Shannon Collins
8Digest
The podcast "The Vanished" delves into the perplexing disappearance of Shannon Collins, a retired military veteran who vanished from his home in Pottsville, Arkansas in March 2021. The episode focuses on the conflicting accounts given by Shannon's wife and stepdaughter, raising suspicions about their involvement in his disappearance. Blake, Shannon's brother, shares his perspective on the family dynamics and the inconsistencies in the stories told by his brother's wife and stepdaughter. He highlights the challenges faced in reporting Shannon missing, including initial reluctance from law enforcement and the family's attempts to cover up the truth. The podcast reveals evidence uncovered by investigators, including the purchase of a new phone by Shannon's wife and suspicious text messages sent from it. Blake exposes the lies told by Shannon's wife and stepdaughter to law enforcement, including their claims that Shannon walked away from home and was communicating with them from a new phone. The podcast explores the inconsistencies in their stories and the evidence that contradicts their accounts. The episode also discusses the involvement of Shannon's employer and his son-in-law, who also worked for the same company. The podcast reveals that Shannon's wife contacted his son-in-law to inform him of Shannon's alleged departure and instructed him to notify Shannon's boss. Blake explains his decision to launch a social media campaign to raise awareness about Shannon's case, expressing his frustration with the stalled investigation and concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving law enforcement and the church Shannon's family attended. The podcast explores the controversy surrounding the church, including the deletion of a prayer request for Shannon on their livestream sermon and the subsequent pressure placed on Blake to stop talking about the church publicly. Blake reveals the discovery of $16,000 in cash hidden in the church safe by Shannon's wife and the inconsistencies in the pastor's account of the incident. He expresses his concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving officers from the Sheriff's Office who are members of the church. The podcast includes a statement from the pastor of the church, who addresses the controversy surrounding Shannon's disappearance and the church's involvement in the investigation. He encourages the community to get their information directly from law enforcement. Blake expresses his frustration with the stalled investigation and his concerns about a potential conflict of interest. He advocates for a renewed search of the properties connected to the family and emphasizes the need for more transparency from law enforcement. The episode delves into the investigation surrounding Shannon Collins' disappearance, focusing on the role of the pastor and Shannon's wife. The investigators address concerns about the pastor's actions and provide reassurance that the church is not involved. The chapter also highlights the wife's suspicious behavior, including her visits to a divorce lawyer before Shannon's disappearance. The podcast explores the digital trail left behind by Shannon Collins, which ends abruptly on March 12th, 2021. The investigators discuss the inconsistencies in the wife's story and the lack of evidence to prove foul play. The chapter also mentions the three persons of interest in the case, though their identities remain undisclosed. The episode focuses on the frustration and pain experienced by Shannon's family, particularly his brother Blake. Blake expresses his belief that Shannon's family is covering up the truth and criticizes their lack of cooperation with the investigation. The chapter ends with a call for anyone with information to come forward.
Outlines
Shannon Collins' Disappearance: A Mysterious Vanishing
This episode of The Vanished podcast delves into the mysterious disappearance of Shannon Collins, a retired military veteran who vanished from his home in Pottsville, Arkansas in March 2021. The podcast explores the timeline of events leading up to his disappearance, the conflicting accounts given by his wife and stepdaughter, and the ongoing investigation by law enforcement.
Shannon Collins' Story: A Brother's Perspective
The podcast features an interview with Shannon's brother, Blake, who shares his perspective on his brother's character, their family dynamics, and the events surrounding Shannon's disappearance. Blake details the inconsistencies in the stories told by Shannon's wife and stepdaughter, raising suspicions about their involvement.
The Investigation Begins: Challenges and Cover-Ups
Blake recounts the challenges faced in reporting Shannon missing, including initial reluctance from law enforcement and the family's initial attempts to cover up the truth. The podcast highlights the evidence uncovered by investigators, including the purchase of a new phone by Shannon's wife and the suspicious text messages sent from it.
The Lies Unravel: Inconsistent Stories and Contradictory Evidence
Blake reveals the lies told by Shannon's wife and stepdaughter to law enforcement, including their claims that Shannon walked away from home and was communicating with them from a new phone. The podcast explores the inconsistencies in their stories and the evidence that contradicts their accounts.
The Employer's Perspective: Involvement and Suspicions
Blake discusses the involvement of Shannon's employer and his son-in-law, who also worked for the same company. The podcast reveals that Shannon's wife contacted his son-in-law to inform him of Shannon's alleged departure and instructed him to notify Shannon's boss.
The Social Media Campaign: Raising Awareness and Seeking Answers
Blake explains the reasons behind his decision to launch a social media campaign to raise awareness about Shannon's case. He expresses his frustration with the stalled investigation and his concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving law enforcement and the church Shannon's family attended.
Church Involvement and Controversy: Deleted Prayer Requests and Public Pressure
The podcast explores the controversy surrounding the church Shannon and his family attended, including the deletion of a prayer request for Shannon on their livestream sermon and the subsequent pressure placed on Blake to stop talking about the church publicly.
The $16,000 Cash and Conflict of Interest: Suspicious Discoveries and Concerns
Blake reveals the discovery of $16,000 in cash hidden in the church safe by Shannon's wife and the inconsistencies in the pastor's account of the incident. He expresses his concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving officers from the Sheriff's Office who are members of the church.
The Church's Response: Addressing the Controversy and Encouraging Transparency
The podcast includes a statement from the pastor of the church, who addresses the controversy surrounding Shannon's disappearance and the church's involvement in the investigation. He encourages the community to get their information directly from law enforcement.
