Photographs taken in the final moments before people vanished carry a haunting weight. They freeze time at the edge of disappearance, offering a glimpse of ordinary life just before it was forever interrupted.
These images serve as both evidence and memory, capturing presence in the instant before absence.
In 2008, Marilyn Bergeron told loved ones that something terrible had happened but refused to say what, calling it “something worse” than assault or witnessing a crime. On February 17, she left her Quebec City home for a walk and vanished.
The final photo of Kris Kremers, a Dutch tourist who disappeared with her friend Lisanne Froon during a jungle hike in Panama on April 1, 2014. Their remains were found months later. Nobody knows what happened.
Surveillance image from April 2006 shows Brian Shaffer entering the Ugly Tuna Saloona bar in Columbus, Ohio, with two friends. In a later clip, he is seen talking to two women outside the bar around 2 am. After leaving the camera’s view, he mysteriously disappeared and was never seen again.
The very last photo taken of Amy Lynn Bradley taken shortly before she mysteriously disappeared from the cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas in 1998. Authorities later determined that it was unlikely she fell overboard. A U.S. Navy sailor later claimed he met a woman in a Barbados establishment called Amy who begged for help, but he didn’t report it. Amy has never been located.
On September 14, 2007, 14-year-old Andrew Gosden bought a one-way ticket to London and traveled halfway across the UK alone. Upon arriving in the capital, he vanished without a trace and hasn’t been heard from since. This is the final image of him in London.
The last image of 3 year-old Madeleine McCann at the Ocean Kids Club, taken on the morning of May 3, 2007, in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Madeleine was on vacation with her family when she disappeared without a trace.
This is the final photo taken of flight MH370, just hours before it disappeared with 239 lives in 2014.
This photograph, taken by Andrew McAuley during his attempt to kayak 991 miles across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand, captures one of his final moments. He vanished at sea, and his kayak was later found 30 miles from his intended destination.
This surveillance footage screenshot shows the last known moments of Lars Mittank as he fled Varna Airport, Bulgaria, in 2014, shouting, “I don’t want to die here. I have to get out of here.” After the surveillance cameras lost sight of him, he was never seen or heard from again.
In 2016, Corrie McKeague vanished after a night out, with CCTV showing him entering a street but never leaving. Police eventually concluded that he fell asleep in a garbage bin and was crushed by a waste truck, but his body was never found.
On the night of September 8, 2017, Kenneka Jenkins went out to attend a hotel party with friends. A few hours later she was caught on camera walking through a hallway appearing to be intoxicated. She was later found dead inside a latched freezer.
In 1961, Michael Rockefeller, the youngest son of former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, mysteriously vanished during a trip to New Guinea.
Last Image of Derek Seehausen in August 2014. After an evening out with friends, he returned a borrowed key, repaid a loan to a friend then vanished without taking his wallet, keys, computer or phone. He was a 4th year medical student the University of Southern California.
This is the last known image of Sunshine Wood before she disappeared in February 2004 in Manitoba, Canada. She was last seen at 11:45 P.M. outside the St. Regis Hotel on 285 Smith Street. Security footage shows her smiling and holding the door for a man. She has not been seen since.
Last Image taken by 12 year old Jared Michael Negrete on July 19 1991 in California. He got lost in the woods during a boy scout camping trip, all they were able to find was his backpack, some beef jerky, candy wrappers and a camera. This was the last photo on the camera.
Last image of Erin Maureen Brooks standing in a shop in Sitansisk, New Brunswick on December 27, 2021. She went missing shortly after and was never seen or heard from again.
A family’s last photo an hour before boarding MH17. All 298 passengers and crew lost their lives that day.
The last known photo of 6-year-old René Hasee, taken during a family vacation in Aljezur, Portugal, in June 1996. He disappeared from Amoreira Beach and has never been found.
Last Images of Trevor Deely on December 8 2000 in Dublin, Ireland. After a Christmas party, CCTV at his office captures Trevor stopping to get an umbrella. Shortly after, CCTV from a bank captures him walking in the direction of his home. He was never seen again.
This is the final image of Ryan Shtuka, captured as he attended a silent disco. After leaving the event, he disappeared and has not been seen since.
Last Image of Jessica Heppner in May 2015 at a pharmacy in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She was on a trip from Ontario with a travelling companion who reported her missing 4 days later but when questioned, denied knowing her. When police got inside her hotel room, all that was left was two suitcases, a laptop and her identification cards.
Last Image of Michael LeMaitre who disappeared without a trace while competing in the 2012 Mount Marathon race.
