Everglades National Park, a vast and beautiful wilderness in Southern Florida, is known for its stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife. However, beneath its scenic allure lies a darker side, filled with chilling mysteries and unresolved disappearances. The park’s 1.5 million acres of marshes, mangroves, and sawgrass prairies have been the backdrop for numerous unsettling tales.
Here are ten of the most chilling accounts of people who vanished within Everglades National Park.
1969 Madison County Jane Doe
On February 26, 1969, a horrifying discovery was made in Everglades National Park: a charred skeleton. Found approximately 50 miles west of Miami, the victim was bound with metal coat hangers and placed inside a wooden trunk. The trunk had been doused with gasoline and set on fire.
Initially, law enforcement speculated that the remains might be those of Ruth Eisemann-Schier, a suspect in the Barbara Mackle kidnapping case. Eisemann-Schier was infamous as the first woman on the FBI’s list of 10 most wanted fugitives. She and her boyfriend, Gary Steven Krist, had kidnapped Miami heiress Barbara Jane Mackle in December 1968, holding her in a coffin-like box for over three days until a $500,000 ransom was paid.
While Eisemann-Schier was eventually arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison for her role in the kidnapping, the identity of the 1969 Madison County Jane Doe remains a mystery to this day. Despite extensive investigations, the case has never been solved, leaving a chilling reminder of the park’s hidden secrets.
1975 Madison County John Doe
In March 1975, a family exploring Everglades National Park stumbled upon a gruesome scene. While gathering butterflies and photographing wildflowers near Loop Road, about five miles south of the Tamiami Trail, they discovered the decomposing remains of two young murder victims encased in plastic.
The family recounted enjoying the day, taking pictures, and exploring the area when they noticed an unusual odor leading them to the bodies. The remains were severely decomposed, consisting mainly of a rib cage, an arm, and a pelvic bone. One body appeared smaller, while the other was estimated to be around 5’5″ tall.
The family immediately contacted the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. Initially, there was hope that the remains might belong to a young couple who had gone missing from South Dade, Florida. However, the identities of the 1975 Madison County John and Jane Doe have never been determined, adding another layer of mystery to the park’s dark history.
1983 Madison County John Doe
In 1983, a particularly disturbing incident occurred when an unknown man took his own life in Everglades National Park. Described as “baby-faced,” the man’s death was a result of multiple self-inflicted wounds.
He shot himself twice with a pellet gun, though neither pellet penetrated his skull. He then stabbed himself nine times in the abdomen, slashed his throat, wrists, and forearms, and ultimately threw himself into the lake. The pellet gun was traced back to a manufacturer in New York. Despite the severity of his injuries, his breastbone deflected the initial stab wounds to his chest.
Law enforcement determined that the man was 5’4″ tall, weighed 145 pounds, had brown hair, and smoked Marlboro cigarettes. Despite these details, his identity remains unknown, leaving a tragic and unsettling mystery in the park.
Craig Lawrence Allen
Craig Lawrence Allen, a Fort Lauderdale resident, was last seen on August 14, 1993. He contacted an unknown person by telephone the following day from Kendall, Florida, and was never heard from again. Allen worked as a computer analyst and was known to live a quiet, sheltered life with few close friends and no romantic relationships.
Earlier in 1993, Allen had converted from Judaism to fundamentalist Christianity. He placed all his belongings in storage, became homeless, and began sleeping at campgrounds and on the beach. During this time, Allen started exhibiting delusional behavior.
During a visit with a friend in Washington, D.C., Allen claimed to be the Antichrist, referencing Bible passages to support his claims. After returning to South Florida, he maintained occasional contact with his parents and grandparents, assuring them he was okay.
On August 10, 1993, Allen sold his car for $4,600. Two days later, he told his mother during a phone call, “You’re not going to like what I’m going to do,” and “You’re not going to hear from me again.” Since his disappearance, all credit card activity ceased, and his message service was canceled. Authorities have speculated that Allen may have joined a cult or committed suicide, but his whereabouts remain unknown, leaving a lingering mystery for his family and investigators.
ValuJet 592 Crew
In May 1996, a tragic plane crash occurred in Everglades National Park’s Everglades Holiday Park. ValuJet Flight 592, a twin-engine DC-9, crashed after banking vertically to the right and pointing almost straight down upon impact.
The aftermath was devastating. By June, officials had identified 36 of the 110 people on board, using garden rakes, ground radar, and other equipment to comb through the wreckage. The majority of the wreckage was found in small pieces, scattered across the park.
While about 68 of the victims were eventually identified, some remains were never found. Among those still missing is Captain Candi Kubeck. The crash remains a somber reminder of the unpredictable nature of air travel and the enduring grief of the families who lost loved ones in the Everglades.
