On January 7, it is revealed that she is missing and officials are starting to suspect that she ran away. The skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave south of Fairfield, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide, the Albion Navigator reports. It had "no motion picture lighting equipment, no grip equipment, no professional sound recording equipment" to have a "raw" and realistic feel to it. You may unsubscribe at any time. After this, Josh falsely promises he'll let her go, and shows Amy a barrel. That was right before she vanished. Before she can cry, Amy quickly hugs and comforts her. Then, as she tires out and begins to lose her breath, she whispers that shell be the best girlfriend and the best wife hell ever have. Inside the barrel is Amy, but we only hear her voice. The most gruesome aspects of Megan is Missing were, Im extremely sorry to tell you this, based on a real story: On January 9, 2002, a 12-year-old girl named Ashley Pond disappeared on the way to her school bus stop in Oregon City, OR. Despite several red flags and contradictions, Megan finds herself infatuated with him. She screams for help, but the culprit does not care. In this article, we discuss the ending and the significance of the barrel scene. So, you've probably seen that controversialhorror movie Megan is Missingis going viral onTikTok right now. She makes heart-breaking promises about how well shell treat him if he just lets her go. "[9] The film placed sixth in the DEG Watched at Home Top 20 Chart for Week Ending November 21, 2020.[10]. But these words dont have any effect on Josh, who proceeds to shove the barrel in the cavity and cover the scene up with dirt. 14-year-old Megan meets a boy online and disappears when she goes to meet him. Yet in the barrel scene, Amy is on a leash, stripped down to her underwear. And two, why did Goi think I needed to see this? Truly, you really dont need to see it. Speaking on TikTok, he said: "I got a text from Amber Perkins, the lead actress in my movie, that it was exploding on TikTok at the moment. But it is also a horror flick that seeks to educate its audience about the risk and prevalence of predators who use the internet to prey on children. Megan Is Missing, directed by Michael Goi, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of strangers on the internet. But FBI Public Information Officer Brad Ware could not confirm these details to Dateline due to the case being an ongoing investigation. She finds his answers about Megan suspicious and tells the cops. The man had been reported by the missing girl herself to have raped her, only four months before she disappeared. The film is focused on the danger of . Beaten and raped another teen in 1981. Her phone was found in her bed -- it been wiped cleaned, with all photos, messages, contacts deleted. Most recently, in 2020 the film went viral on TikTok, with people filming their reactions to the films last 20 minutes. Do not watch the movie alone. Also read |It Follows Ending Explained: Here's What Happened In The Terrifying Last Scene, Also read |'I May Destroy You' Ending Explained: 'Ego Death' Episode Explores Three Different Avenues. The movie follows the story of teens Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn) and her best friend Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). No charges. FBI Media Representative Brad Ware told Dateline Megans body was found in a rural location in Wayne County, [Illinois] on December 26, 2017. One month later, on January 26, 2018, authorities positively identified the remains as belonging to Megan. Perkins ad libbed most of her dialogue in the barrel.[11]. After realizing Amy suspects him, he threatens her. Spoilers Ahead! [21] Users began posting their reactions as the film progresses, with many calling it "traumatizing". At the last second, we see his bloody hand slam on a table, a disgusting image to punctuate an already horrific moment. The movie (which was written in 10 days and shot over the course of a week) has been slammed for sexualising the young girls, the poor acting and the use of graphic violence. However, when he mentions that he is shy and was overwhelmed by her fame, she sympathises with him. Josh even forces her to eat from the dog bowl. Now, 11 years and two more viewings later, I stand by my claim that it contains the most shocking and disturbing ending of a horror movie Ive ever seen. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Before walking forward, Josh throws the barrel into the hole and fills it up, leaving Amy to die underground. The movies plot follows two teen girls who are best friends: outgoing Megan Stewart and shy Amy Herman. Amy is reluctant to let go of her childhood (as seen through her adoration of stuffed toys) and has a healthy relationship with her parents. Its an ongoing investigation, [and] details will not be released at this time.. The girls are basic, typical high school students who meet a guy online. This role marked her feature film debut. Nichols was last seen on July 3, 2014 in Fairfield, Ill. While video chatting, Megan apologizes for the bad experience. Marketed as an educational film, Megan Is Missing was banned in New Zealand upon its release. I dream about her and then I have to wake up to this. When she disappears, Amy decides to investigate by talking to Josh personally. Amy goes to her "secret favorite place" (under a bridge) and records herself, unaware that Josh is stalking her and is planning to silence her. Ward Weaver II is serving two life sentences without the possibility of parole. And if you see