a family’s cry for answers. Potentially giving the suspect time to erase evidence – and the Thompson family themselves. Nearly thirty years later, their fate remains a chilling mystery that may have been solvable from the start.
Listen in the Crime Junkie Fan Club
Unlock this episode & hundreds of other ad-free episodes across the Audiochuck network. Join the Fan Club now for more exclusive content like this & more.
The Thompson Family. From top left to bottom right: Lydia, Everett Sr., Andrew, and Everett Jr.
Credit: The Charley Project
A photo of Andrew age-progressed to 31 years old.
A photo of Everett Jr. age-progressed to 33 years old.
Episode Information:
Chicago Police Department’s Missing Persons Division
If you know anything about the disappearance of the Thompson family, call the Chicago Police Department’s Missing Persons Division at 312-745-5020 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
If you or anyone you know is thinking about suicide, please be aware that emotional support can be reached by calling or texting the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, where trained counselors are available 24/7 to provide support.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Suggested Episodes
MISSING: Gregory ‘Keith’ Mann Jr.
It’s the kind of detail that lingers: a meeting, just after midnight… that no one can explain.
In May 1997, 20-year-old Keith Mann was building a future—new apartment, new job, new fiancée. But sometime after being dropped off at home late that night, Keith stepped back out into the dark to meet someone. By morning, he was gone. The only thing left behind was a borrowed car from the dealership he’d been working at. Found abandoned in a church parking lot right next to his parent’s home.
Decades later, that midnight meeting is still a mystery. No one has ever come forward. If you remember Keith or anything about his life in Wichita Falls in 1997, his family is still searching for answers. You can share information or memories through the Missing Mann Project website or connect with them on the Missing Mann Project Facebook page, where they continue to keep Keith’s story alive – and hope that one day, the person he went to meet will finally be known.
MISSING: Melissa Casias
In June 2025, Melissa Casias dropped her husband off at work in Los Alamos, New Mexico… then did something nobody expected. She turned around and drove home. By that afternoon, she had vanished, leaving behind her wallet, her keys, both of her personal phones wiped to factory settings, and a family already splitting in two over what to believe. Her husband, Mark, insists she walked away on her own. Her parents and siblings are certain something far worse happened to her. Surveillance video proves she was alive walking along Highway 518 that day. But where she went next – and why – is a question that only deepens the further you pull at it.
MISSING: Darrel “Bubba” Johnson Sr.
At a busy campsite one summer night, Darrel “Bubba” Johnson Sr. says goodnight and zips up his tent. By sunrise, he’s gone.
Join our Fan Club to listen to this episode and more!
Unlock all of the exclusive benefits and dynamic listening experience as a Crime Junkie Fan Club member.
Join the Fan Club now to reap the rewards!