The Disappearance of Connie Converse

By Stormy Donald

Connie stands as one of the first known modern musicians to contribute to the singer-songwriter genre. During the 1950s, she worked around New York City but was barely recognized at that time. What is perhaps better known than her music is her personal story. In the summer of 1974, she left her home, disillusioned by her lack of success in pursuit of stardom. Then, seemingly of her own accord, she disappeared. Connie has been missing for nearly 44 years. Now, she has become the subject of one of the most baffling and captivating cases of disappearances.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trellis Publishing
• Release date: Jul 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201335540

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STALKED & ABDUCTED : THE TRUE STORY OF BRIANNA MAITLAND

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KENDRA HICKS

There are approximately 2,300 United States citizens reported missing every single day.  Some of these are runaways, some are misunderstandings, some are hurt or killed, and other just disappear without a trace.  The friends and families they left behind are left with just a glimmer of hope that their loved one may one day turn up, which is oftentimes more painful than the closure of knowing your child or friend is in a better place. 

Missing persons cases are a popular subject matter for shows like Criminal Minds or CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, but many real life cases don’t end in the happily-ever-after seen on primetime.  In the real world, these cases are often full of loose and dead ends, muddied by apathetic law enforcement or unclear communication between the victim and those close to them.  Of those that go missing, the majority are women, who often present themselves as an easy target for those looking to inflict harm on another. 

On March 19th, 2004, Brianna Maitland disappeared.  The 17-year-old girl had just left the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery, Vermont, where she washed dishes and occasionally served tables, when her car was found abandoned only twenty minutes later.  Despite a brief visit from a local police officer, and curious passersby photographing the abandoned Oldsmobile, she was not reported missing for several days.  Her parents, Bruce and Kelli Maitland, assumed she was at home, and Brianna’s roommate was out of town at the time.  Brianna left a trail of clues behind her, but over 12 years later there is still no official story for what happened that night.  As the years pass without any major leads, the investigation has petered out and will soon be coming to a close.

Who Was Brianna Maitland?

Brianna Maitland was born and raised in Burlington, Vermont, where she spent the first seventeen years of her life living at her parents’ quiet farmhouse.  On her seventeenth birthday, she packed up her belongings and moved out on her own, despite her parent’s pleas for her to stay another year.  Her mother told interviewers that there was no serious issue or conflict that resulted in this decision, but that her daughter was fiercely independent and prematurely ready to venture into the world on her own.  Although Brianna’s early departure caused many to suspect an unhappy childhood or home life, she and her parents appeared to maintain a good, somewhat close relationship for the months after her