The Vanishing of Chief Mel Wiley
Episode 215
Chief Mel Wiley
In January of 1982, Melvin Wiley was appointed Chief of Police in Hinckley Township, Ohio. With a law enforcement career spanning nearly twenty years and a background in military intelligence, Mel was considered by most the be a prime candidate for the position. For more than three years, they had no reason to question that choice.
Then on a warm summer afternoon in July of 1985, Chief Wiley mysteriously vanished. After failing to show up for work for two days, rangers discovered his abandoned vehicle at Edgewater Park in Cleveland, right on the shore of Lake Erie. While some believed Chief Wiley had been the victim of a crime, others theorized that perhaps the aspiring author had written his own mysterious exit.
Nearly forty years later and the mystery of Chief Wiley remains. Friends and family never believed he'd have gone away by his own choice, and not one of them has heard from him since July of '85. He remains the first Chief of Police to have ever been listed by the FBI as a missing person and, all this time later, he has never been found.
Sources:
Mel L. Wiley – The Charley Project
03 Aug 1985, 14 - Dayton Daily News at Newspapers.com
03 Aug 1985, Page 21 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
04 Aug 1985, Page 61 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
05 Aug 1985, Page 9 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
06 Aug 1985, Page 25 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
06 Aug 1985, Page 28 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
07 Aug 1985, 2 - The Marion Star at Newspapers.com
07 Aug 1985, 2 - The Journal Herald at Newspapers.com
07 Aug 1985, 15 - The News-Messenger at Newspapers.com
07 Aug 1985, 1 - The Journal Herald at Newspapers.com
07 Aug 1985, 8 - Chillicothe Gazette at Newspapers.com
08 Aug 1985, Page 35 - The Cincinnati Enquirer at Newspapers.com
08 Aug 1985, 20 - Chillicothe Gazette at Newspapers.com
08 Aug 1985, 11 - The Marion Star at Newspapers.com
08 Aug 1985, 3 - The Daily Advocate at Newspapers.com
08 Aug 1985, 3 - The Cincinnati Post at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 5 - The Urbana Daily Citizen at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 3 - The Tribune at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 29 - News-Journal at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, Page 32 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, Page 33 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 7 - The Daily Advocate at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, Page 1 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 10 - Chillicothe Gazette at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 14 - The Marion Star at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 16 - The Newark Advocate at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 7 - Chillicothe Gazette at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, Page 46 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 14 - The Urbana Daily Citizen at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 5 - Marysville Journal-Tribune at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 10 - Sidney Daily News at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 11 - News-Journal at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 11 - The Galion Inquirer at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, Page 68 - The Cincinnati Enquirer at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 5 - The Newark Advocate at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 11 - The Lima News at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 2 - The Marion Star at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1985, 18 - The Daily Advocate at Newspapers.com
12 Jan 1986, Page 59 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
13 Jan 1986, 9 - The Tribune at Newspapers.com
13 Jan 1986, 2 - The Journal Herald at Newspapers.com
02 May 1986, Page 48 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
27 Jul 1987, 9 - Telegraph-Forum at Newspapers.com
16 Sep 1988, 2 - Telegraph-Forum at Newspapers.com
16 Sep 1988, Page 24 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
16 Sep 1988, 23 - The Delaware Gazette at Newspapers.com
16 Sep 1988, 4 - Springfield News-Sun at Newspapers.com
16 Sep 1988, Page 13 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
17 Sep 1988, 3 - The Tribune at Newspapers.com
17 Sep 1989, Page 1 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
17 Sep 1989, Page 12 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
11 Jul 1990, Page 5 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
11 Jul 1990, Page 4 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
13 Nov 1993, Page 10 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
13 Nov 1993, Page 11 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
