With a violent and deadly Wild West past, Arizona has plenty of mystery lingering in every wash and canyon, whether it's odd supernatural events or infamous murders. Here is a short list of mysteries that are still on the minds of many Arizonans.
1. Phoenix Lights
Let’s start with some mysteries on the lower end of the disturbing scale. In the spring of 1997, thousands of Arizonans reported seeing strange lights moving in a slow V-formation across the night sky as well as another set hovering in the sky. While many have explained these instances away as aircraft or flares but plenty of people still believe these lights were evidence of extraterrestrial life.
2. 1995 Amtrak Derailment
Anyone remember this one? In October 1995, an Amtrak train derailed, killing one employee and injuring dozens of passengers. The event happened after the rail had been tampered with; 29 spikes were purposely removed which caused the locomotive and cars to derail. The only lead authorities could find were notes from the "Sons of the Gestapo," but the FBI determined no group existed. The derailment to this day remains unsolved.
3. The Lost Dutchman Mine
Perhaps the most well-known and most talked about mystery, the Lost Dutchman’s gold mine needs little introduction. Although the story behind the mine is not disturbing itself, attempts at locating and excavating the mine in the desert certainly border on that. The death that secured the legend’s notoriety as a deadly quest was that of Adolf Ruth in 1931. The amatuer treasure hunter disappeared while searching for the mine and his body was discovered six months later with two bullet holes in the skull. At least five other people since then have died while attempting to find the mine, some from similar circumstances and others after succumbing to the heat.
4. Bob Crane
Perhaps better known as Colonel Robert E. Hogan from the show "Hogan’s Heroes," Crane relocated to Scottsdale while experiencing a lull in his acting career. In June 1978, he was found bludgeoned to death in his home and a cord wrapped around his neck. The grisly death for Crane officially remains unsolved by local authorities, despite an unsuccessful trial in 1994 that accused the actor’s friend and confidante, John Henry Carpenter, of the murder.
5. Mikelle Biggs
Every parent’s worst nightmare is losing their child but it's especially terrifying when it happens within a short distance of home. In 1999, the news was rife with reports of Mesa girl, Mikelle Biggs, kidnapped just outside her home after waiting for the local ice cream truck to arrive. Her younger sister, who no longer wanted to wait for the truck, found Mikelle’s bicycle and ice cream money strewn across the street just a mere 90 seconds after returning home. Sixteen years later, little evidence and few leads exist but the family is still informing the public of Mikelle’s disappearance in an effort to at least find peace.
6. Robert Fisher
A false tip last year drove this case back into the news and back into the consciousness of Arizonans. Scottsdale police suspect that in April 2001, Fisher murdered his wife and children then set their house on fire before fleeing in an attempt to cover up the murder. Because Fisher remains at large, this case is still considered unsolved.
What other Arizona mysteries exist that have left you wondering? Let us know in the comments.
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