Key facts
- Name: Song Im Joseph (maiden name Song)
- Born: July 8, 1954, Korea
- Age at disappearance: 20 (missingin.org lists 21 — she was a month shy of her 21st birthday; this article uses 20 per the Charley Project)
- Last seen: June 8, 1975
- Location: Bay Road, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
- Height / build: 5’2″–5’3″, 100 lbs; black hair, brown eyes; gold diamond wedding band
- Status: Still missing — Rehoboth Beach Police Department, open investigation
- Investigating agency: Rehoboth Beach Police Department
The woman being followed
In June 1975, Song Im Joseph told friends she was afraid. A Korean-speaking man, she said, was following her.
Song was 20 years old. She had come to the United States only seven months earlier, in November 1974, as the wife of Alton Edward Joseph, an American serviceman she had met and married in Korea. They had settled in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The marriage was troubled from the start.
On June 8, 1975, Song was last seen on Bay Road in Rehoboth Beach. She was wearing a red halter top with green-blue flowers, blue checkered slacks, and brown-and-white sandals. She had on her gold diamond wedding band. She left behind her passport, her visa, and her belongings. She had no vehicle. She was never seen again.
In the 51 years since, no immigration record has ever shown her returning to Korea. Her Social Security number has never been used. She has never been arrested anywhere under any name. A 20-year-old Korean woman did not simply dissolve — but Song Im Joseph did.
The husband
Alton Edward Joseph’s record is a matter of public fact, and it is a dark one. He had convictions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and in 2001 he was convicted on federal explosives charges after stealing more than 20 pounds of C4 from the military. Investigators identified two suspects in Song’s disappearance. No one was ever charged.
The marriage, by every account, was in trouble. A young woman far from home, married seven months to a man with a criminal history, telling friends in her final days that she believed a man who spoke her own language was following her — and then she is gone, leaving the documents she would need to go anywhere.
The investigation
Rehoboth Beach police have kept Song’s case open for half a century. The facts that make it unusual are the facts that make it haunting: she left everything a person needs to exist in the world — passport, visa, belongings — and then never existed in it again, at least not under any traceable identity. No SSN activity. No immigration trail. No arrest record. In January 2023, the Straight Up Evil podcast featured her case in an episode titled “Straight Up Missing: Song Im Joseph,” bringing her story to a new audience for the first time in decades.
If she were alive today, Song would be 72 years old.
Theories: what might have happened
Foul play connected to her husband’s circle. The theory the circumstances point toward: a troubled marriage, a husband with a serious criminal record, a young immigrant woman with no local safety net, and her own reported fear of being followed in the days before she vanished. Two suspects were identified; none were charged. Alton Edward Joseph was never charged in Song’s disappearance, and the presumption of innocence applies — but the marital-trouble context is documented fact, not speculation.
Abduction by the man she said was following her. Song told friends a Korean-speaking man was following her. If true, it suggests she was being watched by someone connected to her past — someone who knew where to find her and how to approach her. It remains an uncorroborated report from a frightened young woman, and must be treated as such.
Voluntary disappearance. The theory with the least support: she left her passport, her visa, and all her belongings; never used her SSN; never appeared in any immigration record; never contacted anyone. A voluntary start-over leaves traces. Song left none.
Have information?
Contact the Rehoboth Beach Police Department at (302) 227-2577. In an emergency, dial 911.
Timeline
- July 8, 1954 — Song Im Joseph is born in Korea.
- November 1974 — Song moves to the United States with her husband, Alton Edward Joseph, an American serviceman; they settle in Rehoboth Beach, DE.
- Early June 1975 — Song tells friends a Korean-speaking man is following her; her marriage is troubled.
- June 8, 1975 — Last seen on Bay Road, Rehoboth Beach. She leaves behind her passport, visa, and belongings.
- 1975–1976 — Investigators identify two suspects; no charges filed.
- 2001 — Alton Edward Joseph convicted on federal explosives charges (theft of 20+ lbs of C4).
- January 2023 — Straight Up Evil podcast features her case: “Straight Up Missing: Song Im Joseph.”
- Today — Still missing. No SSN activity, no immigration record, no trace in 51 years.
FAQ
Is Song Im Joseph still missing?
Yes. As of October 2026, Song Im Joseph has been missing for 51 years. Her case remains open with the Rehoboth Beach Police Department.
Was Song Im Joseph ever found?
No. No trace of Song has ever been found. Her Social Security number has never been used, and there is no immigration record of her returning to Korea.
How old would Song Im Joseph be today?
Song was born July 8, 1954. She turned 72 in July 2026.
Who was Song Im Joseph’s husband?
Alton Edward Joseph, an American serviceman she married in Korea. He had criminal convictions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and, in 2001, was convicted on federal explosives charges. He was never charged in Song’s disappearance.
What did Song Im Joseph say before she vanished?
She told friends that a Korean-speaking man was following her, and that her marriage was in trouble. She was last seen on June 8, 1975.
How can I help?
Share this case file. If you have any information, contact the Rehoboth Beach Police Department at (302) 227-2577.
Sources
- Official / law enforcement: The Charley Project, “Song Im Joseph” (investigating agency: Rehoboth Beach Police Department, 302-227-2577).
- Reference: NamUs; The Doe Network; Straight Up Evil episode notes (Jan 2023).
- Media: Straight Up Evil podcast, “Straight Up Missing: Song Im Joseph” (Jan 2023); Websleuths case discussion (ongoing).
Corrections (October 2026 fact-check): minor — noted the age discrepancy (missingin.org lists 21; the Charley Project lists 20 — she was born July 8, 1954 and vanished June 8, 1975, a month before her 21st birthday). Found an error? Tell us via the About page and we will fix it promptly and note the change here. Last verified October 2026.