The Night He Was Reported Missing... #truecrimeshorts #truecrimestories #crimejunkies #podcast | Forensic Files

It's just after 3:00 a.m. on Black Friday in 2016. But in the small town of Benson, North
Carolina, no one's lining up to snag a deal on the latest iPhone or the biggest TV. It's quiet. Most people are asleep,
and the streets are practically empty. [music] Which is giving time for a couple of
officers to finish up some paperwork in the police department parking lot. And it's in that quiet moment when two
men walk up. Their names are Julian Vaio's Jr. and Jeremy Carpenter. Now, they're not panicked or screaming or
anything like that. They just need a little bit of help. They're passing through after visiting Julian's family
for Thanksgiving. They were on their way back to Minnesota, where they both work.
But now they don't have keys to their car. And the story of how that happened is
[music] weird. They say that they were traveling with a third buddy, Christopher Thomas, who goes by Cole,
and he's the one who was driving. But out of nowhere, he started acting paranoid. And before they knew it, he
pulled over, took the keys, jumped out, and then like ran until he dropped out of sight. They don't know why or where
he went. I mean, Cole couldn't have even known where he was, because he's not from around there. He's from Florida.
The only half explanation that Julian offers up is that he had heard rumors that Cole might have {quote} mental
problems, but he wasn't even really sure. They said they tried looking for him themselves, but they can't find him, and
now they're just stuck. Now, the story is a bit odd, sure, but not enough to like set off alarm bells for these
officers. Because even though it's an ungodly hour, these guys don't appear to be under the influence or anything like
that. So, the officers do what they can. The guys point them in the direction of
North Johnson Street, where they say Cole ran off. They check [music] the few places that might still be open for gas
or coffee, but there's just no sign of him.

Just after 3:00 a.m. on Black Friday in 2016, two men walked up to police in Benson, North Carolina with a strange story. They claimed their friend, Christopher “Cole” Thomas, suddenly became paranoid during a road trip, pulled over, took the keys, and ran off into the dark.

At first, officers searched the area but saw no immediate signs of foul play. But as investigators dug deeper into the disappearance, inconsistencies in the story and new evidence raised major questions about what really happened to Cole Thomas that night.

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Brief Summary

A Black Friday trip turns mysterious when Christopher Thomas runs away, leaving friends stranded in Benson, North Carolina.

Key points

A Quiet Black Friday. In Benson, North Carolina, Black Friday is anything but busy; it's eerily quiet.
The Mysterious Disappearance. Julian and Jeremy recount the strange behavior of their friend Cole, who vanished unexpectedly.

Episode highlights

The Mysterious DisappearanceJulian and Jeremy recount the strange behavior of their friend Cole, who vanished unexpectedly.“He started acting paranoid.”0:58May 23, 2026

Episode quotes

It's quiet. Most people are asleep.

Describing the calm atmosphere of Benson, North Carolina at 3:00 a.m.

0:11WatchMay 23, 2026

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