Missing people in the modern era: The harvest

SOME DEEP THOUGHTS ON DAVID PAULIDES’ NEWEST BOOK. AND GEORGE KNAPP’S COMMENTS ABOUT IT

I read MISSING 411 in about one day. That’s not to say David Paulides’ book was a lackluster effort at entertainment, but just the opposite. I could not put it down, with each page offering thought provoking tale after another about missing people, cases of the extraordinary, and unbelievable stories about people who vanished. There were those picking berries—lots of people picking berries as a matter of fact—and other strange lapses of normalcy with people quite literally vanishing and often being found near water, in water, and without clothing. The book went back to the 1800s for some stories.
A series of stories and books came after the success of MISSING 411, where Paulides focused on certain areas of the United States.
The most recent project, however, may be the most unnerving. Paulides fast forwards through time and brings us to the modern day in MISSING 411: A SOBERING CONINCIDENCE. And through that effort, perhaps, some of the most horrid and bone chilling tales are told through a series of stories of people—mostly young men—missing. The same connection, it would seem, is evident: Water. And it’s water some would even say that bind those stories of ancient days to that of the modern era..

Some interpret meaning to what Paulides does not say. Though he has been known for work and research into Bigfoot, he never made any hint or suggestion that his stories of people going missing in forests or parks had anything to do with Bigfoot. He actually made an effort to say that he did not know. Likewise for the newest set of accounts. The non fiction work has nothing at all to do with aliens. At least not in the sense that Paulides is using alien abductions as the cover for the truth behind why people are going missing and how they are seemingly eerily connected in the conclusion.

Paulides appeared with George Knapp Sunday night on COAST TO COAST AM. Knapp has previously hosted Paulides for a series of shows that make your arm hair stand on end. This program was no different, with Paulides giving real records to listeners about a series of mostly young males who go missing, often after drinking at bars, and then get founds weeks later in a relatively fresh state of decay in water. The cases are often ruled suicide. They are also coupled with weird particulars, like phone calls going dead, phones themselves going missing. Two of the weirdest perhaps are the stories of Shane Montgomery, who went missing in 2014 in Philadelphia, and Todd Geib.

Another focal point of Paulides: The strange case of Elisa Lam at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles.. This story is one that I have long paid attention to and written about. It’s plain weird. Not only is the video of Lam acting bizarre on the elevator creepy, but the actual story of her death is even worse. Found in a water tank, almost bloodless, with the death being ruled accidental. Of course logic must be put to the side when you consider not only the tanker being locked and too tight to enter ,but also the fact alarms would be set off if someone tried. After TB scare in LA, Paulides pointed out,a kit was used to test water called LAM ELISA. That’s not a joke. It’s also plain uncanny..

I listened with great interest to the Sunday program.

I have long researched this story and followed a number of groups that are hell-bent on finding answers—answers that have proven elusive to say the least over the year.

One common theory heard from those who try to defy the unexplained with an explanation: Smiley Face Killers. There is a theory that some of the deaths of young men found near water also are accompanied by a symbol or sign etched into trees or other landscapes in the shape of smiley faces. Though law enforcement have never given widespread credence to this theory, there are a number of Facebook groups that do, some of which include members of the police community. Additional to that, there are tales across the NET on places like REDDIT and other forums where people actively spread what they purport as true stories of people in vans attempting to abduct younger men at bars—the focal point of the Paulides group studied in his newest book.

That said, it is notable to point out that Paulides does not harbor answers on his shore, but simply sets the boat of truth to sea. You can decide for yourselves.

 I spoke to George Knapp, the host of COAST TO COAST, and award winning journalist, about the subject matter.. He clearly is as disturbed as his listeners.

Knapp told me that it’s “likely the most compelling mystery of modern times.” I think he’s on to something. At face value, the deaths and disappearances are normal and mundane. Man walks into a bar.. drinks.. leaves intoxicated. Drowns. But it’s not that simple, especially when you consider so many aren’t drunk in any typical sense, and know a sense of direction. But yet somehow, within seconds, are lost not to be found again until in a source of water, floating dead.

Knapp told me this the entire story “might turn out to be a not-so-recent sequence of events.”

“David has now shown that it is not merely a rural phenomenon, that it happens in cities and towns as well.”L

Knapp said, “I suspect that if the records can be found ,it will turn out that this has been going on throughout recorded history.”

There is a very human and emotional connection many have to this entire story. People that go missing are sons, daughters. They are children. They are siblings. They are family. Friends. And they are human beings with emotions and fear, happiness and sadness. And they go missing.

There are quite a few people who would settle into the “it won’t happen to my family” mentality. Then it does. And when it does, I would only imagine the life changing personal apocalypse it would incur.

As Knapp said to me, “Something is harvesting humans. It’s like fishing, and we’re the fish.”