Missing and Missed; How do six people simply vanish?
By: Madeline O'Brien
Tags: Missing, Abduction, True Story, True Crime, Murder

Images courtesy of The Charley Project

A spotlight into just six out of the thousand’s of missing loved ones, this holiday season.

Leslee Gail Reynolds Larson was born in Montana on September 25th, 1954. After graduating from high school in 1972, she went to school to become a dental assistant. Leslee worked for a short time for a local dentist before marrying Dennis R. Larson in 1974. The couple made their home in Great Falls, Montana which was the second largest city in Montana at that time. The couple spent the day of June 10th, 1975 picking mushrooms near Prickly Pear creek, when, according to Dennis, Leslee slipped into the creek and was stuck under a log and eventually carried away by the current. When police arrived, Larson told them he went in after her and was almost swept away as well, however, the officers noticed that he wasn’t wet. Despite many intense searches over the years, her body has never been found. Her parents have passed away now, they devoted many years of their lives in looking for their daughter Leslee. They used the assistance of dogs, shovels and metal detectors in the area that Larson said she fell into the water. The police and Leslee’s family were all suspicious of Larson, as he had taken out a life insurance policy on Leslee for $20,000 and he was able to collect on it. Larson went on to marry again, this was his third marriage as he had been married before Leslee, and he was eventually convicted of murdering his third wife after pushing her off of a cliff and attempting to collect on a $400.000 life insurance policy.. It was while he was in custody for this murder, that he confessed to pushing Leslee into the water and watching her body get swept away. He committed suicide in prison shortly after this confession. Leslee left behind a daughter, Julie who was raised until she was 7 by Leslee’s parents. If you have any information on this case, please call the Missoula Montana police department at 406–552–6000

Denise Ann Daneault was last seen leaving Merrimarck, a private club on June 8th, 1980 intending on going to a party, she has never been seen again. She was living in Manchester, New Hampshire and left behind 2 young boys ages 6 and 4. Her roommate, Tamara Lelby began searching for Denise when she missed an appointment the next day, which was a Sunday. She spoke to several of their mutual friends who all claimed they hadn’t seen Denise. Denise was divorced and had just ended another relationship, but friends say that there was no reason for her to run off and that she wouldn’t leave without notice. She loved her boys and she was a good mother. At the time of Denise’s disappearance, she lived near serial killer Terry Peder Rasmussen, he is the man that was involved in the Bear Brook murders. He is also suspected in the disappearance of 14 year old Laureen Rahn, who lived just two blocks from Denise. It is said that the two resembled one another. Neither Denise nor Laureen have ever been found and their cases remain unsolved. Denise had brown hair that was blond on the ends, she was 5’5” to 5;6” and weighed 135 pounds. She was 25 at the time of her disappearance and would now be 66. Her maiden name was Lavoie.

Anyone with information about Denise Daneault is asked to call Detective Lucas Hobbs at the Manchester Police Department (603) 792–5519.

Bill Dwayne Wheeler Sr. boarded a plane on May 26 2010, from his home in Everett, WA to Las Vegas Nevada to pick an espresso machine from a shop he owned that shut down. His plan was to drive it back in a truck he had stored there in Vegas back to Washington. Bill was a successful businessman, running several Grab ‘N Go espresso, sometimes called, sexpresso, establishments, in the Seattle WA area. One main attraction to his coffee shops, were his attractive and scantily clad baristas.

Bill was married to a woman named Carol who lived in Las Vegas. He was apparently planning on divorcing her and Carol was not aware of this. Part of the plan was to bring several of his cars and other belongings from Nevada to Washington. He also had a young girlfriend in Las Vegas. Bill had an iron in many fires evidently and had been called a womanizer.

When Bill’s plane landed at 10 am on the 26th, his brother in law picked him from the airport and the two went to one of Bill’s homes in the Vegas area. Bill 50, and his wife Carol 56, spoke amicably on the phone as she was in town shopping with their adopted son, Bill’s biological grandson. Theirs was a complicated relationship, the two had married, divorced, then remarried, and they seemed to be happier with him living in Washington and Carol living in their $730,000 home with her kids and grandkids in the Vegas area.

