Hey, what's happening? It's Vincent. I just want to let everybody know that this episode is going to be a two-parter.

So in our usual fashion, we're going to tell the story, which is pretty long, and then do the

theories in a subsequent episode. It's also worth noting this episode was researched by Austin with

a little help from me. The screechy tweets you hear in the background

of this episode were contributed by My Canary, Motoretta.

An off-duty police officer has gone for a hike on his day off.

Out there in the wilderness, sweltering heat, he's become lost.

But this is the year 2005, and his phone has service.

Holding off panic, he dials emergency services, and he gets through.

Things are looking up for the guy.

The problem is he's so very lost,

he doesn't really know where he is within this sprawling regional park. A solution is immediately reached.

The cops use their phones to get exact coordinates for dispatch. And with his phone, well-connected,

it should be no problem for him to send emergency responders

in his location and have rescue on the way. There's even signs up around the park, letting them

know what coordinates he's at. The officer complies, but immediately something is wrong. The coordinates

he sent, they don't exist.

Now the line is suddenly dead.

Responders can't get through.

And where the officer once had a strong signal, he neither makes nor answers another call.

Despite extensive searches, he's never seen or heard from again.

It's not a one-off.

...