Missing in Music City

Hi, I'm Josh Mankiewicz with a preview of Dateline Missing in America. In our podcast's third season, we share six new unsolved mysteries, and we hope somebody listening may have a clue that could help crack one of these cases. Could that someone be you? Here's Dateline Missing in America.

It's a special place, a place where not only academic learning takes place, but also social learning.

Home of the Tigers, TSU is a historically black university, and counts Oprah Winfrey among its most famous alumni. Marcus proudly wore his royal blue and white, and for good reason. For the Rutledges, TSU is a family affair. Both his parents went there, and when Marcus started as a freshman, his sister, Felicia, was a sophomore. Back then, she had some big sister advice.

I remember when he first registered, and my mom was like, oh, you should take an 8 o'clock class. And I told him, you do not want to take an 8 a.m. class.

In the spring of 1998, Marcus was set to graduate, and the family was excited to see their youngest son wear that cap and gown. Except that never happened.

It's possible that at the time he disappeared, he was involved with people that you didn't know anything about. I'm not going to say keeping a secret from you, but that he just wasn't talking about.

I wonder whether or not Marcus was actually into something that was bigger than he was, and he was actually trying to get away, just to leave, and leave no trace.

I'm Josh Mankiewicz, and this is Dateline. Missing in America. This episode is Missing in Music City. Please listen closely, because you, or someone you know, might have information that could help solve this case, and give Marcus' family the answers they are desperately looking for.

You think there's a chance? Marcus is still alive and still out there somewhere?

Absolutely.

Thanks for listening. Search for Dateline Missing in America to start listening to Season 3, and follow us now. For ad-free listening, subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple or Spotify.