the words photo number one pop up on your screen, you have about four seconds to shut off the movie if youre already kind of freaking out before you start seeing things that maybe you dont want to see.. IE 11 is not supported. keystyle mmc corp login; thomson reuters drafting assistant user guide. He then rapes her and gets her blood on his hands in the process of doing so. Because of the graphic content, he requested that the parents of the young cast be on set during filming so that they were fully aware of their children's involvement in the project, Strictly star bags life-changing EastEnders role as part of new family, Baby's body found after huge search as cops quiz Constance Marten & lover, I took pic of son, 18, before his first night out then the worst thing happened, Meg & Harry 'stunned' by King's 'cruel' Frogmore eviction 'punishment', News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. But he is much more brutal with his execution as he forces the viewer to occupy the subject position of the killer as he films his seemingly unending torture of a 13-year-old girl. Her friend Amy sets out to find her. [2] The vast majority of the cast were adolescents, and Goi required that their parents be on the set during filming due to the graphic nature of the film. If you have any information regarding the circumstances surrounding Megans death, please contact the FBI at 217-522-9675. Lexie, one of Megan's party friends, gives her a social media handle to Josh, someone they think is a 17-year-old boy from a nearby school. Signing up helps us (not Zuckerberg) stay in direct contact with you and create the best horror website possible. [8][2] Goi stated that he made the film with the purpose of it being a "wake-up call" to parents but instead it is children who discover the film and make it resurface sporadically. He later returns to apologise and tells her that he's going to let her go. Megan is a 14-year-old girl who loves to party and has experienced a tremendous amount of trauma in her young life. Weaver employs the DARVO tactic abusers use which stands for deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender. [5] The film revolves around the days leading up to the disappearance of Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn), a popular high school student in North Hollywood who decided to meet up with a boy she was interacting with online, and the subsequent investigation launched by her best friend Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). But sadly, the 14-years-old teenager is also a victim of sexual assault since her own stepfather raped her when she was just 9. It had been wiped clean. Creepy Catalog is owned by the Thought and Expression Company, a small, independent media company. Sign up to receive breaking True Crime Daily news, exclusive stories and behind-the-scenes info. While it may be easy to brush off a TikTok trend, these creators arent wrong in their reactions to its final act. He remains anonymous on video chat, claiming that he has a broken webcam. [11] Goi recollects Waite becoming frustrated and cursing upon being told they had to refilm it. Amy walks in on Megan performing oral sex on the party's host in exchange for drugs, leaving her shocked. Josh is a disturbingly realistic portrayal of a stalker in film, as he is emotionally manipulative to Megan to fool her, and underneath the charm, he is incredibly ruthless and sadistic underneath. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. The film was controversial upon its limited release due to its graphic and exploitative depiction of violence and rape and the overt sexualization of the fourteen-year-old titular protagonist. Megan Is Missing, directed by Michael Goi, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of strangers on the internet. Ward Weaver is interesting, because he is a great example of how some predators act when they are caught that often tricks people into believing they are innocent because he was simply so adamant he wasnt involved. The film was released on Blu-ray on October 26, 2021 via Lionsgate (current owners of the Anchor Bay library). Goi later issued public warnings to prospective viewers after many users began calling the film "traumatizing. Directed by Michael Goi, the psychological horror film was purposely filmed in a "found. ", He continued: "Apologies to those who are already posting about how the movie has freaked them out but fair warning to those of you who are still contemplating watching the film.". Megan, who was featured in Datelines digital series Missing in America shortly after she vanished, was initially considered a missing person. The film has been heavily criticised for its exploitative nature, poor acting, graphic violence inflicted upon the child protagonists, and over-sexualisation of young teenagers. In partnership with On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. Michael Goi has issued this warning for anyone who wants to watch Megan is Missing: Do not watch the movie in the middle of the night. Psychological horror filmMegan is Missing directed by Michael Goiis shot in a found-footage style and chronicles the days leading up to Megan Stewart's disappearance. A year after her daughter disappeared, Megans mom Kathy spoke to NBC affiliate 14 News. Andrea Cavallier is a Digital Producer for Dateline NBC. Before locking it, Josh then pushes her into the barrel along with Megan's body. She becomes furious at him when Josh fails to reveal himself at a party he claimed to be attending. Investigators assembled web-chat videos, home movies, and news