The Social Security Administration finally noticed Marie’s checks were still being cashed, but she hadn’t used Medicare since 1980. Theodore, also missing, never applied for his own Social Security.

When police visited Marie’s house, her son Charles said she was traveling. He wouldn’t let them search. A neighbor had never even seen Marie or Theodore. Taxes on Marie’s property were paid until 1990 from Illinois.

Marie’s daughter, Delores, and her husband, Ronald, gave conflicting stories about seeing Marie. They claimed Marie and Theodore were traveling in a motorhome, only contacting Charles. Delores said Charles cashed Marie’s checks, which she signed with an “X” because she couldn’t write after a stroke. Another daughter also hadn’t seen Marie since 1980.

Police found $9,000 and bone fragments at Marie’s house, and $8,000 at the Dishers’ home, along with letters supposedly written by Marie and Theodore. A bank employee said Marie couldn’t write her name, not because of a stroke, but because she was illiterate—and he’d seen her after 1988.

Ronald threatened police, and in jail, reportedly confessed to killing Marie. Charles, who lived in squalid conditions, said he’d recently seen Marie, but she didn’t want to be found. He was found not guilty due to mental illness; charges against Delores were dropped. The jury couldn’t reach a verdict on the fraud charges against Ronald.

The family is suspected of stealing over $175,000 in Social Security payments. Police believe Marie was either murdered or her death was covered up to keep the money, but the truth remains a mystery, along with what happened to Theodore. The case remains unsolved.