In this new episode, Crawlspace Media's Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna discuss the mysterious vanishing of Frederick Valentich over the skies of Australia on October 21st, 1978.
In 1978, 20-year-old pilot Frederick Valentich vanished over Australia’s Bass Strait after radioing that a strange, metallic craft with a green light was hovering above him and was "not an aircraft." His final transmission concluded with 17 seconds of an unidentified metallic scraping sound, after which he and his plane disappeared completely. Despite massive search efforts, no wreckage, oil slicks, or debris were ever found, leaving the case as one of history's most haunting and debated aviation mysteries.
The information discussed is based on official Australian government records, contemporary news reports, and investigative analyses.
Check out Quince: https://quince.com/MISSING.
Check out Mint Mobile: mintmobile.com/missing.
Sources:
Australian Broadcast Company’s podcast episode: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/the-history-listen/valentich-mystery/10980258.
National Archives of Australia (Official File V116/783/1047): https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=10491375.
The Black Vault (Consolidated Declassified Documents): https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/the-frederick-valentich-disappearance-october-21-1978/.
Skeptical Inquirer (Detailed Scientific Analysis by McGaha & Nickell): https://skepticalinquirer.org/2013/11/the-valentich-disappearance-another-ufo-myth/.
National Archives of Australia (UFO Policy & Reports): https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/defence-and-war/unidentified-flying-objects-ufos.
RAAF Unidentified Aerial Sightings (UAS) Reports: National Archives of Australia (Series A9755): https://www.naa.gov.au/blog/flying-saucers-fact-or-fiction.
Internet Archive (OCR/Text Version): https://archive.org/stream/AustralianUFOFiles/B1497_V116-783-1047_10491375_djvu.txt.Unsolved Mysteries: https://unsolved.com/gallery/ufo-disappearance/.
Main podcast theme by Kevin Macleod. Check out his work at https://incompetech.com/. Additional music by David Williams. See his work at http://williamsflutes.com.
Check out our entire network at http://crawlspace-media.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
664 // The Missingest Man - Judge Joseph Force Crater
30/04/2026 | 44 mins.
In this new episode, Crawlspace Media's Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna discuss the mysterious disappearance of the missingest man in America - Judge Joseph Force Crater from Manhattan, New York on August 6th, 1930.
Finding Judge Crater: A Life and Phenomenal Disappearance in Jazz Age New York : https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Judge-Crater-Phenomenal-Disappearance/dp/081561134X.
Check out Quince: https://quince.com/MISSING.
Check out Mint Mobile: mintmobile.com/missing.
Main podcast theme by Kevin Macleod. Check out his work at https://incompetech.com/. Additional music by David Williams. See his work at http://williamsflutes.com.
Check out our entire network at http://crawlspace-media.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
663 // The Coldest Murder Mystery - Who Killed Ötzi?
28/04/2026 | 50 mins.
In this episode, Crawlspace Media's Tim Pilleri & Lance Reenstierna are joined by Dr. Sarah Schiffecker & Dr. David Perlmutter to try to solve the coldest murder in history. The discussion takes them back 5,300 years to the Italian Alps, where the legendary Ötzi became the victim of the worlds oldest documented murder. This conversation centers around questions of motive, means and opportunity.
This episode was previously published on Crawlspace on March 29th, 2026.
Check out Quince: https://quince.com/MISSING.
Check out Mint Mobile: mintmobile.com/missing.
Main podcast theme by Kevin Macleod. Check out his work at https://incompetech.com/. Additional music by David Williams. See his work at http://williamsflutes.com.
Check out our entire network at http://crawlspace-media.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
662 // Ludger Belanger w/ Jordan Sillars
27/04/2026 | 54 mins.
In this new episode, Crawlspace Media's Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna speak with journalist Jordan Sillars of Blood Trails about the mysterious disappearance of Ludger Belanger from Washington, Maine on November 25th, 1975.
For more info on Ludger: https://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/investigation-traffic/major-crime-units/unsolved/missing-persons/belanger-ludger.
Follow the official FB page for Ludger: https://www.facebook.com/p/Justice-For-Ludger-Belanger-100064721737936/.
Check out Blood Trails: https://www.themeateater.com/listen/blood-trails.
Follow Blood Trails on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIQv7voZWHy4_K5Yu3T9pgFXpFzQDiCsf.
Check out Quince: https://quince.com/MISSING.
Check out Mint Mobile: mintmobile.com/missing.
Main podcast theme by Kevin Macleod. Check out his work at https://incompetech.com/. Additional music by David Williams. See his work at http://williamsflutes.com.
Check out our entire network at http://crawlspace-media.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
661 // Rex Heuermann's Serial Killer Psychology w/ Joshua Zeman
23/04/2026 | 58 mins.
In this new episode, Crawlspace Media's Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna speak with filmmaker and podcaster Joshua Zeman about the convicted Long Island serial killer, Rex Heuermann. Josh has been on the trail of LISK since before his 2016 documentary series called The Killing Season, and in this conversation, we discuss Rex's evolving process, him agreeing to work with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, other possibly connected murders and more.
Joshua is responsible for Cropsey, Killer Legends, The Killing Season, Murder Mountain, Sons of Sam, Checkpoint Zoo, to name a few. He also is behind the podcast Sinister and Monster: Hunting the Long Island Serial Killer.
Check out everything Joshua has going on and listen to Sinister:
https://www.sinisterpodcast.com/.
Listen to Monster: Hunting the Long Island Serial Killer:
Check out Quince: https://quince.com/MISSING.
Check out Mint Mobile: mintmobile.com/missing.
Main podcast theme by Kevin Macleod. Check out his work at https://incompetech.com/. Additional music by David Williams. See his work at http://williamsflutes.com.
Missing is a true crime podcast that tells stories of missing people, homicides, and injustices. Starting in 2015 with the disappearance of Maura Murray, Missing has covered the vanishings of Brianna Maitland, Brandon Lawson, Phoenix Coldon, Trenny Gibson, Daniel Robinson, Jessica Stacks, Erica Franolich, Cieha Taylor, Calvin Johnny Hunt, Abbie Flynn, Tabitha Queen, Raymond Green, Alicia Markovich, Niqui McCown, Samantha Tapp, Archer Ray Johnson, Dale Williams, Morgan Bauer, Pepita Redhair and more mysteries in depth. Due to their close affiliation with the non-profit organization, Private Investigations For the Missing, the team features stories sourced from their case files when appropriate.
While Missing primarily focuses on unsolved cases, they also highlight solved murders, doe’s, DNA updates, cold cases and serial killers like Christopher Wilder as a way to explore all the factors. Whether it’s psychological, socioeconomic, or something deeper that plays a part in a person’s disappearance, Missing does not shy away.
Missing also has an impressive guest list with names like Jon Ronson, Maggie Freleng, Todd Matthews, Sarah Turney, John Lordan, Danelle Hallan, Julie Murray, James Renner, the Generation Why, Nancy Grace, True Crime Garage, Patrick Hinds, Ellyn Marsh, Jim Clemente, Art Roderick, David & Kristen Mittelman of Othram Labs as well as current law enforcement and licensed private investigators.
Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna were also featured in Oxygen's The Disappearance of Maura Murray 6 part documentary.
Missing is hosted and produced by Tim Pilleri, Lance Reenstierna of Crawlspace Media.
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