Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
John
J. Markley Jr.
36
36
5'10 inches
150 lbs
White
Male
In rural Bristolville, Ohio, the morning of December 15, 1995, began like any other for the Markley family. John J. Markley Jr. and his wife, Shelly, saw their five children off to school. However, when the children returned that afternoon, they found the house unlocked and their parents gone. The scene inside the home was unsettling; a coffee pot had been left on and had nearly boiled dry, and John's wristwatch, which he always wore, was on a shelf. Shelly's cigarettes and lighter were also left behind, something she would not typically do. Upstairs, a gun cabinet that was always kept locked was found open, and a small safe in the master bedroom was also open, with personal documents scattered. In the garage, the tarps that normally covered John's prized 1978 Corvette were missing. The family's red and silver 1990 Chevrolet pickup truck was also gone. The couple had left no note to explain their absence. The disappearance was particularly alarming because John's twin sister had passed away just two days prior, and the family was scheduled to attend her calling hours that evening. John was deeply affected by his sister's death and had planned to go to the funeral home with his children. When John and Shelly failed to return, their concerned relatives reported them missing to the police in the early hours of the next day. A few days later, the family's missing pickup truck was discovered locked and abandoned in a store parking lot about ten miles from their home. The truck was covered in mud, which was uncharacteristic for the meticulous John. Inside the truck, authorities found the couple's cell phone, and in the truck bed were the two tarps missing from the garage. The keys to the vehicle were gone. An investigation into the couple's last known movements revealed that on the morning of their disappearance, they were seen at a bank drive-thru in Bloomfield, Ohio. A bank teller recalled seeing John driving, with Shelly in the middle seat next to an unidentified man. Shelly cashed a $1,000 check. This was the last confirmed sighting of John and Shelly Markley. In the time that followed, a former employee of John's, Steven Durst, attempted to extort money from the family, claiming to have the couple. However, he was arrested and convicted of extortion, with authorities believing he was an opportunist with no real information about their whereabouts. Despite extensive searches by law enforcement, including air and water searches, no trace of the Markleys has ever been found. The case grew cold, and in 1999, John and Shelly Markley were declared legally dead. The presence of the unknown man in the truck, the unusual state of their home, and the subsequent lack of any communication or financial activity have left family and investigators with many unanswered questions. The disappearance of John and Shelly Markley remains an unsolved case, a haunting mystery that has endured for decades.
Dec 15, 1995
Bristolville
Ohio
Bristolville
Trumbull County Sheriff's Departmen
330-675-2540
05/28/2026
