Missing Woman Found Alive After 24 Years, The Kmart Christmas Trip Mystery - Deceptive Reality Podcast S4E9

A missing mom vanished on a quick Christmas shopping trip in 2001. Now, Michelle Hundley Smith has been found alive after 24 years, and shes asking for privacy. In this episode, we break down the case that feels like a classic Unsolved Mysteries opener, Eden, North Carolina, a short drive to a Kmart in Martinsville, Virginia, then nothing for decades. Her husband reported her missing on December 31, 2001, weeks after she left on December 9. Investigators chased leads for years, then a new tip in February 2026 changed everything. She was located alive, but officials say her current whereabouts will not be released at her request. Then we pivot into something weirdly perfect for this storys vibe, haunted abandoned malls. From reports of music playing with no power, to sudden cold corridors and the feeling of being watched, we explore why dead malls have become modern liminal nightmares.