FROM THE VAULT (2022): Sherry Lynn Marler

·51 min·5 clips

In 1984, 12-year-old Sherry Marler vanished after her stepdad gave her a dollar to buy a drink at a gas station.

The episode begins with the hosts, Allison and Maggie, introducing the case of Sherry Lynn Marler, a 12-year-old girl who disappeared on June 6, 1984, in Greenville, Alabama. Sherry was last seen walking to a Chevron gas station after her stepdad, Raymond, gave her a dollar for a drink while he was at the bank. The hosts reflect on their own childhood experiences of independence to connect with Sherry's story. They discuss the small-town setting of Greenville, with a population of about 7,600, and challenge the common belief that small towns are safer, citing research showing higher injury mortality rates in rural areas. Raymond waited 15 minutes at the bank before searching for Sherry, and she was reported missing around 11:46 a.m. Police launched a search involving volunteers and aerial services, but no trace was found. The hosts present four theories: Sherry ran away, was abducted by a stranger, was kidnapped by someone she knew, or was a victim of incest pedophilia and murder. They note that runaway youth statistics are high, but Sherry's family insists she had no reason to leave. Stranger abductions are rare, with fewer than 350 cases per year in the U.S. Raymond refused a polygraph but was supported by Sherry's mom, Betty. A Facebook group, Sherry Lynn Marler Still Missing, suggests she was murdered and dismembered due to pregnancy from incest. The hosts also mention unconfirmed sightings of Sherry with a man named BJ in Georgia and New Orleans. The episode concludes with a call to share Sherry's story and help others, emphasizing the importance of community awareness.

As heard by us

A missing-child case told through the first urgent hours of the search.

This episode stays with Sherry's disappearance and the first hours of the search, which gives the story a narrow, urgent frame. It is strongest when it moves with Raymond and Betty as they realize Sherry is missing, then widens to Greenville police and a community that answers…

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Why you'd press play

You get the first urgent hours after Sherry Lynn Marler is reported missing.

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