Gone in an Instant

On April 4, 1997, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Ginger Rios, a twenty-year-old newlywed, entered a well-known store in a Las Vegas strip mall, searching for a specific book. After waiting for some time without her return, her husband Mark began to worry and set out to find her.

Upon inquiring with the couple behind the counter, Mark learned that Ginger had made her purchase and left the store. Although their account seemed dubious, he thanked them and continued his search. Assuming she had wandered into a nearby shop without informing him, he visited surrounding businesses to ask if anyone had seen the striking brunette. When these attempts failed, he called his father-in-law, George, to report that Ginger had seemingly vanished.

Level-headed George suggested they return to the last known location of Ginger, the dubious establishment named Spy Craft, in hopes of reviewing the store's security footage. However, when they arrived, they were met with locked doors and a "Closed" sign.

As they were leaving, Mark noticed the couple he had spoken to earlier getting into a white van. He flagged them down, explaining his wife's disappearance and asking for any information. The man, introducing himself as John Flowers, the store's owner, expressed a desire to help but cited prior commitments. He did offer to show them the footage on Monday, leaving Mark and George feeling frustrated and still searching for Ginger.

Mark spent the weekend consumed with concern, doubting Flowers' assertion that Ginger had left the store shortly after entering. He had parked right outside and couldn’t fathom how she could have left unnoticed. Furthermore, her last words, “I’ll be right back,” echoed in his mind.

On Sunday morning, in a state of anxiety, Mark reported Ginger missing to the Las Vegas police. The officers assigned to the case quickly contacted Flowers for a look around his shop.

Familiar with the dubious merchandise that Spy Craft offered, detectives entered with skepticism. In addition to various how-to books, the store sold spy cameras, lock-picking kits, and other questionable items. Upon entering, they were greeted by a potent smell of bleach. Flowers explained that his dog had made a mess in the storage room, necessitating the use of heavy-duty cleaners.

In the storeroom, investigators discovered a reddish stain on the wall that appeared to be dried blood. They collected a small sample, but it was too minimal for lab analysis. When questioned about Ginger, Flowers mentioned she had purchased two books: one on adopting a new identity and the other about contract killings. This was perplexing since Ginger had gone in looking for a book on improving credit history, as they were interested in a rent-to-own property.

Despite Flowers' claims that Ginger had left the store safely after paying in cash, he could not produce a receipt to corroborate his story. Strangely, he had also recorded over the CCTV footage from that day, stating that he found nothing unusual. Shockingly, no one seemed to challenge his actions.

Dead Ends

With no concrete evidence of foul play at Spy Craft, detectives turned their attention to Mark. Given that spouses are often considered viable suspects, they found it hard to accept his narrative. It seemed implausible that he had an unobstructed view of the door yet failed to notice Ginger leaving.

Investigating the couple's relationship, they learned they had been married for just five months. Mark, being fourteen years older than Ginger, was introverted and enigmatic, while she was lively and outgoing, aspiring to stardom as a singer and dancer. Friends and family dismissed the notion that Mark could harm Ginger, as he adored her. Their recent move into a new home only underscored their happiness.

Mark's status as a suspect intensified when his car was discovered ablaze in a residential area. When confronted, he claimed it had overheated while he was running errands, and rather than call for a tow, he chose to leave it and walk home. Detectives found this explanation dubious, suspecting he might have tried to destroy the vehicle to hide evidence. They impounded the car and found no incriminating evidence, clearing Mark.

Meanwhile, the search for Ginger continued. Since her disappearance, there had been no activity on her phone, credit cards, or social media—ominous signs for someone who thrived on being seen. With Ginger's background as a performer attracting unwanted male attention, detectives considered the possibility of her being stalked. When this line of inquiry yielded no leads, they returned to Spy Craft.

In the weeks following, investigators became frequent visitors to the shop, leading customers to wonder about the ongoing investigation. Frustrated, Flowers expressed his discontent, claiming the police were ruining his business and reputation.

On May 5, almost a month after Ginger's disappearance, hunters discovered a young woman's body in the Arizona desert, approximately six hours from where Ginger was last seen. Although the victim's clothing had been removed, her killer left behind two rings. One featured three gems, and the other bore the initial "W" or "M." Since Ginger had no such jewelry, the remains remained unidentified. Unbeknownst to all at the time, the women shared a common killer.

Authorities released images of the rings to local media, hoping someone might recognize them. However, despite their best efforts, the leads generated did not result in an identification, and both cases went cold.

The Store Owners

Three months later, detectives in Las Vegas received an unexpected tip from a fe