18 Hours Later, Sharon Reappeared #mr.cruel #truecrimestories #truecrimeshorts | Forensic Files

30 minutes after the lights went out is when he's woken up by the sound of his bedroom door just bursting open. So, he
was like clearly watching, right? Waiting for that moment. >> Yeah. >> And even how this guy got into the
house, it's like he knew because there was apparently a key that they would leave in the lock like on the inside of
one of the doors. So, what this guy did is he put a newspaper under the door, stuck something in the lock to like push
the key out, and then when it fell onto the paper, he just slid it under the door and unlocked it,
which is terrifying. But like again, how would he know that it was there unless he'd been
watching them is the thinking. Now, he got the parents to initially comply by holding a gun to dad's head and telling
him he just wanted money saying, "You're not going to be a hero, are you?" And then he tied them up with copper wire
and takes [music] something like 35 bucks. But again, obviously that is not all he
wants because he quickly moves on to the next bedroom where four girls are all sleeping in bunk beds. Now, it only
takes Sharon's dad about 15 minutes to free himself and his wife from the restraints, at which point he runs into
their daughters' room only to find three girls, not four. Sharon and some of her
clothing are missing because against all odds, 18 hours later, Sharon reappears wandering around near a high school not
too far away from her home.

Thirty minutes after the lights went out, Sharon’s father woke to the sound of his bedroom door bursting open.

The intruder had been watching.

The family sometimes left a key in the inside lock of one door.

So he slid a newspaper underneath it, pushed the key out from the other side, caught it on the paper — and pulled it back under the door.

Then he unlocked it.

He held a gun to Dad’s head and said, “You’re not gonna be a hero, are you?”

He tied the parents up with copper wire and took about $35.

But money wasn’t why he was there.

In the next bedroom, four girls were sleeping in bunk beds.

Fifteen minutes after freeing himself, Sharon’s father ran into the room.

Only three girls were there.

Sharon was gone.

Eighteen hours later, she reappeared near a local high school.

Watch The Full Episode Tagged Below. -------- Follow Crime Junkie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimejunkiepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrimeJunkiePodcast/ Crime Junkie is created and hosted by Ashley Flowers.

Text Ashley to chat this epsidoe and more: https://my.community.com/ashleyflowers?t=Hi%20Ashley%21

About Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers is the top female podcaster in the U.S. and the host of Crime Junkie, the #1 podcast among women and the #1 true crime podcast globally. As the Founder of audiochuck, she has built a top-tier podcast production company that has garnered over 2.6 billion downloads, captivating audiences with its gripping storytelling through 10+ chart topping podcasts. Ashley and her team are dedicated to creating responsible true crime content that respects victims and their families.

Follow Ashley: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ASHLEYFLOWERS/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyflowerscrimejunkie

Purchase Ashley’s highly anticipated second novel, The Missing Half now! | https://ashleyflowers.com/books

Brief Summary

A family's home invasion leads to the abduction of Sharon, who returns 18 hours later.

Key points

The Intruder's Method. The intruder used a clever trick to unlock the door, raising chilling questions.
Sharon's Mysterious Disappearance. After a terrifying night, Sharon goes missing but miraculously reappears 18 hours later.

Episode highlights

The Intruder's MethodThe intruder used a clever trick to unlock the door, raising chilling questions.“How would he know that it was there unless he'd been watching them?”0:38Jun 29, 2026

Episode quotes

How would he know that it was there unless he'd been watching them?

Questioning the intruder's knowledge of the house.

0:38WatchJun 29, 2026

More from Crime Junkie

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.