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It’s often said that nothing remains concealed forever. Indeed, we're regularly uncovering answers to long-standing questions. Even the world's most persistent enigmas might eventually be revealed.
It’s nearly impossible to forecast when a breakthrough will occur in an old mystery. A random discovery here, a final confession there, and suddenly, a dormant case is revived with new leads. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective to notice details that others missed.
10. The Claremont Serial Murders
For over twenty years, the Claremont serial murders haunted Australia as one of its most chilling mysteries. However, with a suspect's arrest and charges for all three murders, the case may finally reach its resolution in the near future.
In 1996 and 1997, three young women vanished from the Claremont area of Perth after going out for a night of clubbing with friends. The remains of two victims were found weeks later, while the third remains missing and is presumed dead. Authorities believed they were hunting a serial killer and set up a dedicated task force to capture him. Their most promising lead was CCTV footage showing a man approaching 23-year-old Jane Rimmer on the night she disappeared. However, the man’s identity is still unknown.
Multiple suspects were investigated by authorities, but after nearly two decades, the case seemed destined to remain unsolved. That was until 2016, when police raided the home of 48-year-old Bradley Robert Edwards, a man with no prior (publicized) link to the case. Just one day later, he was charged with the murders of the two women whose bodies had been found, as well as two unrelated sexual assaults. In February 2018, Edwards was also charged with the third murder, that of Sarah Spiers, who had been missing for years. His trial is set to begin shortly.
9. The Disappearance of the USS Indianapolis Sailor
Although the USS Indianapolis sank in 1945, recent headlines have reignited interest in the tragic event. Last year, an expedition led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen located the shipwreck after it had been lost to the depths of the sea during World War II. Additionally, last month, the US Navy acknowledged a mistake that had led to confusion over the number of survivors for more than 70 years.
The USS Indianapolis was struck by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine while en route to the Philippines. It sank within 12 minutes, and many of the sailors who survived the initial sinking later perished from dehydration or shark attacks. Of the 1,196 men aboard, 880 lost their lives. That would leave 316 survivors, including the famously fictional Captain Quint from Jaws. However, reports later surfaced claiming that 317 people had survived the sinking, revealing an unexplained discrepancy that wasn’t discovered until recently.
The source of the discrepancy was radio technician Clarence Donnor. Though he was aboard the USS Indianapolis, Donnor had received orders to report to Fort Schuyler for officer training shortly before the ship embarked on its mission. Due to a clerical oversight, his departure wasn’t recorded, which led to the final crew list listing 1,196 sailors instead of the accurate number of 1,195.
As news spread that Clarence Donnor had survived, his name began appearing on survivor lists, boosting the total to 317 survivors. However, the Navy maintained its count at 316, strangely refusing to amend the official list of sailors aboard the ship until March 2018.
8. The Confession of the Brabant Killer
The Brabant Killers are one of Belgium’s most notorious and terrifying criminal groups. Between 1982 and 1985, this gang carried out a spree of brutal attacks and robberies across the province of Brabant, resulting in the deaths of 28 people and injuries to over 40. Despite an extensive investigation, the killers were never captured, and over the following decades, numerous theories and conspiracies emerged regarding their motivations. One popular theory suggested that the gang may have had military or law enforcement backgrounds, owing to their advanced skills with firearms.
In 2017, a man came forward claiming that his brother had confessed on his deathbed in 2015 to being the leader of the infamous gang, previously known as “the Giant.” The new suspect was identified as Christiaan Bonkoffsky, who had once been part of a police commando unit. Bonkoffsky lost his job in 1981 after an accidental discharge of his weapon and, according to his brother, grew resentful and began drinking heavily.
Following this revelation, Belgian authorities launched an investigation into Bonkoffsky, hoping it could lead to the identification of the remaining members of the gang. Bonkoffsky had first come to their attention in 2000, but DNA and fingerprint analysis at the time did not match any evidence found at the crime scenes.
7. The Killing of Valerie Percy
In 1966, 21-year-old Valerie Percy was found murdered in her home in Kenilworth, an affluent village north of Chicago. Her father was Charles Percy, who was on the verge of becoming a senator and in the midst of his campaign. Her murder remains unsolved, and it has become one of the most enduring mysteries in the Chicagoland area.