The Stalled Investigation: Frustration, Concerns, and Calls for Action
Blake expresses his frustration with the stalled investigation and his concerns about a potential conflict of interest. He advocates for a renewed search of the properties connected to the family and emphasizes the need for more transparency from law enforcement.
Investigating the Pastor and the Wife: Suspicious Behavior and Lack of Evidence
This chapter delves into the investigation surrounding Shannon Collins' disappearance, focusing on the role of the pastor and Shannon's wife. The investigators address concerns about the pastor's actions and provide reassurance that the church is not involved. The chapter also highlights the wife's suspicious behavior, including her visits to a divorce lawyer before Shannon's disappearance.
The Digital Trail and the Missing Pieces: Unanswered Questions and Persons of Interest
This chapter explores the digital trail left behind by Shannon Collins, which ends abruptly on March 12th, 2021. The investigators discuss the inconsistencies in the wife's story and the lack of evidence to prove foul play. The chapter also mentions the three persons of interest in the case, though their identities remain undisclosed.
The Family's Frustration and the Search for Answers: A Plea for Information
This chapter focuses on the frustration and pain experienced by Shannon's family, particularly his brother Blake. Blake expresses his belief that Shannon's family is covering up the truth and criticizes their lack of cooperation with the investigation. The chapter ends with a call for anyone with information to come forward.
Keywords
Missing Person Investigation
The process of investigating the disappearance of an individual, often involving law enforcement, family members, and community members to gather information, locate the missing person, and determine the circumstances of their disappearance.
Foul Play
Suspicion that a crime has been committed, particularly in cases of missing persons, where the circumstances surrounding the disappearance suggest that the individual may have been harmed or killed.
Conflict of Interest
A situation where an individual or organization has a personal or professional interest that could potentially compromise their objectivity or impartiality in a particular matter.
Social Media Campaign
A coordinated effort to use social media platforms to raise awareness about a particular issue, event, or cause. In this case, Blake launched a social media campaign to bring attention to Shannon's disappearance and seek information from the public.
Cover-Up
An attempt to conceal or hide information or evidence related to a crime or wrongdoing. In this case, Shannon's wife and stepdaughter are suspected of covering up the truth about his disappearance.
Digital Trace
Any evidence of an individual's online activity, including phone calls, text messages, social media interactions, and internet browsing history. In this case, the lack of a digital trace from Shannon after his disappearance is a significant piece of evidence.
Persons of Interest
Persons of interest are individuals who may have information relevant to a crime or investigation. They are not necessarily suspects, but their involvement in the case is being investigated.
Q&A
What are the key inconsistencies in the stories told by Shannon's wife and stepdaughter?
Shannon's wife claimed he walked away from home, while his stepdaughter said he drove away with an unknown person. Both accounts contradict the evidence, including the fact that Shannon's car remained in the driveway and his phone never left the Pottsville area.
What evidence suggests that Shannon's wife may have been involved in his disappearance?
Investigators discovered that Shannon's wife purchased a new phone shortly after his disappearance and sent text messages from it, pretending to be Shannon. The content of these messages, along with the fact that Shannon's original phone was never found, raises serious suspicions about her involvement.
Why is Blake concerned about a conflict of interest involving the church and law enforcement?
Blake believes that officers from the Sheriff's Office who are members of the church may be biased in their investigation, particularly given the discovery of $16,000 in cash hidden in the church safe by Shannon's wife. He worries that this conflict of interest could hinder the investigation and prevent the truth from coming to light.
What are the next steps in the investigation, and what is Blake hoping for?
Blake is advocating for a renewed search of the properties connected to the family and hopes that the pressure from his social media campaign will cause someone to come forward with information. He believes that the truth about Shannon's disappearance is known by several people and hopes that they will finally break their silence.
What is the significance of the pastor's act of omission regarding the money hidden in the church's safe?
The pastor's failure to inform investigators about the money raises suspicions about his involvement in Shannon's disappearance. It suggests that he may be hiding something or protecting someone involved in the case.
Why is Shannon's wife's behavior considered suspicious?
Her visits to a divorce lawyer before Shannon's disappearance, coupled with her inconsistent stories about his whereabouts, raise concerns about her potential involvement in his disappearance.
What are the challenges faced by the investigators in this case?
The investigators are facing challenges due to the lack of evidence, the nine-month delay in reporting Shannon missing, and the tight-knit community that is reluctant to cooperate.
What is the family's plea to anyone with information about Shannon's disappearance?
Shannon's family is urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the Pope County Sheriff's Office. They believe that someone knows what happened to Shannon and that their cooperation is crucial to solving the case.
Show Notes
In March 2021, 48-year-old Shannon Collins quietly disappeared from Pottsville, Arkansas. His parents, brother, and sister just stopped hearing from Shannon. He wasn't returning their calls or text messages, which was strange. When they contacted Shannon's wife, she said he had left their home on March 12 but was contacting their children via phone. Despite their inquiries, they have yet to receive satisfactory answers. By November, Shannon's brother, Blake, decided to report his brother missing during a trip home to Arkansas for the holidays. From there, the situation only grew more peculiar.
Anyone with information about Shannon Collins' disappearance can call Pope County Sheriff's Office at 479-968-2558 and ask for any available investigator. You may also report tips anonymously at https://www.popecoso.org/reportACrime.
You can follow developments in Shannon's case on Facebook, Share Shannon's Story, and Instagram.
Listen to The Vanished on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-vanished-podcast/ now.
Follow The Vanished on social media at:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Table of contents
United States
I really enjoy this podcast and it’s really improved considerably overtime. The only suggestion I have, either turn host voice down or turn up volume during the interviewers. I’m constantly having to adjust volume.