The Life-Changing Call
A woman was at work when one day she received from her husband. He said he was sick and needed to go to the hospital. It was the last she heard of him.
Until one day she gets a life-altering phone call from the police.
Until It Happens To You
Mysteries may seem exciting to some, but depending on the circumstances, they may evoke conflicting responses. Some people love mystery literature and movies for their suspenseful narrative twists, but such events may occur in real life as well.
A similar event happened to an Indianapolis woman when she least anticipated it. She was stunned and devastated as she summoned the will to pick up the pieces and begin again.
A Happy Family
Linda Iseler and Richard Hoagland had been married for some years now. They had two beautiful kids. They enjoyed a good life in their Indianapolis Fishers home.
Richard had divorced previously, but he was relieved to have found love again with Iseler. Her husband, according to Iseler, was impulsive and had a good career in the business of making deals. But then it all changed for the worse.
Turning Point
As per Iseler, Richard was a lot of fun to be with. The couple had an enormous house with a good steady income. They went on exotic vacations each year. Overall their lifestyle was above average.
Everything was going perfectly for this small family, until that unfortunate day in 1993. After 11 years of happy married, something odd happened.
Emergency
Iseler remembers it very well. She was working at a medical office in Greenfield that day when she received a call at work from her husband. He said that he was very ill and was going straight to emergency.
This was very alarming. Iseler became concerned and told her husband that she could leave work early and meet him as soon as possible. But he declined.
Reaching Out To Hospitals
Richard said that he could not wait and had to hurry. He declined her offer and hung up the call. As it got late and Iseler didn't hear from him, she called every hospital in the nearby area.
To her shock, she finds out that there was no trace of her husband ever being in any of the hospitals. He had gone missing.
Disappearance
Richard disappeared from the face of the earth. His toothbrush was at home along with his clothes. He never packed anything.
It was February 10, 1993, and he didn't wear a coat to protect himself from the cold. Iseler said that he did not even bring his passport with him.
Two Sons Left Behind
At the time of Richard's disappearance, his older son, Matthew Hoagland was nine. While his youngest son, Doug Hoagland, was just six.
During one of the interviews with the News outlet, Iseler said, "How do you walk away from your own children? How do you turn your back?"
Abandoned Car
Without wasting any time the local authorities started looking for him. They soon discovered Richard's abandoned car at Indianapolis International Airport.
However, when they investigated the airline records, they discovered that he did not board any plane on the day he went missing.
Birthday Cards
Things only got bizarre from here. That same year, in the summer, the sons, Matthew and Doug, received something through post.
It was birthday cards and each contained $50 in it. The most surprising thing was that they were from their father.
Special Message
The card Doug received carried a special message. "Maybe sometime soon we will get to see each other. I bet I won’t even know you. It has been so long. Mind your mother. Bye, Dad."
The two boys hoped their father would return eventually, but it was the last they heard from him.
Interrogations
As the investigation into Richard's mysterious disappearance began, his family became an apparent suspect. The suspicious were not far reach either. Most of the time the family is often in on such scams.
Iseler said that the investigators continuously interrogated her, believing she was working with her missing spouse.
The Misfortune Followed
But this wasn't the case for Isler. According to Iseler, she had no idea where her husband was.
Iseler lost her house and car in the months following Richard's disappearance, and she found herself in financial trouble. She then requested assistance from her mother.
Strange Occurrences
After Richard disappeared, Iseler informed a media source that she thought she was being followed.
The mother-of-two said that her mail had been opened and resealed and that her home appeared to have been spied on.
Starting Over
Ten years had passed by and there was no clue of Richard. As per law, he was then declared dead.
Iseler, who was crushed, decided to start over and remarried. She felt she'd moved on from her previous life, in which her husband had abandoned her and his children.
10 Years Later, Another Call
In the summer of 2016, however, she received a phone call from Detective Anthony Cardillo of the Pasco County Sheriff's Department in Florida.
Cardillo asked Iseler whether she knew Richard, and when she told him he was her ex-husband, what happened next made her nervous.
Living A Lie
It was about Richard. Iseler then learnt that Richard had been arrested for allegedly lying for two decades.
Richard, according to authorities, escaped to West Palm Beach, Florida, and adopted the name of Terry Symansky, a fisherman who died in a boating accident in 1991.
Death Certificate
It was found that after moving to Florida, Richard rented a place at Symansky' father. He found his death certificate there and decided to steal it.
Richard used his death certificate to obtain a birth certificate and a driver's licence.
New Life
Cardillo informed Iseler that Richard had started a new life in Florida, married, and even had a kid.
He purchased a new home, registered vehicles, and proceeded to obtain a pilot's certificate. Whenever someone suspected him, he was always prepared with an excuse.
Real Symansky
Richard got away with his false identity for a while until the real Symansky's family began researching their family history on Ancestry.com.
Everything unfolded when, two years after the death of real Symansky in 1991, his nephew learnt that his uncle had married.
Investigation
This came out as a big shock to the Symansky family. They called the cops immediately. The authority tracked Richard down with the assistance of Cardillo.
When Cardillo approached Richard, he initially resisted, but after seeing Symansky's death certificate, he admitted what he had done.
The New Family
Richard's new wife and kid, who had been living a lie with him, were devastated by the terrible news.
When questioned why he adopted the name of a deceased man, Richard stated that he had troubles with his wife and children.
The Old Family
Cardillo called the old family in Indianapolis. Getting the call and hearing the truth broke Iseler into tears.
"I've had a real upheaval of feelings and emotions. Some of this stuff that I thought I was over — it has come back," expressed Iseler.
Prison Time
Richard was arrested in late 2016 on allegations that included identity fraud. He pled not guilty to the allegations and was sent to jail on a $25,000 bail.
While reflecting on Richard's conduct, Matthew said that he wore his father's ring to remind himself of a poor example.
Aftermath
Given what they had gone through, Iseler and her boys were left with conflicted emotions and unresolved anguish.
The years of betrayal and unanswered questions were left behind in the aftermath.