Bill left the next day in his Toyota Tundra truck with the $15,000 espresso machine in the back. Nobody is quite sure of the route he took but three days later, his burned out vehicle was found in Victorville California, and Bill was nowhere in sight. The espresso machine was still in the bed of the truck and investigators noted that a flammable substance had been used.

Bill was facing financial and legal issues tied to his business, it has also been said that he had a stash of money hidden somewhere. He leaves behind several children and ex wives. There are two main theories as to what happened to Bill, he left on his own to avoid his mounting legal and financial troubles, or his wife Carol had something to with his disappearance.

Bill was 50 years old at the time he disappeared, he had brown hair and blue eyes, and had a mustache. He has a tattoo of an eagle on his upper left arm, a devil on his left forearm, the name Bill on his lower right arm, a heart pierced with a dagger on his lower left arm, and a wreath with flowers.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Bill Wheeler please call the Snohomish County, Washington Sheriff’s Office at 425–388–3523 or the

San Bernardino County, California Sheriff’s Department at 760–552–6830

Nicole Gray has been missing from St Ann Missouri since December 17th, 1999. Nicole left her home to run errands and to possibly attend her son’s school Christmas party. Her date of birth is April 21st, 1969, making her 30 years old when she vanished, her nickname was Nikki. She left behind four small children who are now adults and want to know what happened to their mother. Nicole is a black female, with black hair and brown eyes. She has a tattoo of a cigar smoking bull dog on her left arm, another tattoo on her right arm, and a tattoo of a bleeding heart on her left ankle, her ears are pierced. On the day she went missing, she was wearing a gray sweat suit and white Adidas sneakers, earrings, rings and a gold necklace.

If you have any information regarding Nicole Gray please call the St. Ann Police Department at 314–427–8000

Jonathon Michael Henry went missing from Fairbanks Alaska on March 31st, 2010. At the time of his disappearance, he had several warrants out for his arrest and had failed to turn himself in to serve time for a theft charge. His mother said he was stressed about the pending incarceration and upset about the recent death of his grandfather. He left behind a girlfriend and children, with whom he was dedicated to.

Jonathan was born on January 12th, 1979, making him 31 years old at the time of his disappearance. He was native American with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a black sweater, a black t-shirt, blue jeans, black Nike shoes and possibly a black baseball cap. Please call the Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks Office at 907–451–5100 if you have any information regarding Jonathon Michael Henry.

Shanta Marie Johnson was only 3 years old on August 19th, 1992 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, when she was reported missing by her foster mother, Susan Marie Johnson. Johnson told authorities that she had taken Shanta shopping at Kmart and that she disappeared in the toy department of the store. Surveillance tapes showed that Johnson entered the store alone that day, Shanta was not seen on any of the tapes.

Shanta’s mother was in prison on drug charges, she had lost custody of Shanta when she was born as she had cocaine in her system. Johnson and her husband Willie were going to adopt Shanta and her little brother. After Shanta went missing, the department of social services removed the younger brother and he was eventually adopted by another family. Several reports of abuse inflicted upon Shanta by Johnson was reported by a nurse and a babysitter. This resulted in her being charged with abuse. The outcome of this charge is unknown. Unspecified evidence was found on the property of the Johnsons that was tied to Shanta. It is believed that she had been buried there at one time and then moved.

Shanta is black, with black hair and brown eyes. Shante Reid was her birth name. It is said that she was wearing a navy blue t-shirt with the cartoon character Mickey Mouse on it, white shorts and white sneakers. Because Shanta had drugs in her system at birth, she was considered a special needs child at the time of her disappearance.

If you have any information regarding Shanta, please call the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office 919–323–1500

You can also listen to this on my podcast, Crimeatorium, on any podcatcher. It is also on Crimeatorium, True Crime Stories, on YouTube.