reports chronicling their disappearances to bring awareness to the importance of online safety for children. Murbarger faces a murder charge after an Illinois grand jury indicted him on September 25, 2020, in connection with Megan Nichols' disappearance and murder, the press release stated. And if you see the words 'photo number one' pop up on your screen, you have about four seconds to shut off the movie if you're already kind of freaking out before you start seeing things that maybe you don't want to see". To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. One of the most unforgivingly brutal and horrific movies I have ever seen is writer-director Michael Goi's controversial found footage flick Megan Is Missing. To report information about the case or Nwobodo's location, call the Houston Police Department at 713-884-3131 or call Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous at . The remains were found in a rural location in Wayne County, Illinois, FBI Public Information Officer Brad Ware previously told Dateline. Although it was never revealed or confirmed, it is highly likely that the real Josh was murdered by that person wearing a hoodie behind him (who was also the killer of Megan and Amy) as shown in the photo depicting an isolated, sandy beach, who also claims to be "Josh", further indicating that the killer's true identity is never revealed and has instead stolen Josh's real identity right from the very start. Billy Bear is present throughout, as the symbol of Amys destruction. First were shown him humiliating Amy dressed in nothing but her bra and underwear, forcing her to eat out of a bowl like a dog. So she went to the secret spot under the bridge and hid it there. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. In this article, we discuss the ending and the significance of the barrel scene. Unloading it at dawn in the woods, Josh takes the barrel and digs a large hole in the ground. Megan is Missing was made with a low budget, which is part of the reason for the found footage format. The camera is placed haphazardly on the ground seemingly without a focus. Despite numerous pleas for freedom, Josh ignores Amy and continues with the task at hand. Megan is Missing Plot Synopsis "Basically it said, 'Mom, I love you but I'm never going to be happy here. As Dateline has previously reported, Megans mother, Kathy Jo Hutchcraft, discovered her daughter missing from her room around 11:00 p.m. Kathy later found a note Megan reportedly left behind, telling her that she loved her, but she would never be happy at home. When the police decide to investigate, Josh becomes more hostile to Amy and tells her to keep her mouth shut, threatening her life. Andy was the killer he got caught by cassidy after she sees that he is carrying the tyre iron that was used to kill Megan, then he kills jessica. No, Megan is Missing is not real. An Illinois grand jury indicted Brodey Ian Murbarger on Sept. 25 in the Nichols case, prompting Indiana State Police, Evansville Police and Vanderburgh County sheriff's deputies to locate the suspect. It showed her riding her bike up to the bank, withdrawing money. [11] Upon seeing the real-life photographs she was reenacting, she began crying on the set. Her whereabouts remained a mystery for three years until human remains were found on December 26, 2017. While not much is known about Josh, he appears to be around 17 (though this may have been a lie conjured up to get Megan to his side) and at first, appears friendly and romantic. The stuffed toy is the very symbol of Amys innocence and childhood. The film is available to rent on Google Play - but make sure you take into account the above warning from the director before watching it. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Remains of Megan Nichols, a 15-year-old who went missing in 2014, were positively identified Friday, according to a press release by the FBI. [11], The basement scenes were challenging for Perkins. [11] She attests this is because it was physically uncomfortable and mentally traumatizing when she realized what she was portraying. I am an admin of this site. Amy then visits a personal hiding place under an old bridge three weeks later and someone is seen kidnapping her. Though horrifying and graphic, the film has been praised by Mark Klaas, founder of the Klaaskids Foundation and the father of Polly Klaas, a 12-year-old girl who was abducted from a slumber party and then molested and murdered by Richard Allen Davis in Petaluma, California in 1993. Although she tries to run away, Josh locks her in the barrel with her deceased friends body. IE 11 is not supported. THIS is the chilling moment police found the half-naked body of a young woman dumped in bushes after she was murdered by her boyfriend. Megan was dating an 18-year-old named Brodey Murbarger, and the relationship had caused a rift between Megan and her mother. Amy does indeed find Megan, who is being tortured in a basement, but then Amy gets trapped there too. Goi based the film on a series of real-life cases of child abduction. While it was still a mystery, the story was featured on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack: Eight months after she disappeared, police found Ashley Ponds body in a 55-gallon barrel underneath a concrete slab in the yard of Ashley and Mirandas friend, Mallori Weaver. In our opinion, it is only when you let that fact sink into the very depths of your soul that the movie really horrifies you. He even throws water at her and tells her that his name is not Josh. 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