Summary — Up and Vanished Weekly | “VANISHED: Richard Cox”

Author/Host: Tenderfoot TV (Hosts: Payne Lindsey & Maggie Freeling)
Episode guests: Laura Norton (writer/podcaster)

Overview

This episode revisits the 1950 disappearance of 21-year-old West Point cadet Richard Cox (missing January 14, 1950). The hosts review the facts, evidence, eyewitness sightings, and competing theories — including foul play, voluntary disappearance/new identity, and possible recruitment into U.S. intelligence (CIA). The episode highlights how unusual the case is (Richard is the only West Point cadet to vanish and remain missing) and why, 75+ years later, it remains unresolved.

Key points / main takeaways

• Disappearance basics

  • Date/location: Evening of Jan 14, 1950, West Point, NY. Richard signed out to meet a man at the Fair Hotel and never returned.
  • Immediate search: Extensive campus, local, state and federal searches; reportedly one of the largest manhunts in U.S. history. FBI searched domestically and overseas for years.

• What was found in his room

  • $87 (his savings), two unmailed letters expressing dissatisfaction with West Point, civilian clothes (some being laundered), and an heirloom watch — items he reportedly would not normally leave behind.

• Behavior before disappearance

  • Mood shift after a Jan 7 phone call from someone who identified himself as “George.”
  • Increased drinking, depressed/unsettled letters, an instance of incoherent screaming in the barracks (possibly shouting “Alice”), and an overall decline in demeanor.
  • Engaged to be married (wedding planned for 1952), with family pressure to enter the family business.

• “George”

  • A mysterious man Richard said he’d known in Germany. Descriptions vary (tall blond vs. darker/shorter), and he reportedly told Richard violent stories. His sudden presence just before the disappearance made him a focal point of investigation.
  • Various theories try to identify “George,” including a suspect (Deon Frisbee) linked to fake IDs and criminal activity, but evidence is speculative.

• Credible post-disappearance sightings

  • 1952: Ernest Shotwell claims to have talked with a man he recognized as Richard at a DC bus station; reported later to authorities and treated as credible.
  • 1960: An undercover FBI source met “R.C. Mansfield” (Mansfield = Richard’s hometown). The man allegedly said, “The U.S. army and my mother think I’m dead,” and claimed to be Richard Cox. He also mentioned Cuba/Castro, which raised CIA-related speculation. The contact failed to meet again; the lead was not aggressively pursued publicly.

• Leading theories

  • Foul play: Some officials (e.g., West Point provost marshal) believed Richard was a victim of foul play. Hosts and guest largely discount this as the most likely explanation.
  • Voluntary disappearance/new life: Possible but viewed as implausible by the hosts because he left valuables behind, had no known hidden funds, and staying hidden for decades would be unusually difficult.
  • CIA/espionage recruitment: A prominent and plausible theory in the episode. Arguments for it: abrupt pullback of FBI, credible later sightings consistent with covert behavior, references to Cuba prior to major CIA operations, and Richard’s overseas experience and language contacts. Some researchers (e.g., Marshall Jacobs) argue he joined intelligence and lived/died under an alias; the family disputes this.
  • LGBTQ/repression angle: In 1950s military culture, being gay could be career- and life-destroying. Some FBI/FOIA statements suggest possible same-sex relationships; this could be a motive to vanish or be coerced into secrecy, but evidence is limited.

• Hosts’ assessments

  • Maggie Freeling: Personal leaning toward CIA theory (major plausible explanation).
  • Laura Norton: Rates ~60% CIA, 40% new life; strongly leans away from foul play.

Notable quotes / insights

• Reported from the 1960 encounter: “The U.S. army and my mother think I’m dead.” (Alleged words of “R.C. Mansfield.”)
• West Point provost marshal (Lt. Col. Edwin Howell): “I am convinced this is foul play.” (Historic official opinion.)
• Host observation: “It’s extremely difficult to disappear yourself.” (Repeated central premise — used to evaluate escape vs. covert help.)
• Fact highlighted: Richard is still the only West Point cadet to disappear and remain missing.

Topics discussed

• Richard Cox’s background (army service in postwar Germany, West Point enrollment, family dynamics, engagement)
• Behavioral changes and unmailed letters
• “George” — descriptions, role, and suspects
• The enormity of the search (local, state, FBI)
• Post-disappearance sightings (1952, 1960) and their credibility
• Theories: foul play; running away; CIA recruitment/espionage; hidden sexuality and social pressure; black-market/fake IDs hypothesis (Deon Frisbee)
• FOIA files, later research, and Marshall Jacobs’ controversial conclusions
• 1950s cultural/legal context (anti-sodomy laws, military intolerance)

Action items / recommendations (for researchers and listeners)

• Review primary sources:
  • FBI/FOIA documents and West Point records for discrepancies and overlooked leads.
  • Marshall Jacobs’ research and public records he used (note: family disputes his conclusions).
• Re-examine eyewitness reports:
  • Reassess witness descriptions of “George” for whether they describe one person or multiple people.
  • Re-evaluate the 1952 and 1960 sightings with modern investigative techniques (e.g., timelines, corroborating travel records).
• Investigate potential intelligence links:
  • File or pursue additional declassified records requests with CIA, FBI, and military archives to confirm/deny clandestine recruitment or protective placements.
• Use modern tools:
  • Search public records, international databases, and genealogy/DNA resources for possible matches to identities linked to Richard.
• If you have tips: contact Tenderfoot TV (cases@tenderfoot.tv, DM @uavweekly, or call 770-545-6411) — as requested in the episode.

Final assessment (concise)

• Foul play is considered possible by some historical authorities, but the episode’s presenters and guest generally view it as less likely than scenarios involving covert assistance or voluntary vanishing.
• The two credible sightings and oddities around the FBI’s investigation (reportedly called off when close) make the CIA/espionage recruitment theory compelling — though not definitively proven.
• Given the unsettled evidence, missing paperwork, and decades of secrecy, the case remains unresolved and likely will stay that way unless new documents or verifiable forensic/genealogical leads emerge.

Further reading/listening suggested in-episode:

• Elizabeth Greenwood, Playing Dead (on disappearing)
• Laura Norton’s work (podcasts: The Fall Line, One Strange Thing; book: Lay Them to Rest)
• Marshall Jacobs’ research on the Cox case