Although the killer remains unidentified, new details have emerged thanks to the efforts of a New York attorney who sought to access the case files under the Freedom of Information Act in 2016. His request was denied after a judge ruled that the investigation was still active, based on a statement and documents provided by Kenilworth police. The limited available evidence included several false confessions that were disproven through confidential information, alongside plans to use modern forensic techniques like DNA testing.
In 2014, a suspect was named publicly after a Chicago TV station gained access to FBI records. William Thoresen III, the son of a businessman from Kenilworth, was identified as a dangerous and mentally unstable individual. His family lived near the Percy household, and he frequently visited them. Police suspected that a bayonet had been used to kill Valerie, and Thoresen had a collection of weapons. He refused to cooperate with the investigation and died a few years later, killed by his wife, who claimed self-defense and was acquitted.
6. The Murder of the Prime Minister
Piotr Jaroszewicz served as the Prime Minister of Poland from 1970 to 1980. After his political career ended, he was expelled from the Polish United Workers’ Party (PUWP) and withdrew from public life, retiring with his wife, Alicja Solska, in a suburb of Warsaw. On September 3, 1992, their son, Jan, discovered the couple murdered in their home. Alicja had been shot in the head, while Piotr had been beaten and strangled.
Polish authorities speculated that the murders might have been an act of revenge from those who had suffered under the Communist regime, an attempt to recover valuable documents, or simply the result of a traditional robbery. Despite extensive national media coverage, investigators struggled to uncover any strong leads.
In 2018, a surprising development occurred when three men were formally charged with the murders. Even more startling was the revelation that, according to Poland’s Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro, two of the suspects had already confessed to their roles in the killings. The case broke open when one of the perpetrators admitted his involvement while being questioned for a separate kidnapping. He and his accomplices were part of a burglary ring targeting affluent homes, which suggested that Jaroszewicz’s murder was unrelated to politics.
5. The Ancient Gates to Hell
Over 50 years ago, archaeologists uncovered the Plutonium, also known as the Ploutonion, in the ruins of Hierapolis, modern-day Turkey. This was no ordinary shrine to Pluto; it was built above a cave believed to be a true gateway to the underworld.
Ancient historians chronicled the extraordinary ritual where people would offer healthy animals as sacrifices. Strabo mentioned that any creature sent into the cave would quickly perish after inhaling a deadly mist that seemed to originate from Hell itself. Interestingly, the priests conducting the rituals appeared to be immune to the toxic air.
A team of volcanologists eventually provided a scientific explanation for this mysterious 'gate to Hell.' It turns out that there was indeed a deadly gas emanating from the area—specifically, large amounts of carbon dioxide escaping from a fissure beneath the site. Scientists measured CO2 levels between four and 53 percent at the cave’s entrance and as high as 91 percent inside.
As for the seemingly immune priests, Strabo suggested that they might have simply held their breath. Modern scientists, however, believe the priests’ height played a role in their survival. Since carbon dioxide is denser than air, it collects at lower levels, forming a toxic cloud. While animals inhaled the gas, the taller humans were safer, breathing above the noxious layer.
4. Did DeSalvo Commit the Crime?
For many, Albert DeSalvo is undoubtedly the Boston Strangler. However, others remain unconvinced and still consider the case unsolved to this day. DeSalvo confessed to 11 murders committed between 1962 and 1964, yet he was convicted of unrelated rapes and sentenced to life imprisonment. He later recanted his confession before being murdered in 1973.
Over time, doubts about his guilt have emerged. One theory, supported by FBI profilers Robert Ressler and John Douglas, suggested that the murders may have been committed by more than one individual due to the varying patterns in the crimes. Some, including DeSalvo's family, have maintained that he was completely innocent.
Modern forensics has largely disproven the latter idea. DNA testing in 2013 linked DeSalvo to Mary Sullivan, the last known victim of the Strangler. A DNA sample from one of DeSalvo's nephews yielded a “familial match” with semen found at Sullivan’s crime scene. This led to an exhumation order for DeSalvo’s remains, and DNA tests confirmed the match. The odds of the DNA belonging to someone else were calculated at one in 220 billion. Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley declared there was “no doubt” DeSalvo killed Mary Sullivan and was “most likely” the Boston Strangler.
