Abducted and Held: The Mary Stauffer Story
Posted by Trin | Case Files | Abduction & Survival | Minnesota | May 1980
Introduction
On May 16, 1980, Mary Stauffer and her 8-year-old daughter, Beth, were kidnapped in broad daylight from a Minnesota church parking lot. What followed was a seven-week ordeal of captivity, control, and courage—made all the more terrifying by the fact that their abductor had been obsessed with Mary for over a decade.
This was not a random act. This was planned. Calculated. Stalked. And somehow—Mary and Beth survived it all.
Case Background
Mary Stauffer was a wife, a mom, a schoolteacher, and a former missionary. She was kind. Grounded. A woman of faith. She had no idea that one of her former students, Ming Sen Shiue, had been harboring a violent obsession with her for 15 years.
Shiue had been following Mary, watching her, planning. And in May 1980, he struck—forcing Mary and Beth into the trunk of his car at gunpoint. What he didn’t expect was their resilience, their cleverness, or their sheer will to survive.
Timeline of Key Events
- May 16, 1980: Mary and Beth Stauffer are abducted by Shiue outside a Roseville beauty salon. They are taken to his home and held captive in a closet-sized room.
- May–July 1980: The Stauffers are imprisoned for 53 days. Mary is repeatedly assaulted. Shiue videotapes much of the abuse and tries to manipulate her into loving him.
- Mid-June: A boy named Jason Wilkman sees the car and is abducted by Shiue, then murdered. His body is later recovered.
- July 7, 1980: Mary tricks Shiue into leaving the restraints loose. She escapes with Beth and runs to a nearby business for help. Police arrest Shiue.
- 1981: Shiue is convicted of kidnapping, rape, and murder. He is sentenced to life in prison.
Red Flags & Obsession
- Shiue had been obsessed with Mary since junior high. He had broken into her home years earlier but was never identified.
- He stalked her movements and knew her routines.
- He built a soundproof room in his home specifically to imprison her.
- The system had no record of danger—because Mary didn’t know she was being watched.
What happens when the threat isn’t someone you're afraid of—but someone you forgot?
A Mom’s Reflection
This case gives me chills. Because it wasn’t random. It was obsessed. It was methodical. It was the nightmare you can’t prepare for, because how can you fear something you don’t know is coming?
Mary’s bravery is something I can hardly put into words. She stayed calm for her daughter. She endured to survive. And then—she escaped. She broke free with Beth and ran for their lives. I can’t imagine the fear. But I can’t stop admiring the strength.
And Beth—just 8 years old. She survived this too. Her whole life changed, and she still stood strong beside her mom.
From Real Life to Screen: “Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story”
Lifetime released “Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story” in 2019, dramatizing their captivity and escape. Alyson Hannigan plays Mary, and the film sticks close to the facts—highlighting not just the horror of the abduction, but the strength Mary showed throughout.
The movie shows the trauma, the fear, the manipulation—but also the quiet resistance. As a mom watching it, I cried. I yelled. I cheered. Because Mary and Beth didn’t just survive—they defied every plan their captor had for them.
It’s not an easy watch. But it’s an important one. Because it shows how even in total darkness, a mother’s courage can light the way out.
Lessons We Can’t Ignore
- Obsession can live undetected for years—and erupt without warning.
- Victims don’t always get to prepare. But sometimes, they still outsmart evil.
- Kids are not fragile—they are resilient, especially when they’re loved through terror.
- True crime movies can honor survivors when done with care—and this one did.
Final Words
Mary and Beth Stauffer were stolen from their lives—but they took them back. This case reminds me that even when the world forgets to look for you, there is always a way to fight back. To outlast. To come home.
Mary’s faith saved her. Beth’s courage carried them. And their story proves that no nightmare is stronger than a determined mom.
Comments
Post a Comment