16 Disturbing Mysteries That Still Remain Unsolved

Don't read these Wikipedia pages if you plan on sleeping tonight.

1. The Doodler

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California was a hotspot for serial killers in the '70s. With The Zodiac Killer, The Hillside Stranglers, and The Golden State Killer all committing murders during the decade. A less notorious killer from the same time period was known as The Doodler, named for his habit of sketching victims before murdering them. The unidentified killer targeted members of San Francisco's gay community and is believed to be responsible for 14 murders.

2. Flannan Isles Lighthouse

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This lighthouse gets its creepiness from an event that took place in December, 1900. When a passing ship noticed that the lighthouse wasn't operating as usual, a team were sent to investigate — what they discovered left them with more questions than answers. The three men who manned the lighthouse were nowhere to be seen. Despite the best efforts of investigators, no plausible explanation for the crew's mysterious disappearance has ever been reached.

3. The Dyatlov Pass incident

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In the late '50s, an experienced group of hikers set off on a ski expedition in the former Soviet Union. All nine would be found dead a couple of months later — with one body missing a tongue and both eyes. Over the years, the incident has become a hotbed of conspiracy theories. Proposed explanations of the strange deaths have included secret government tests, natural infrasound, and even extra-terrestrial activity.

4. The murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German

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On February 13, 2017, middle school friends Abigail Williams and Liberty German set off on a hiking trip in Delphi, Indiana. Their bodies were discovered near a wooded creek the next day. The above photo on the right was found on Liberty's cell phone and was taken shortly before her murder. Liberty was also able to make an audio recording of her killer, in which he can be heard saying "down the hill".

5. The disappearance of Gary Mathias

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On a snowy February night in 1978, Gary Mathis, along with four friends, attended a basketball game. After the game, the group called at a local convenience store before their drive home — this was the last time they'd be seen alive. A couple of days later their abandoned car was discovered on a remote dirt road. It would take several more months for their bodies to be found. Four of the men's bodies were found in and near a cabin 20 miles from the car. The body of Gary Mathis has never been found.

6. Kentucky meat shower

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On a spring day in 1876, a small settlement in Kentucky experienced a bizarre weather phenomenon: a downpour of meat. Two men who were brave enough to eat the fallen flesh described it as tasting like mutton or venison. Several explanations have been put forward for the mysterious weather, most notably the theory that the meat was vomited up by buzzards.

7. Murder of the Grimes sisters

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Barbara and Patricia Grimes were two teens who were murdered by an unidentified assailant while walking home from the movie theatre. What makes this case especially creepy is that a number of people claimed to have seen the girls alive between the night of their murder and the discovery of their bodies. The double murder remains unsolved, and the strange sightings remaining unexplained.

8. The Max Headroom broadcast signal intrusion

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On 22 November 1987, during a late night showing of a Doctor Who episode, a Chicago television station had its broadcast hijacked. What viewers were treated to was a bizarre, and mostly nonsensical, video from the hijackers that featured an unidentified man in a Max Headroom mask. Here's a video of the incident in its entirety.

9. The Hammersmith nude murders

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Nicknamed Jack the Stripper by the British press, this unidentified serial killer is believed to be responsible for the murder of at least six women, whose bodies were all found in or around the River Thames in London. Many names have been put forward as suspects in the decades since the crimes took place, but the case remains unsolved.

10. The Hinterkaifeck murders

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This story of an entire family being killed by an axe-wielding killer has become a bit of a classic amongst true crime fans, and with good reason. Days before the murders, the father told neighbours that he had discovered footprints in snow leading from the forest to his home. Family members also described hearing footsteps in the attic. Despite more than 100 suspects being questioned, the killer has never been identified.

11. Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?

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On an April day in 1943, four boys made the gruesome discovery of a skeleton hidden within the hollow trunk of large wych elm. Investigators concluded that the victim had died from suffocation, and that the body must have been placed in the tree trunk while it was still warm. The story only gets weirder from there. In the years since the discovery of the body, strange graffiti started appearing in the local area, asking the mysterious question, "Who put Bella in the wych elm?"

12. UVB-76

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Since at least 1973, a Russian radio station has been broadcasting a buzzing tone that's sometimes interrupted by a voice transmission, and no one knows exactly why. Several listeners have reported hearing background conversations, leading some to believe that the buzzing sound isn't simply pre-recorded. You can listen to a sound recording of the station here.

13. Mr Cruel

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Mr Cruel is an unidentified Australian serial rapist, responsible for attacking at least three young girls in the late '80s and early '90s. He's believed to have videotaped or photographed some of his crimes, which detectives believe he still keep copies of. There's currently a $1,000,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

14. The Roanoke Colony

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Established in 1585, the Roanoke Colony was an attempt by the British to establish a community in North America. The colony remains an infamous name in the history books due to the mysterious disappearance of the entire settlement. When a relief mission was sent to check on the status of the colony, there was no sign of the settlement's 116 inhabitants. What the relief mission did discover was the word "CROATOAN" carved into a post.

15. The Villisca axe murders

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On the night of June 9, 1912, six members of the Moore family and two guests went to their beds unaware that there was a murderer patiently waiting in their attic. The next morning all eight would be found dead with head wounds caused by an axe, having been bludgeoned to death as they slept. One of the victims received so many blows that both his eyes were missing.

16. 2016 clown sightings

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Remember 2016? Barack Obama was President of the United States, The Babadook emerged as a gay icon, and the world was slightly less on fire. One thing we've been quick to forget though, maybe as a coping technique, is the fact that there was an unexplained spate of clown sightings across the entire globe. This recent occurrence is a reminder that we still live in a world where more creepy mysteries are potentially right around the corner.