The Disappearance of Michael Hyde

The disappearance of Michael Hyde is a true crime case in the Ima Crook Universe (ICU) where Michael Hyde, husband of Mary Hyde and father of Rose McClane and Asherah Newman, disappeared from his home in Miami, Florida in 2001. The case quickly became the most heavily reported missing persons case in history with news outlets all over the world covering his disappearance. The case was handled by the Miami Police Department as well as the FBI.

## Aftermath

In the period following his disappearance, his family was hounded by media and true crime tourists, all of whom constantly harassed his family, especially his daughters, for information about him and their theories on what happened to him. The persistent attention from the media and morbid followers impacted his family greatly. Mary became a recluse, barely leaving the house. Similarly, Rose and Asherah ("Ash") tried their best to shut off the outside world. The entire family became global celebrities overnight, much to the dismay of every member. The unrelenting attention from the media and general public impacted Rose and Ash far more than Michael's actual disappearance.

By 2023, the impact Michael Hyde (who was abusive to his daughters) had, as well as, especially, the attention the case gathered still had a massive impact on Rose (and Ash to a slightly lesser extent). Rose clams up whenever he's mentioned or whenever anybody recognizes her as "Michael Hyde's daughter" (a label she despises). She usually responds with furious anger whenever this happens.

## Theories

Given the unprecedented attention the case received, as well as the fact he appeared to disappear into thin air, many theories about what happened to him were put forward over the years.

### Abandonment

One of the most popular theories was the most simple one: that Michael Hyde walked out on his family. Initially, many believed this to be the case but the public appeals of his family to return, as well as the fact that nobody, including the police and FBI, ever saw Michael again caused many, including the authorities, to eventually reason that it was very unlikely that Michael simply ran away.

### Kidnapping and Murder

The most popular theory, and the theory believed by the police and FBI, is that Michael was either murdered, kidnapped or kidnapped and subsequently murdered. Still, the fact that there was no evidence of his murder left intrigue in the minds of the public. Some even believe he may still be alive, held captive by some deranged kidnapper.

### Patricide

Of all the reporters who milked Michael's disappearance, one of them stood out above the rest: Vanessa Hampton. She made her career off the Michael Hyde case, eventually becoming a major celebrity through her Slice of Life Podcast (and later her Slice of Life Magazine). Hampton's theory was more sinister than most. She believed that Michael was murdered by his own family because of the abuse they suffered under his roof. She especially focused her efforts on his daughters, especially Ash. While few listeners of her podcast believed Hampton's theories, they were captivated by them nonetheless and it spawned a wave of 'fans' constantly asking Rose and Ash (who were children at the time of his disappearance) if they'd murdered their own father.

## Trivia

* Michelle's family became close to Michael Hyde's family following his disappearance and they remained close until 2023.
	+ Michelle's father was a police officer who helped Rose, Ash and Mary greatly, including shielding them (as much as he could) from the media and the general public. Michelle's father was the person who inspired Rose to become a police officer.