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Crime Junkie

MISSING: The Thompson Family

A frantic phone call, an abrupt departure, and then… silence. When Everett and Lydia Thompson disappear along with their two young sons, the trail leads to one man whose story keeps changing. But instead of swift action, investigators initially delay and brush off a family’s cry for answers. Potentially giving the suspect time to erase evidence – and the Thompson family themselves. Nearly thirty years later, their fate remains a chilling mystery that may have been solvable from the start.
Duration
30m
Broadcast on
30 Oct 2025
Audio Format
other

A frantic phone call, an abrupt departure, and then… silence. When Everett and Lydia Thompson disappear along with their two young sons, the trail leads to one man whose story keeps changing. But instead of swift action, investigators initially delay and brush off a family’s cry for answers. Potentially giving the suspect time to erase evidence – and the Thompson family themselves. Nearly thirty years later, their fate remains a chilling mystery that may have been solvable from the start.

  • If you know anything about the disappearance of the Thompson family, call the Chicago Police Department’s Missing Persons Division at 312-745-5020 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

If you or anyone you know is thinking about suicide, please be aware that emotional support can be reached by calling or texting the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, where trained counselors are available 24/7 to provide support.

 

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This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp is one of the world's leading online therapy services. Now, insurance options may be available nationwide, with average copays of just $23 per session for eligible members. Because isn't the only thing holding people back, most of us weren't taught stress management. Therapy gives you tools to keep stress from building. BetterHelp works with more than 125 health plans, making it easy to get started with low-cost sessions. Don't have eligible insurance? Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/crimejunky. Cost and coverage may vary. Discount cannot be combined with insurance. Hi, Crime Junkies, I'm your host, Ashley Flowers. And I'm Brits. And man, the story I have for you today, I'm going to warn you, it is going to have you yelling at your phone or whatever you're listening on, because the answers to this case were out in the open the entire time. When a family disappears into thin air, it is glaringly obvious that all roads point to one person. And the answer literally starts at home. But police at the time jumped on the investigation too little, too late, leaving the family of the victims frustrated with the lack of police response for this family of color, something that is still all too common in marginalized communities. But we talked to an attorney in this case, and she gave us the real details on why the investigation unfolded the way it did, and why no charges were ever brought in what looks like an open and shut murder case. This is the story of the Thompson family. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]
It's Friday, July 5, 1996, when Herman Thompson calls his son Everett at the restaurant Everett owned. He wants to know exactly when he can expect Everett and his young family to get into town for the holiday weekend. The plan was for them to drive from Chicago to Philly sometime after Everett got off work. But you know, when you're the owner operator, that's always a little TBD. So before they can hash out all the details over the phone, Everett tells his dad, OK, listen, hang on, my wife Lydia, she's on the other line. He's only off the phone for a second before he clicks back over,

Transcription truncated.

A frantic phone call, an abrupt departure, and then… silence. When Everett and Lydia Thompson disappear along with their two young sons, the trail leads to one man whose story keeps changing. But instead of swift action, investigators initially delay and brush off a family’s cry for answers. Potentially giving the suspect time to erase evidence – and the Thompson family themselves. Nearly thirty years later, their fate remains a chilling mystery that may have been solvable from the start.