The only known photo of Marvin Clark the oldest active missing person case in the United States. He went missing Halloween night of 1926.
Last known photo of Daniel Robinson, a young man from Arizona who vanished from a Buckeye job site on June 23, 2021
The last photo of 3-year-old Australian boy William Tyrrell, in his favourite Spiderman suit. Minutes later, he vanished without a trace.
The last known image of Maura Murray, who vanished without a trace in 2004.
Last Image of Kim Bambus at Ponsonby Countdown store in New Zealand on March 24 2017. She vanished later that day, her vehicle was found near the Ahu Ahu Track with her cellphone inside.
Final image of 6-year-old Timmothy Pitzen before he mysteriously disappeared. Timmothy’s mother, Amy, ended her own life in a motel room. She claimed in a note that Timmothy was in the care of someone trustworthy but would never be found.
Last Image of Terry Pettit and Ronald Yakimchuk leaving Edmonton, Alberta in June 1973 to drive across Canada to move to the Maritimes. They sent a postcard from Dryden, Ontario on June 12 1973 and were never heard from again.
Dr. Sneha Anne Philip last photo from Sept 10 2001, went missing on 9/11. Nobody knows what happened.
Last Image of Cynthia Parisian leaving a Home Depot on February 17, 2019, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She got into a dark colored truck and was never seen or heard from again.
Last Image Kelli Cribbs Abad at an Airman’s Ball in October 2011. She went missing on October 26, 2011, and was last seen leaving Kadena Air Force base in Okinawa, Japan where her husband was stationed.
Last image of Geraldine Largay, hiker who went missing in a Maine forest in 2013. After surviving 26 days her body was found in her sleeping bag, along with her journal, over 2 years later. This photo was taken by a hiker she met along that journey.
The last photo of 7-year-old Kyron Horman taken on June 4th, 2010 at his school’s science fair. He disappeared after the fair 1 hour later and to this day has never been found. Despite suspicious behavior and allegations against his stepmother, no charges have ever been pressed.
Last Image of Aju Iroaga before he walked off his job site into the woods after having a disagreement with his supervisor on May 15, 2006, in White River, Ontario. He was never seen again.
This is one of the last pictures known of Amelia Earhart before her disappearance.
Last Image of Christopher Guimond on a bus on April 7, 2015, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was never seen or heard from again and is listed as a missing person.
Security camera footage of Kathryn Adam On April 29th, 1993 (The morning she disappeared) Her car was found covered in her blood 36 hours later.
The last known picture of Patricia Meehan, who disappeared in 1989 after wandering away from a car accident. She was reportedly having psychological issues before the accident. Numerous people reported seeing her hitchhiking, but her ultimate fate remains a mystery.
Patricia Krieger hiking on Sauk Mountain on October 2, 2010. Inexperienced, poorly dressed and unfamiliar with the area, she disappeared during without a trace that hike. Her dog was later found wandering the mountain. Patricia was never located and is presumed dead.
On February 24, 2015, Daylenn Pua posted this selfie. It’s the final photo of him that exists. Just two days later he vanished while hiking the closed Haiku Stairs in Hawaii. Despite warnings from his grandmother, he sent her photos during the hike, one showing a man seemingly following him. Pua was never seen again.
In 1967, Australia experienced the disappearance of their prime minister. Despite launching one of the largest search operations in the country’s history, no remains were ever discovered. Harold Holt, who had served as Prime Minister for 22 months, vanished while swimming at Cheviot Beach.
Last image of missing boater, Sofia McKenna. This was taken by her friend, Spencer, right before they both went missing off the coast of Connecticut. He was found deceased two weeks later, she has never been found.
Last Image of William Grange on vacation Bermuda. On May 2 2014 he went for a walk and never returned. He suffers from severe memory loss & it is assumed he got lost on the island.
Final photo of Hélène Martineau. Hélène was a Canadian woman who last seen in Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada, on April 12, 2017 before vanishing.
In 2004, Merrian Carver vanished two days into an Alaskan cruise. Despite a staff member raising concerns, no action was taken, and her disappearance went unreported. Her belongings were simply boxed and stored after the cruise. She has never been found.
In July 2005, 26-year-old George Allen Smith IV vanished into thin air while on a honeymoon cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas in the Mediterranean. Smith vanished under suspicious circumstances in the early hours of July 5, 2005. Bloodstains in his cabin and on the ship’s side suggested foul play, with evidence indicating he may have been thrown or fallen overboard.