16 Nov 1993, Page 15 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
16 Nov 1993, Page 18 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
16 Nov 1993, 2 - The Newark Advocate at Newspapers.com
16 Nov 1993, 26 - News-Journal at Newspapers.com
12 Jun 2000, Page 1 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
Article from 12 Jun 2000, Page 3 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
18 Jun 2000, Page 21 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
28 Jul 2000, 10 - Marysville Journal-Tribune at Newspapers.com
28 Jul 2000, 4 - Sidney Daily News at Newspapers.com
29 Jul 2000, 3 - The Galion Inquirer at Newspapers.com
29 Jul 2000, 17 - The Delaware Gazette at Newspapers.com
07 Aug 1985, 26 - The Tribune at Newspapers.com
08 Aug 1985, 3 - The Modesto Bee at Newspapers.com
14 Aug 1985, 2 - Record Searchlight at Newspapers.com
15 Aug 1985, 16 - The Tribune at Newspapers.com
02 Dec 1986, 33 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com
02 Dec 1986, 18 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com
02 Dec 1986, 19 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com
21 Dec 1986, 169 - The Tampa Tribune at Newspapers.com
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The Plain Dealer - 07/26/1987 - 1
The Plain Dealer - 07/26/1987 - 2
Columbus Dispatch - 11/17/1993
The Buzz Around Town | Medina | thepostnewspapers.com
Boil advisory lifted by Cleveland Water for Brunswick | wkyc.com
The Mystery of Mel Wiley: Hinckley police chief hasn't been seen in 25 years - Medina Gazette
POLICE CHIEF`S DISAPPEARANCE READS LIKE MYSTERY NOVEL – Chicago Tribune
Vanishing Act: Chief Wiley, meet Judge Crater - TIME
The Free Lance-Star - Google News Archive Search
Missing or Just Gone? : Police Chief Left Town in Suspense. . . . - Los Angeles Times
Weekly World News - Google Books
Law Enforcement News - September 30, 2000
Porchlight International for the Missing & Unidentified -> Wiley, Mel July 28 1985
(1) OH - OH - Police Chief Mel Wiley, 47, Hinckley Twp, 28 July 1985 | Page 4 | Websleuths
09 Jan 1967, Page 6 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
Karen Laverne Wiley Karp (1947-1989) - Find a Grave Memorial
Clark B Wiley (1945-1983) - Find a Grave Memorial
04 Mar 1965, Page 71 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
06 Jul 1966, Page 6 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
19 Jan 1967, Page 6 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
06 Apr 1967, Page 15 - Reno Gazette-Journal at Newspapers.com
06 Mar 1968, Page 26 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
17 Nov 1965, Page 5 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
23 Nov 1965, Page 1 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
26 Nov 1965, Page 22 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
27 Nov 1965, Page 5 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
27 Nov 1965, Page 1 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
30 Nov 1965, Page 8 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
03 Dec 1965, Page 8 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
10 Dec 1965, Page 1 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
01 Feb 1966, Page 2 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
02 Feb 1966, Page 95 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
02 May 1966, Page 2 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
04 May 1966, Page 1 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
06 May 1966, Page 5 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
16 May 1966, Page 4 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
21 May 1966, Page 2 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
22 Oct 1966, Page 14 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
28 Oct 1966, Page 14 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
11 Feb 1967, Page 2 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
02 Oct 1967, Page 1 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
10 Oct 1967, Page 54 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
18 Oct 1967, Page 109 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
12 Jan 1968, Page 8 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
01 May 1968, Page 23 - Medina County Gazette at Newspapers.com
10 Dec 1973, Page 17 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
15 Sep 1974, Page 36 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
29 Jul 1982, Page 35 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
11 Aug 1982, Page 27 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com
31 Oct 1982, 29 - The Lima News at Newspapers.com
01 Nov 1982, 7 - Sidney Daily News at Newspapers.com
12 May 1966, 48 - The Daily News at Newspapers.com
18 May 1966, 1 - The Herald-News at Newspapers.com
20 May 1966, Page 1 - The Kane Republican at Newspapers.com
17 May 1966, Page 1 - Great Bend Tribune at Newspapers.com
17 May 1966, 1 - The Californian at Newspapers.com