Unsolved Mysteries of the Garden State

The anniversary of the C-124 Globemaster bomb dropping in the Atlantic Ocean just outside Atlantic City is approaching. On July 28, 1957, an Air Force flight from Delaware to Europe carrying several nuclear bombs and one nuclear core was making a routine flight. When 2 engines failed and needed to be shut down, the plane was forced to make a landing at Atlantic City Airport. 2 missiles needed to be dropped over the Atlantic City Ocean due to weight reduction needs. No radioactive material was in the bombs, however an explosion was still expected. Nothing of the sort was reported, and the bombs were never found again.

Charles Lindbergh Jr, 1 year old son of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh Sr, was kidnapped from his home in East Amwell on March 1, 1932. Ransom was demanded in a letter sent to the family, and was paid, but the child was never returned. 2 months later, his boy was found near his home. Bruno Hauptmann was convicted of the murder after many bills from the ransom drop were traced back to him. Although never charged, many believe another man, John Condon, was also involved.

After leaving his home and telling his mother he had a secret meeting to attend, 7 year old Gary Grant Jr. never returned home. Several days later, his body turned up in a parking lot 2 blocks from his Atlantic City home. Almost 2 years later, a message found written on a police car and another scratched into the sidewalk revealed he may have been killed because his father was an Atlantic City police detective. No one was ever charged with the boy's murder.

While attending TCNJ, then known as Trenton State College, Stevenson was found on the stage of Kendall Hall theater. Many wondered why she was in the theater that late at night, and friends stated she would often go there to play the piano. No evidence or suspects were ever found.

From November 1927-January 1928, Camden was terrorized by an unknown shooter. Buses and cars were shot on the Camden Bridge, several windows of homes were shot, and even one police officer was hit. No bullet or any other projectile was ever recovered at any of the scenes. No one was ever charged with the shootings.

On December 17, 1962, 3 year old Billy was taken from outside his Vineland home. His sister stated the man who took Billy handed her a plastic poinsettia plant and walked away with the boy. The family searched the neighborhood and filed a police report. Nothing ever turned up, and many think he is alive and unaware of what had happened to him.

On September 9, 1934, a cruise ship washed onto the Asbury Park beach. The Morro Castle caught fire while making its voyage to New York from Havana. Many crew members abandoned the ship and left passengers to fend for themselves. The boat became a popular attraction for people to come far and wide to see. George W. Rogers was the chief radio engineer on the cruise ship, and eventually investigated for the fire that broke out due to a previous job's mysterious fire. Never charged for this particular one, he did end up in jail for many others and died 4 years into his sentence.