This man, Wesley Still Smoking, vanished in October 2018. This photo of him was taken on a trail camera on October 12; this is the last time anyone saw him. In March 2022, Still Smoking’s remains were found in a remote wooded area just south of Locust Grove in Mayes County, Oklahoma. Foul play is not suspected in his death.
Patricia Meehan vanished after a car crash on Montana Highway 200, behaving oddly before wandering into the night. Meehan’s landlord was the last to see her before she vanished, noting she seemed unusually hyper. Despite over 5,000 reported sightings, she has never been found.
On Tuesday, September 1, 2015, Macin Smith woke up early, prepared breakfast, and departed his St. George, Utah home. The 17-year-old began walking towards his bus stop but didn’t board the school bus and was absent from all classes at Desert Hills High School. His activities after leaving home that morning remain a mystery, as Macin vanished and hasn’t been sighted since.
Photograph of child actor Joe Pichler performing in the film “Beethoven’s 4th” (2001). After his acting career, Pichler returned to his hometown of Bremerton, Washington to finish school. However, on January 6th 2006, Pichler vanished, and has not been seen since. As of 2024, the case remains unsolved and Pichler remains missing.
Jennifer Kesse disappeared on January 24, 2006, in Central Florida. She was last seen leaving work on January 23 at 6:00 pm and spoke with her father and boyfriend later that evening. The next morning, her parents found her apartment in order but her car missing. Her car was found a mile away a few days later, with security footage showing an unidentified person parking it. Despite investigations, her disappearance remains unsolved.
Polly Melton disappeared while hiking with friends in the Great Smoky Mountains on September 25th, 1981. After walking slowly and then suddenly speeding up, she vanished over a hill. Despite a massive search, no signs of her were found, and officials suggested she left the park in a vehicle of her own accord. But she’s never been found.
In 2003, two individuals managed to steal a Boeing 727 from Luanda International Airport in Angola. They then took off in the aircraft, which led to a massive international search by various intelligence agencies. However, both the plane and the men who stole it disappeared without a trace.
On June 13, 2001, Jason Jolkowski disappeared while walking to Benson High School to meet a coworker for a ride to work. He was last seen at 10:45 a.m. helping his brother with trash cans. His coworker called his house an hour later, reporting that he hadn’t arrived. CCTV footage at the school showed no sign of him. No activity was detected on his bank account or phone. No suspects have been identified, and his disappearance remains a mystery.
Leah Roberts, 23, disappeared on March 23, 2000, after leaving a Bellingham, Washington restaurant. She had driven there from Durham, North Carolina over four days. On March 18, her vehicle was found wrecked and abandoned at the base of a hill in the North Cascades National Park. Evidence of tampering with the car’s starter motor suggests the crash may have been deliberate. Leah remains missing and her case is unsolved.
Last known photo of Lisa Irwin, a little girl that vanished from her crib only October 4, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri at 10 months old.
CCTV footage image provides last image of Sarm Heslop who vanished in the US Virgin Islands in 2021.
Selfie taken by Elaine Smallcanyon on December 9, 2015, six days before she apparently vanished off the face of the earth
Last image of missing Canadian Louis Judah Gonick missing from Vancouver, British Columbia Canada since April 16 2017.
Last image of 17-year old Jonna, who went missing in 2015 after leaving home to go jogging. She was later found dead in an abandoned barn.
Final photograph of Katherine Ackling-Bryen, missing from Sydney, Australia, since February 19, 2016.
On March 18, 2009, 35-year-old chef Claudia Lawrence spoke with her mom about Mother’s Day plans and seemed completely normal. That night she sent her last text, and by the next morning she had vanished without a trace.
23-year-old secretary Andrea Darlene Allen left work feeling sick in West Palm Beach, Florida; at 11 PM, an anonymous man called police saying he saw a woman slumped in her car, minutes later, police arrived and found Andrea’s vehicle abandoned with only her purse inside, she vanished without a trace.
Last photo of missing Canadian Louis Judah Gonick. He vanished from Vancouver, British Columbia Canada on April 16, 2017.
Last photo of Bill Barilko before disappearing in a fishing trip. His body wouldn’t be found for 11 years.
Lenka Tuckova with Pavel and Jan Pavelka, czech students who disappeared without a trace during their trip to Albania in 2001.
Gerald Layne was arrested in Reno, Nevada on November 16, 1960 and this mug shot was taken. In January 1961, Layne vanished without a trace and his car was found abandoned. There’s been no indication of his whereabouts since then and he is presumed dead.
The last known image of Stacy McCall and Suzie Streeter. Presumably kidnapped along with Suzie’s mother Sherrill Levitt in 1992. The three women have never been found, and the case remains unsolved.
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