ID'ing the culprit (and there are 100 + 1 possibilities) won't help you much, as there is nothing you can do about it short of turning your garden into a chemical wasteland.
Where I live, it is just about impossible to start anything from seeds sown in place. I must start seeds in pots in a protected place and then plant them out when they become large enough to fend off most of the seedling-predators. And I then still have to set up barriers for larger varmints such as birds, squirrels, rabbits, etc.