3. Toronto’s Gay Village Murders
One of the most shocking stories to emerge from Canada this year was the arrest of Bruce McArthur, with accusations that he is a serial killer. Initially charged with two murders in January, McArthur now faces additional charges. Recently, he was hit with his seventh first-degree murder charge.
All of the victims believed to be murdered by Bruce McArthur were killed between 2010 and 2017, but authorities believe his criminal activities started much earlier. The 66-year-old landscaper has been linked to remains found buried in large flower planters he installed across Toronto. Canadian authorities are set to investigate more than 75 additional properties in the hopes of uncovering more victims. Detective Sergeant Hank Idsinga mentioned that they are also reviewing 15 cold cases from the period between 1975 and 1997.
Some of these cold cases may include one of Toronto’s most notorious series of killings: the Gay Village murders in the 1970s. Between 1975 and 1978, 14 men from Toronto’s gay community were murdered. Many of the killings took place in the Church and Wellesley Village and showed signs of excessive violence. One disco manager, for example, was found in his apartment after being stabbed 100 times. Seven of these murders remain unsolved to this day.
It’s not entirely unreasonable to suspect McArthur might be responsible for these earlier murders. He was in his mid-twenties during the 1970s and worked in Toronto. Some of the victims were last seen leaving bars, which mirrors McArthur's modern approach: picking up men at bars or through dating apps. Idsinga emphasized that McArthur has not been linked to these older murders yet, but he wouldn't be surprised if future investigations uncovered connections between McArthur and some of those killings.
2. The Legend Of The Dents Run Gold
Across the United States, many hidden treasures await discovery. The Civil War, in particular, has inspired countless stories of buried gold, and the FBI may have just uncovered one of these long-lost caches.
Legend has it that just before the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, the Union Army sent a wagon filled with gold to pay its soldiers. The wagon departed from Wheeling, West Virginia, but it mysteriously vanished somewhere near Dents Run in Elk County, Pennsylvania. Since that time, treasure hunters, historians, and private investigators have scoured the woods in search of the lost gold, but all their efforts have been in vain.
In March 2018, the FBI set up a base of operations nearby in Benezette Township and began excavating the area. They had obtained legal authorization to dig, which led many to believe they had credible evidence that the gold might still be hidden there.
The FBI kept their intentions vague, with spokeswoman Carrie Adamowski merely stating that an excavation was being conducted, concluding with the words, “nothing was found.” However, local media reports mentioned that treasure hunters Dennis and Kem Parada were present at the site. The two operate a treasure recovery service, Finders Keepers, and have spent decades searching for the Civil War-era loot. While some local historians remain skeptical about the existence of the gold, even they admit that the FBI’s involvement adds a new dimension of mystery to the tale.
1. The Black Dahlia Revisited
Has the notorious Black Dahlia murder finally been solved? While it’s unlikely, a recent book claims to have uncovered the truth, once again bringing the 70-year-old case of Elizabeth Short to the public’s attention.
In her book, British author Piu Eatwell identifies Leslie Dillon as the murderer. Dillon, a former mortician's assistant, may have used his knowledge of body embalming to drain and disfigure Elizabeth Short's corpse. He worked as a bellhop and is believed to have carried out the murder under the direction of Mark Hansen, a Hollywood businessman who had an obsession with Short.
Dillon came to the attention of the LAPD when he attempted to gain insight into the murder from the department’s psychiatrist, Dr. Joseph Paul De River. Using an alias, Dillon claimed he was writing a book on psychopaths. After several interviews, De River became suspicious of Dillon, especially when he mentioned an acquaintance named Jeff Connors as the killer. Though De River initially believed Connors to be a figment of Dillon’s imagination, it later turned out Connors was indeed a real person.
Eatwell found support in Buz Williams, a retired police officer whose father, also a cop, was part of the original Gangster Squad that investigated the Black Dahlia murder. According to Williams, both his father and his partner believed that Elizabeth Short’s death was the work of Dillon, Connors, and Hansen, though they disagreed on who was the actual murderer.
While documents from the district attorney’s office show that Leslie Dillon was in San Francisco at the time of the murder, Eatwell argues that corruption within the LAPD prevented Dillon’s arrest, suggesting a cover-up was involved.