Kyle Andrew Carl Eppler
On July 29, 1999, Kyle Andrew Carl Eppler visited his mother at her workplace in Naples, Florida, to borrow $20 for gas. This was the last time his mother saw him. He told her he planned to visit his girlfriend and then go to his job as a waiter at the Grouper House restaurant for a 4:30 p.m. shift. However, Eppler never arrived at his girlfriend’s house, and he never made it to work. He disappeared, and more than two decades later, he has never been heard from again.
The day after his disappearance, Eppler’s mother found a note he had written saying, “Gone to find my river and myself.” She immediately reported him missing. Eppler’s Toyota Camry was later found abandoned in the Coastal Prairie Trail parking lot in Everglades National Park, about three hours from his home. The parking receipt was dated July 28, the day before he last saw his mother.
Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found camping gear, a bag of clothes, a backpack, some food, and journals. Three miles down the trail from where his car was parked, Eppler’s shirt was discovered. His mother also noted that a pair of his hiking boots and a hat were missing from their home.
Eppler was taking medication at the time of his disappearance and had previously attempted suicide. Despite these details, his case remains unsolved, leaving his family and investigators searching for answers.
2004 Madison County Jane Doe
On July 20, 2004, workers in a remote part of Everglades National Park, inaccessible to motor vehicles, discovered scattered bones. The remains were determined to be those of a female between 30 and 45 years old at the time of her death.
The unidentified woman had several unique characteristics. She had an irregular pattern of locomotion, suggesting she likely had a limp. Additionally, Catholic prayer cards, a jacket made in Bangladesh, and a rosary featuring a depiction of Jesus Christ on the cross were found with her remains.
Despite these clues, the identity of the 2004 Madison County Jane Doe has never been determined. The combination of her physical characteristics and religious artifacts offers a glimpse into her life, but the mystery of her death and identity remains unsolved.
Andrew Brian Renton
Andrew Brian Renton left his parents’ home on his birthday, December 14, 2007. He packed his canoe onto his truck and told his parents he was headed to Connecticut. However, instead of going to Connecticut, Renton drove to Everglades National Park.
Days later, on December 19, a suicide note Renton had mailed arrived at his family’s home. In the letter, Andrew claimed he had been diagnosed with cancer and planned to take his life to avoid being a burden on his family. His relatives were unaware of his diagnosis and remain uncertain if his health was as dire as he claimed.
Based on the letter’s postmark, Andrew’s father believed he had gone to Everglades National Park. On January 2, 2008, law enforcement found Andrew’s truck parked at Whitewater Bay in the park. Inside the truck was an empty handgun case and additional notes on Andrew’s health.
On January 4, 2008, a search party found Andrew’s canoe hidden 30 yards off a trail leading to Bear Lake, not far from where his truck was found. Despite an exhaustive search, his body was never located. As of April 2024, Andrew is still classified as a missing person, and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain a mystery.
Roger Kenneth Sawyer
Sixty-seven-year-old Roger Kenneth Sawyer disappeared in 2011 while camping with his family at Everglades National Park’s Flamingo Campground. Sawyer, a retired butcher from Oregon, and his family were experienced in the outdoors and had been on a cross-country mobile home trip.
Some of Sawyer’s family members left to visit the park’s Visitors Center, while Roger and his wife stayed behind in different parts of the campground. When the family reconvened at dusk, Roger was nowhere to be found.
Park rangers and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue initiated a search for Roger, but they could not find any trace of him, not even a shoe or hat. The search lasted for 10 days but yielded no results. Roger was never seen again, and his disappearance remains a mystery.
Many media outlets have highlighted how a man with significant outdoor experience like Roger could vanish without a trace, adding to the perplexing nature of the case.
The Schreck Family
The Schreck family embarked on what they hoped would be a thrilling adventure in the Florida Everglades, eager to explore the marshes and see alligators. However, their outing turned into a nightmare when their airboat veered off course, leaving them stranded in the swampy wilderness.
Scott Schreck, an experienced outdoorsman, later recounted their ordeal to the media, emphasizing the importance of knowing the area. Despite the harrowing experience, he expressed a desire to return to the Everglades, while his wife remained hesitant.
Their experience serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in the vast and unforgiving wilderness of the Everglades. While they were eventually rescued, their story highlights how quickly a fun adventure can turn into a desperate fight for survival.
The disappearances in Everglades National Park remain haunting reminders of the mysteries hidden within this vast wilderness. Whether due to accidents, foul play, or other unexplained circumstances, these stories continue to intrigue and disturb. The Everglades, with its beauty and danger, holds secrets that may never be fully uncovered.
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