Posted on 03/12/2024 1:03:44 PM PDT by MAGA2017
New light is being brought to a 46-year-old cold case commonly referred to as the “Yuba County Five.”
Inspired by a series of true crime podcasts, author Tony Wright has dedicated the last four years to research, interviews, and documentation, compiling his findings into his new book “Things Aren’t Right: The Disappearance of the Yuba County Five.”
“I came across the Yuba County case for the first time around 2018,” said Wright. “The story was just coming back into the news for whatever reason because of true crime and other unsolved mystery podcasting. It just seemed to catch fire and I heard all these different takes and articles and thought, ‘wow, I want to read the book on this,’ and there wasn’t a book so I decided I would have to write one.”
“Things Aren’t Right” explores the bizarre disappearance of five Yuba-Sutter residents: Ted Weiher, Jack Madruga, Bill Sterling, Jackie Huett and Gary Mathias. This close-knit group of friends left Yuba City on Feb. 24, 1978, to attend a basketball game in Chico and somehow never returned home. Madruga’s beloved 1969 Mercury Montego was instead found four days later stuck on a snow-covered road in the Plumas National Forest some 75 miles in the wrong direction.
“A witness came forward at the same time with an incredible story of seeing the men that night in the Plumas National Forest,” explained Wright. “Four jurisdictions of law enforcement would investigate and search for the missing men. Psychics were brought in, and bizarre sightings of the five were reported from numerous people. They all led to dead ends which frustrated families and law enforcement.”
(Excerpt) Read more at appeal-democrat.com ...
Time warp, Black Hole, Worm Hole..........................
All these men had pretty low IQs. I am suspicious of the man that was on the side of the road. I think he scared them somehow, and they took off running.
Thanks - something I can add to my list...
They did have developmental issues of various degrees. Some were more functional than others. Some were probably not properly diagnosis at the time. Jack Madruga was the owner and diver of the car. Based on what I read about him he was mainly just very shy and withdrawn. Unfortunately, the man on who encountered them on the road was not a reliable witness. He changed his story more than once and he had a reputation for not being truthful. It does seem possible he had something do with them leaving the car and walking miles into the wilderness.
You’re welcome. I just started the book and it’s a good read so far. There’s a YouTube channel called, “The Missing Enigma” where I learned about the book. That channel has a really well-done overview of this case. Here’s the link if you want to check it out:
The Yuba County Five - A Tale Of Inaccuracies (Part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7DTCak0DOo
Thank you again. I lived in the Sacramento area around that time but like everything else from years ago, memories are dim and dimming more every day..
I enjoy chatting with a fellow reader...
No problem. I’ve been interested in mysteries like this, and this is a sad and odd one. Do you remember that being a big news story around that time? Sadly, it’s unlikely we’ll get more answers as to what happened unless someone steps forward with a confession (assuming this was a case of foul play). Finding the body of Gary Mathias might shed some more light or raise even more questions. They are still living relatives of these men and they want to know what happened.
“No problem. I’ve been interested in mysteries like this, and this is a sad and odd one. “
There’s lots of podcasts out there about it.
I just this minute finished watching a Dateline segment about a gal stationed at Fort Bragg, NC, an Army medic who came up missing. A private investigator got on the case and couldn’t let it go - spent thousands of his own dollars working on it until it was finally resolved by him 2+ years later - her body found. That’s exactly what happened with this case. The PI wore the suspect down and got a confession and he had a criminal record and had done prison time. Had to rule out an estranged husband and a new boyfriend in FL until he hit the jackpot. A bartender at the local establishment that she went to alone.
I’m addicted to TV stories of that kind AND books! Sometimes we get answers and sometimes we don’t. Can’t imagine what families go through when it happens.
No, I really don’t recall the Yuba County case but it had to be a pretty big story on Sacramento TV stations. I seem to remember news of a flood in Marysville sometime earlier???? And more recent tho’ no longer living there, the Oroville Dam rupture just a few years ago. That was interesting. Had a stepson living in Lincoln at that time and I think he even had high water at his place.
“”There’s lots of podcasts out there about it.””
I have to admit that I don’t have the slightest idea what podcasts are or how to go about getting them????? I’d be interested in learning tho’..especially with this story. Thanks.
Thanks for posting the link!!
You can request on Dan Bongino’s homepage, and they send a link it in an email,
https://bongino.com/ep-2206-i-told-you-this-story-was-bs
Thank you - I like to think I’m not TOO old to learn NEW things.
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