A/N: So, I was going through some of my older stories and I realized that I had recommended that someone read this story for added context but I had never actually uploaded this story. Whoops. My apologies everyone and I hope you enjoy this, anonymous reviewer that I accidentally screwed over!
"Welcome to Buzzfeed Unsolved! Today, we're investigating a mystery that is definitely, well, how should I put this? It's mysterious."
"Our show isn't called Buzzfeed Solved, Ryan."
"I know, but this case has a flavor to it, a hint of the weird."
"Does it taste like barbecue?"
"I – I guess it could, sure. This case has a smoky flavor, well-rounded, bit of something you can't quite place – "
"A certain je ne se quoi."
"Yup, all of that. Well, let's get into it."
Beryl Grace was a well-known actress who starred in several TV shows throughout the 1980's. Some of her more well-known roles included Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, the Thorn Birds, and The Heart of the Matter.
I've never heard of any of these
Not even Sense and Sensibility?
Oh, wait. That had Professor Snape in it, right?
You mean Alan Rickman? No, that was a different
remake that came out later.
Never mind then. I don't know any of these.
In 1989, Beryl had a daughter named Thalia. The father was unknown, although some tabloids reported seeing Beryl with a man who was, quote, "the classic archetype: tall, dark, and handsome," end quote. After Thalia was born, Beryl stepped out of acting, supposedly to spend more time with her daughter. That being said, the media still reported scandals involving her fairly regularly.
Give the lady a break, she just had a kid!
A few years later, in 1993 and 1994, Beryl was seen with another man. According to one popular tabloid, he was, quote, "practically identical to her last boyfriend in every way except the attitude," end quote. This new relationship wouldn't last, however. In 1994, Beryl had another child, a boy named Jason, and her relationship dissolved again.
"This is sounding very tragic, Ryan, but I'm not seeing a ton of mystery."
"Just wait. It'll get there."
Two years after Jason's birth, Beryl took him and Thalia on a family picnic to Sonoma, California, not far from their home in Pasadena. While on their outing, Jason disappeared. Beryl and Thalia reportedly had an argument that resulted in Thalia calling the police on Beryl.
She called the police on her own mom?!
Yeah, it was, it was pretty harsh
The police questioned Beryl for several hours but eventually cleared her of all charges. However, a statement from Thalia claimed that Beryl had allegedly said, quote, "[Jason] is as good as dead," end quote, and, quote, "I had to do it," end quote.
So it's sounding pretty bad for Beryl right now
I'll say! And the cops still said she didn't do it?
Yeah, they cleared her.
Cops, man.
After Jason disappeared, Beryl grew more erratic in her behaviour, her media scandals and tabloid gossip escalating until finally Thalia ran away from home. She was eight at the time. In 2005, Beryl Grace died in a car crash. She was the sole fatality, and her blood alcohol content proved she was severely intoxicated at the time of the accident.
"So, you get why there's such a mystery now?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Well, it's about to get weirder."
A few years later, in West Virginia, a missing persons report was filed for a seven-year-old girl named Annabeth Chase.
"Ryan, where is this going?"
"You'll see. This kind of ties into the other episode we did about the Jackson's."
Annabeth was later sighted with a girl who, according to one eyewitness, quote, "looked like a teenage Thalia Grace," end quote. There was also a blond adolescent male with the girls.
Jason?
No, he was too old.
Also, how did this person know what a teenage version of this
eight-year-old would look like?
This was a pretty high-profile case back in
the nineties. Think, like, Chris Hemsworth's kids
mysteriously vanishing.
Sure, but why does that mean anyone would know
what a kid looks like as a teenager based on their
appearance when they're eight? You probably don't look the
same now as you did when you were a child.
You on the other hand…anyone could look at a
picture of your giant head as a baby and go, "oh, that's Shane"
100 percent accuracy. Every time
Shut up
Sightings of the trio continued to be reported along the east coast, all the way to New York, where they mysteriously stopped.
"Ryan, I don't really want to bring this up, but, uh, what if the kids died?"
"It's pretty dark, yeah. Don't worry, it'll get better."
Years later, Annabeth Chase was identified along with Percy Jackson in New York. She was one of the children allegedly kidnapped and taken across the United States.
You still don't believe that they were kidnapped
Ehh, it's sketchy. There's a whole other video
for that – go check it out.
