3. Arizona
Arizona has 13 to 14 missing persons for every 100,000.
Here’s the next US state that has a worryingly high number of missing persons. Arizona even hosts an annual Missing in Arizona Day to help those families who are desperately looking for their loved ones.
One particularly troubling Arizona case is that of Mikelle Biggs, 11, who disappeared in Jan. 1999. The blond-haired girl was riding her bike while waiting for the ice cream truck when the mystery disappearance happened. It was getting dark, so Mikelle’s mother told Kimber, her other 9-years-old daughter, to bring Mikelle inside.
But Kimber didn’t find Mikelle. The only trace that had been left was the bike. Despite collecting over 800 pieces of evidence and receiving 10,000 tips, the police couldn’t find any solid evidence of what exactly happened to Mikelle. The girl still remains missing today.
2. Oklahoma
Oklahoma has 18 to 19 missing persons for every 100,000
According to the NamUs data, Oregon had 715 missing persons in 2021. That’s quite a lot and also very scary.
Sandy Rae, a 17-year-old teenager, went missing in September 1984. The last place where the girl was seen was the bowling alley. Her mother called the police, but they chose not to interview witnesses or search for her. Their reason? She had left on her own accord.
Her family said she would never walk away from them as she had no reason to do that. Now, the Shawnee Police Department is investigating her disappearance as a cold case.
1. Alaska
Alaska has more than 160 missing persons for every 100,000
Alaska has the highest rate of missing persons by far, with 163 missing people for every 100,000 — considerably more than any other state. The state also has the highest percentage of missing persons who were never found. There’s even an area similar to the Bermuda Triangle where people go missing at an alarmingly high rate.
One puzzling Alaska case is that of Michael LeMaitre, 66, who disappeared in July 2012 while participating in the annual Mount Marathon race. Three hours after the event began, Michael still hadn’t shown up to the finish line. A search ensued, and a helicopter came, but they found nothing. The search lasted for several weeks, but Michael’s whereabouts remain a complete mystery.
You may also want to read 7 Selfies That Ended In Tragedy.
