DISAPPEARANCE OF ADAM WALSH

Thirty-seven years ago this July, one of South Florida's most notorious crimes took place. It was a typical summer day in July when Adam Walsh disappeared from the Sears department store inside the old Hollywood Mall. Local 10's "Florida Files" brings listeners tales of mystery, whodunits and what-in-the-world exploits, exploring intriguing real-life stories through the people who lived through them. It's a step-by-step in the who, what, where and why of South Florida's most captivating stories. The debut "Florida Files" podcast will center on the disappearance of Adam Walsh and what took place in the frantic two-week search for the boy.

The Making of a Crime FighterJohn Walsh is gaining recognition as the face of parents of missing children everywhere. He's assigned to dig back into the Adam Walsh case. As far as evidence-wise, anything-wise, as far as the Adam Walsh case from 1991." In an interview with The Florida Files, Hicks talks about getting those files. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Video vault and audio archive for The Florida Files from WPLG-TV, Local 10 News archives, Miami Dade College's Wolfson Archives and ABC News.

Many of those who come here are strangers, people who never knew young Adam Walsh. Miami Beach police Detective Joe Matthews was hired by the Hollywood Police Department during the Adam Walsh investigation. Adam Walsh disappeared while the 6-year-old boy was with his mother at the Sears department store in the Hollywood Mall. "In the car they found a machete, and they had the car processed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Dead FilesIt's been a year since Ottis Toole confessed to the heinous crime, the kidnapping, beating and beheading of 6-year-old Adam Walsh.

Children play an Atari video game on display at the Sears department store inside the Hollywood Mall. The reward money being offered to find Adam Walsh ballooned to $120,000 as the search for the 6-year-old boy dragged on. Because John Walsh had a casino in the Bahamas, there was suspicion of organized crime being involved. During the two weeks that Adam Walsh was missing in the summer of 1981, John Walsh kept the news of his son's disappearance alive with daily updates and reminders. It's just beyond the realm of reality," John Walsh says, breaking down in tears.

The trip to the Hollywood Mall is an almost daily routine for Revé Walsh and her son, Adam. Almost 40 years after he vanished out of thin air, questions remain about what really happened to little Adam Walsh. As you can imagine, he's heard the story of what happened that day at the Sears store countless times. Adam Walsh disappeared while the 6-year-old boy was with his mother at the Sears department store in the Hollywood Mall. Children play an Atari video game on display at the Sears department store inside the Hollywood Mall.

It was a typical summer day in July when Adam Walsh disappeared from the Sears department store inside the old Hollywood Mall. Local 10's "Florida Files" brings listeners tales of mystery, whodunits and what-in-the-world exploits, exploring intriguing real-life stories through the people who lived through them. It's a step-by-step in the who, what, where and why of South Florida's most captivating stories. The debut "Florida Files" podcast will center on the disappearance of Adam Walsh and what took place in the frantic two-week search for the boy. Look for the "Florida Files" beginning July 9 in all Apple and Google Play stores.