SYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Unsolved Indiana Dunes Disappearances

Podcast: Stuff You Should Know
Hosts: Josh Clark & Charles W. 'Chuck' Bryant
Date: September 26, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Josh and Chuck dive into one of America's more obscure true crime mysteries: the Indiana Dunes disappearances. On July 2, 1966, three young women vanished without a trace from a busy Lake Michigan beach in northwest Indiana, sparking an enduring and confounding case that is still unsolved today. The hosts break down the events, investigate the many leads and theories, and explore why this case remains such a disturbing enigma.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to the Case

• Josh introduces the story as "one of the sadder true crime episodes" (01:09), noting the lack of closure for the families.
• Chuck and Josh joke about starting a spin-off mystery show before getting into the case details (02:07).

The Victims and July 2, 1966

• Victims: Patricia Blau (21), Ann Miller (age debated between 19–22), and Renee Brule (married, c. 20/21) (06:39).
• Plan: The three traveled from suburban Chicago to Indiana Dunes State Park for a holiday weekend beach trip (06:28).
• Setting: The beach, packed with 9–10,000 people and thousands of boats on the July 4th weekend (08:25).

The Day They Disappeared

• Arrived by 10 AM, parked, and set up near a teenage couple who later became important witnesses (08:00–08:17).
• At around noon, the couple saw the women wading into the water, the last confirmed sighting (09:27).

Discovery of Their Absence

• The teenage couple, before leaving, notified a ranger about the women's unattended belongings (10:08).
• The ranger, and later authorities, assumed they were partying, but the three were never seen again (10:22–10:47).

Search and Initial Investigation

• When the women didn’t return by dusk, Patricia’s father called the ranger station, prompting a more serious response (13:02).
• Authorities found the car, personal items, and belongings left behind—suggesting no plans to leave for long (14:25).

"It seemed like the way they left their stuff that they were planning on just getting into the water and then coming back."
—Josh Clark, 14:44

• Major search began only after two days—a “critical failure” lamented as lost vital hours (16:13–16:32).

"Anybody who's ever seen [First 48] knows...those are the most critical hours in trying to solve a case..."
—Josh Clark, 16:34

• The extensive search—land, sea, and air, including local volunteers, police, Civil Air Patrol, and Coast Guard—yielded no clues (15:44–16:02).

Early Clues and Theories

• Only clue: In Renee's purse was a letter suggesting she might leave her husband, but family confirmed she’d often write such letters in anger without acting on them (16:58–17:54).
• Ann Miller was possibly pregnant, allegedly dating a married man—raising speculation about motives to disappear (18:14–19:03).

The Stables & Organized Crime Connection

• Both Ann and Patricia rode at a stable linked to Silas Jane, an infamous Chicago crime boss (19:13–19:58).
• Police speculated their proximity to violent criminals might be significant (20:47).

"They came in close contact with a really dangerous, violent criminal and his gang."
—Josh Clark, 20:47

New Leads: The Mysterious Boat(s)

• A couple (possibly the original teen witnesses) recalled seeing a well-tanned man in his early twenties arrive at noon in a white tri-hull runabout with turquoise interior (21:52–23:33).
• The witnesses saw the trio leave with the man on his boat. Other reports suggested they returned, ate, and later left again with three men on a cabin cruiser with its name sanded off (23:34–24:18).
• Found boat wreckage didn't match the suspect vessels, and no boat was reported missing (24:18–24:32).

"But they never found it. It just kind of vanished along with the women."
—Josh Clark, 29:51

• Home movies from the day appeared to confirm the women getting on a tri-hull runabout, lending credence to the story (25:58–26:35).

Investigative Dead Ends and Heartbreak

• Despite the solid description of the suspect boat, no owner ever came forward; it essentially vanished (29:29–29:56).
• Patricia’s father maintained a lifelong vigil, even chartering flights in search of clues (30:00–30:21, 30:56).

"He kept this vigil basically for the rest of his life..."
—Josh Clark, 30:19

• Nearly a decade later, a psychic provided an eerily accurate description of a cabin and lawn chair near the beach, but no bodies were found (31:42–32:05).

Theories and Speculations

Drowning or Accident

• Both Ann and Patricia were excellent swimmers (33:03), and the “drowning theory” is raised, but generally discounted due to the lack of bodies ever found (33:35–33:59).

Illegal Abortion

• Dick Wiley, a crime reporter, posited Ann was seeking an underground abortion on a boat—a theory the hosts find implausible (34:14–35:08).
• Real-life abortionists (Frank and Helen Largo) lived nearby, and their nephew matched the boat man’s description, but the abortion-on-boat theory is still "bonkers" (35:11–36:54).

Organized Crime Hit / Witness Elimination

• Silas Jane’s history of violence, car bombing, and possible insurance claim for a lost boat around the same time lend this theory traction (37:13–38:24).

“There is every reason to believe that this guy would have done that, looking at his history.”
—Charles W. ‘Chuck’ Bryant, 37:42

Voluntary Disappearance

• Patricia's brother (on Websleuths) theorized the three deliberately vanished, possibly aided by someone they didn’t know was tied to the Jane gang, ending in homicide (39:02–39:43).

Random Murder / Serial Killer

• Some posit the women fell victim to a serial killer, but no solid suspects. Richard Speck (infamous Chicago murderer) was in the area, but didn’t match the boat witness description or modus operandi (41:33–42:13).

Occam’s Razor and Lingering Mystery

• Hosts suggest Occam’s Razor points to an accident, but are troubled by the total lack of physical evidence (40:16–40:52).
• Ultimately, the women’s fate is a true mystery; all theories remain speculative.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You could say this is a good one. I never heard of it." —Chuck Bryant, 02:11
• "The big criticism that's leveled today against the whole thing is that two full days passed before the search was mounted." —Josh Clark, 16:13
• "There is every reason to believe that this guy would have done that, looking at his history." —Charles W. 'Chuck' Bryant, 37:42
• "It's also possible that they just went on a pleasure cruise with the wrong person who murdered them." —Josh Clark, 40:54

Timeline of Important Segments

• Introduction to Disappearances: 01:09–02:11
• Victims Background, Day of Event: 06:13–08:00
• Crowded Beach, Last Sighting: 08:00–09:49
• Discovery of Absence, Belongings Found: 10:08–10:56
• Police Involvement, Search and Delay: 13:02–16:32
• Clues (Letter, Pregnancy, Stables): 16:58–19:58
• Organized Crime Angle: 19:59–21:00
• Boat(s) and Witnesses: 21:51–25:56
• Home Movie Evidence: 25:58–26:35
• The Boat Vanishes: 29:29–29:56
• Family's Search, Psychic Lead: 30:00–32:05
• Theory Roundup: 33:03–41:43

Conclusion

Josh and Chuck deliver a deeply engaging and often heartbreaking account of the Indiana Dunes disappearances. With humor, candor, and careful consideration of the facts, they guide the listener through decades-old leads, enduring theories, and the lasting pain of unresolved mystery. The case stands as a haunting cautionary tale of how even in plain sight, people can vanish—leaving only questions in their wake.