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Stanley Shayne Bassett (sometimes listed as Shayne Stanley Bassett), age 29, vanished from Franklin, New Hampshire on April 2, 1977.
Stanley had previously operated a natural foods store called Nature’s Gardens on Main Street in Penacook, New Hampshire. However, Stanley was arrested after police discovered that the store was a major distribution hub for marijuana in the area, and it was shut down. He served several months in jail and was placed in a work release program that required him to work during the day and return to the jail for the night. During this time, Stanley reported that he was being followed and feared for his life.
Stanley was released and on probation when his third wife left him and moved to California, leaving their newborn son, Aaron, in Stanley’s care. Stanley was said to be devoted to caring for his young son, and rarely left his home. He also had several dogs that he cared deeply for.
On April 3, 1977, baby Aaron, by then nine months old, was found unharmed and wrapped in two orange towels in a cardboard box, on the outer steps of the Massachusetts State House in Boston, Massachusetts.
Once the baby was identified, police attempted to locate Stanley without success. He was never seen again. His relatives are insistent that Stanley would not have abandoned his son or left his dogs without food.
Police went to Stanley’s home on Salisbury Rd in Franklin, and discovered that the home had been broken into. It’s unknown what, if anything, was taken, but a window had been broken.
In addition to the baby, they had a four year old son named Shayne from a prior marriage. In 1991, Shayne was convicted of the murder of his girlfriend while under the influence of drugs. There’s a lengthy article about Shayne here. It talks some about how Stanley’s disappearance impacted his life.
There are certainly factors that could point to Stanley leaving voluntarily. Being a single father on probation after losing his wife and business couldn’t have been easy. However, I think there are more clues that point to foul play. He had reported being followed, and his home showed signs of forced entry. He also had family in the area, including his parents, that he could have left his son with if he needed to leave.
Although nowadays it’s hard to imagine foul play occurring over marijuana, I think it could have been possible in the 1970’s. If Stanley was in fact running a large operation and was suddenly arrested, could he have owed someone?
The baby was raised by Stanley’s relatives after they recognized him in media reports and sought custody. There’s been no sign of Stanley since 1977.
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