Into Thin Air episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 4, 2025 · 40 MIN

Into Thin Air

from 48 Hours · host CBS News

When Jean Zapata vanished from her Wisconsin home in 1976, her husband Eugene had a stunning explanation for their children and friends: she’d simply abandoned them to start a new life. But there were disturbing signs that what actually happened was much more sinister. “48 Hours" Correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 6/20/2009. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+.

When Jean Zapata vanished from her Wisconsin home in 1976, her husband Eugene had a stunning explanation for their children and friends: she’d simply abandoned them to start a new life. But there were disturbing signs that what actually happened was much more sinister. “48 Hours" Correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 6/20/2009. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+.

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Into Thin Air

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This episode was published on December 4, 2025.

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When Jean Zapata vanished from her Wisconsin home in 1976, her husband Eugene had a stunning explanation for their children and friends: she’d simply abandoned them to start a new life. But there were disturbing signs that what actually happened was...

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