The Chilling Mystery Behind The Only Inmates To Ever Escape The Infamous Alcatraz Prison

Getting Contacted

A staggering revelation emerged from the depths of secrecy as one of the Anglin siblings, Robert, breathed his final words on his deathbed. With the weight of the family’s most closely-guarded secret pressing on his conscience, he confessed to maintaining clandestine contact with John and Clarence for an astounding 24 years, spanning from 1963 to 1987. Yet, like a story shrouded in shadows, the connection mysteriously dissolved.

Haunted by the specter of an Interpol investigation that still hung over their family, members were left with an agonizing truth—their quest for closure and answers remained locked away, as the echoes of the Alcatraz escape continued to reverberate through the corridors of time, an enduring enigma of audacity and secrecy.

Where Was He?

In a jaw-dropping twist, the 2013 letter, purportedly from John Anglin, thrust the Alcatraz mystery back into the spotlight. Confirmed and debunked a multitude of rumors that had swirled for decades. In startling candor, John’s words revealed, “Yes, we all made it that night but barely! … I’m 83 years old and in bad shape. I have cancer.”

The echoes of their audacious escape shattered the silence. Frank’s haunting fate was unveiled—his grave, a hidden enigma, nestled in Argentina under an alias, since October 2008. Then, a chilling revelation—he disclosed his own post-Alcatraz existence, spent in the unsuspecting realms of Minot, North Dakota, and Fargo, a shocking epilogue to a saga steeped in mystery and audacity.

California Dreamin’

The letter’s cryptic conclusion hung in the air like a thunderclap—”Living in Southern California now.” Could it be that the elusive fugitive had been dwelling just a stone’s throw from the very city he had once dared to defy? John Anglin, the enigmatic scribe, now lay on a sickbed, his defiance unabated, unburdened by the specter of returning to jail.

In a bizarre twist, the missive bore an unusual request, a plea to an unconventional law enforcement—should they come forward with a simple message, John Anglin promised to turn himself in, an offer that dangled like a tantalizing thread, threatening to unravel a web of intrigue that had endured for decades.

A Deal?

Amidst the intrigue of the letter, a staggering proposition unfurled—”If you announce on TV that I will be promised to first go to jail for no more than a year and get medical attention, I will write back to let you know exactly where I am. This is no joke…” The audacious plea hung in the balance, its veracity and intent shrouded in mystery.

Before any pact could be forged, the wheels of law enforcement sprang into motion, embarking on a meticulous investigation of the letter’s cryptic contents. With bated breath, they scrutinized each word, each nuance, in a relentless quest for clues, unraveling a puzzle that promised either resolution or the elusive specter of Alcatraz’s enduring enigma.

Verification Time

As the letter underwent the crucible of scrutiny, the FBI’s forensic wizards swung into action, subjecting it to a battery of tests, a quest for that elusive nugget of truth. DNA analysis, like a silent witness, held the promise of revelation. And the results? A bombshell dropped courtesy of San Francisco’s KPIX—”the FBI’s results were inconclusive.”

In the twilight zone of uncertainty, the line between affirmation and denial blurred, leaving everything in a disconcerting limbo. The authenticity of the letter, a tantalizing enigma, swung precariously between “yes” and “no,” a riddle that defied resolution, ensuring the enduring mystique of the Alcatraz escape continued to confound even the most relentless investigators.

No Rest ‘Til 99

In the swirling haze of uncertainty, the U.S. Marshals Service ventured into the realm of possibility, hinting that the audacious escapees may have indeed lived on beyond the prison walls. Yet, the enigmatic letter, published in January 2018, cast a shadow of doubt. A representative from the Service, in a bombshell revelation to The Washington Post, labeled the letter as illegitimate.

Amidst this perplexing landscape, the Marshals Service pledged to relentlessly pursue leads, an unwavering quest that would persist until the men either reached the ripe age of 99 or their demise was incontrovertibly established. For the FBI, the case had long been sealed in 1979, declaring, “No credible evidence emerged,” an assertion that shrouded the Alcatraz enigma in an enduring cloak of intrigue.