Are you plugging our channel to me?
A sighting of Thalia Grace was reported the next year, with an online blog claiming, quote, "she looked like she hadn't aged a day since her last known appearance", end quote.
"This is starting to sound a lot like Mothman."
"Stop pushing your shitty cryptids on me. This is nothing like that!"
"Uh-huh, sure."
In 2013, a Jason Grace was discovered to be enrolled in the Wilderness School in Nevada.
It's aliens! Area 51 confirmed!
Oh my God
According to school records, he had the same birth date as Beryl Grace's missing son, and there was a scar on his lip that matched a childhood story of Jason trying to eat a stapler.
(wheeze)
Unfortunately, this Jason Grace disappeared during a field trip to the Grand Canyon, along with students Leo Valdez and Piper McLean. Neither of these three students re-enrolled at Wilderness School, and their whereabouts are currently unknown. That being said, no missing persons reports have been filed and Piper's father, actor Tristan McLean seems unconcerned.
"So, do we have a theory for any of this?"
"Of course we do! When have I not had a theory for something like this?!"
"Well, you seem pretty unconvinced about those people in France who danced 'til they died."
"You got me."
Now that we've reviewed the evidence, let's get into theories.
Theory number one: Beryl Grace is responsible. A known alcoholic, Beryl's behaviour grew increasingly erratic around the time of Jason's disappearance and Thalia's running away. Beryl may have killed Jason and told the police and Thalia that he merely 'disappeared'. Evidence to support this would include Beryl telling Thalia that Jason was, quote, "as good as dead," end quote. However, she was never charged by the police for in Jason's disappearance, and nothing has emerged linking her to the crime.
The second theory is that either Thalia or Jason's father was responsible. Reportedly, Jason's father was married, and Beryl told police that his wife was, quote, "extremely jealous of me and my beauty. She never wanted me around and told him to never bring me to where he lived," end quote.
Wait, he was married?
Yeah, it was a pretty big deal at the time.
And the theory is – what? He murdered the kid he had with her
to – to cover it up?
Jason may have possibly been abducted by his father, but there were no reported sightings of him leading up to Jason's disappearance, and Thalia never apparently had a strong relationship with either him or her own father. When questioned by police, she said, quote, "I never see him and he's never helped me with my problems," end quote.
"I don't know about you, but neither of these are sounding too convincing."
"It makes more sense than whatever crazy shit you're about to say next."
The third theory is that both Thalia and Jason died – Jason shortly after his disappearance, and Thalia when she was a teenager. However, this does not explain the Nevada school records. That being said, the Jason Grace attending the Wilderness School could simply been another Jason Grace who bore a striking resemblance to the missing boy.
I mean, Jason isn't exactly an unusual name.
Yeah, that kid in Nevada doesn't strike me as being
important. It's kind of like when people see Elvis or Bob Marley
years after they died and go, "oh my god, Elvis!" It's just a blond kid
named Jason. Not much to see there
The sightings of Thalia are also reminiscent of ghost sightings. Any sightings in the past decade describe her as the same age and looking like she hasn't aged past the age of fourteen or fifteen, which is, of course, impossible.
"But ghost stories are?"
"That's not what I'm saying! It's just that most ghosts appear as the age they were when they died!"
"So, what about the other kids? Are they ghosts too? Just three buddies hanging out having a good old spooky time?"
"I don't know what's up with the other kids! This is just a theory!"
"Well, it's a shitty theory."
"I didn't say there was a ton of evidence here! Look, the farther you follow this trail, the more it dies. This is seriously one of the coldest cases we've ever looked at. Jack the fucking Ripper had more suspects than this!"
In the end, due to the lack of evidence and suspects, this case has been closed. And, with that, the case of the missing Grace siblings seems destined to remain UNSOLVED.
"You know, it's kind of tragic."
"There's just – just no closure! That's what frustrates me, Ryan. There isn't even a body or a suspect we can point to and be like, "oh, that might be what happened!" There's nothing. Zero."
"Definitely unfulfilling. Still, you never know. Maybe they're still out there."
"Man, can you imagine if they were? Just, like, living in the woods and shit, living off the land."
"Oh man, that would be insane! I would pay to see a movie like that."
"Eh, Hollywood would probably screw it up."
"You're right. Can't trust them with anything."