When renowned dog trainer Mark Stover vanished from his Washington home in October 2009, investigators were confronted with a baffling mystery. His loyal protection dog had been shot three times in the head. Bloodstains inside the house appeared to have been cleaned with bleach. Mark's car was abandoned miles away. But there was one glaring problem—there was no body. As detectives unraveled the case, suspicion fell on Michiel Oakes, the new boyfriend of Mark's ex-wife, Linda Opdycke. What followed was a twisting investigation involving stalking allegations, anonymous tips, missing evidence, and a claim of self-defense that would divide opinions for years to come.

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Sources:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot2jv6R4R7o 48 Hours & podcast
• https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/dateline-full-episodes/full-episode-man-who-talked-dogs-n183316
• https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/PublicUpload/eclips/2013%2012%2024%20Appeals%20court%20turns%20down%20claim%20on%20Stover%20estate.pdf
• https://www.goskagit.com/news/stovers-ex-father-in-law-linked-to-murder-suspect-oakes/article_0c2c4af8-3b2b-5cb7-8deb-6e7f9a9a0183.html
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/584802562/?match=1&terms=%22Theodore%20Mark%20Stover%22
• https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/ex-wifes-boyfriend-charged-in-dog-trainers-slaying/
• https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/murder-charges-filed-in-slaying-of-dog-trainer/
• https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/mystery-of-vanished-dog-trainer-goes-to-trial-soon/
• https://freeoakes.com/
• https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/868063.pdf
• https://people.com/mark-stover-dog-trainer-stars-new-podcast-trained-to-kill-11707349