Laura A. Vogel, an experienced science teacher and avid outdoorswoman, vanished on the island of Maui, Hawaii, under troubling circumstances in February 2010. The 43-year-old, who held a master's degree in wildlife biology, was known for her love of surfing, hiking, and camping. On the afternoon of February 21, 2010, she visited a friend's house before leaving with plans to camp for the night.
She told her friend she was heading to the north end of the island to camp under the stars near the Paulelehua Lighthouse. This was not an unusual activity for Laura, who was in excellent health and was an experienced backcountry backpacker. She was last seen wearing a dusky blue t-shirt and dark grey sweatpants.
The last known communication from Laura was a text message sent to a friend at 8:20 p.m. that evening. In the message, she stated she was camping near the 'Birthday Pools' and was 'meeting all the locals.' Concern grew when Laura, a responsible and self-employed tutor, failed to show up for an appointment the following morning. Friends, worried by her absence, went to the area she mentioned and made a disturbing discovery. They found her van near a homeless camp by the Pauwela Lighthouse. The key was in the ignition, and the driver's door was open, but Laura was gone. Inside the vehicle were her laptop and surfboards; however, her wallet was missing.
The investigation into Laura's disappearance uncovered suspicious activity on her cell phone after her last text message. Two brief calls were made from her phone later that night to a number she had no known prior connection with. The number belonged to a transient man who was living in a van near the area where Laura was camping. This individual had a documented history of sexual assault and aggressive behavior. When questioned by authorities, he denied any involvement in her disappearance. He submitted to a polygraph test, but officials reported he was uncooperative, and the results were inconclusive. A few days later, searchers found broken pieces of her cell phone and one of her slippers along the cliffs near the birthing pools. Despite extensive ground and air searches by police, fire departments, and volunteers, no trace of Laura was ever found. The case remains a deeply unsettling mystery, revolving around an independent and nature-loving woman who vanished after a seemingly ordinary camping trip, leaving behind her vehicle and a final, cryptic message about meeting new people.Last Seen: Feb 21, 2010
