Disappearance of Paula Jean Welden | Vanished Without a Trace in the Bennington Triangle

·59 min·5 clips

In 1946, an 18-year-old Bennington College student vanished during an afternoon hike in Vermont, never to be seen again.

The episode begins by setting the scene of Paula Jean Weldon's disappearance on December 1, 1946, during an afternoon hike in Bennington, Vermont. Hosts Trevor Collins and Alfredo Diaz introduce the case, noting its similarities to Missing 411 cases. They detail the timeline: Weldon left her dorm at 2:45 PM, was picked up hitchhiking by Lewis Knapp, dropped off near the Long Trail, and last seen by Ernie Whitman at 4 PM, who warned her about inadequate clothing for the cold. After she failed to return, a search ensued involving volunteers, police from New York and Connecticut, and a $5,000 reward, but no evidence was found. Theories discussed include Weldon being attacked by predators like black bears or bobcats, abducted by a hitchhiker after her hike, or involved with her father, William Archibald Weldon, who disappeared for 36 hours after a tip and had a strained relationship with her. Another suspect, Fred Gaudet, claimed to know where she was buried and had inconsistent alibis. The episode shifts to the 'Bennington Triangle' theory by Joe Citro, linking Weldon's case to four other disappearances in the area, with speculation about paranormal causes like a cursed stone or Bigfoot, or a serial killer. The hosts critique the investigation's lack of organization, noting reports that no records were kept initially. They conclude by reflecting on the enduring mystery and the role of hindsight in missing persons cases.

As heard by us

A missing-person case that stays rooted in one cold Vermont afternoon.

The episode opens on Paula Jean Weldon's disappearance and uses it to give Red Web a stark, orderly frame: an 18-year-old Bennington College student goes out for an afternoon hike in Vermont in December 1946 and never comes back.

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Why you'd press play

You get a cold December 1946 Bennington College disappearance and two hosts turning over the case.

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