Mountain State Mysteries

In 1998, a hitchhiker was struck by a vehicle near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Before losing consciousness, he reportedly told rescuers his name was Steve Hix and that he was from West Virginia. But investigators were never able to confirm who he really was. After surviving for years with severe injuries, the unidentified man died in 2002—still without a verified identity. Who was the man known only...

Forty-five years ago this week, on a cold and rainy morning in 1981, a secretary arrived at work in a small community and was shocked to discover her boss dead. His death set off a spiral of emotion and controversy that has never faded away. This is the case of Charles Boone. Sources - In 1981 a CPA was found strangled in bank building. Charles Boone, 33 years old, found early morning, strangled a...

 The case we have for you today is another case from our hometown. There is still a sense of mystery around this case because the fate of the victim is still unknown. This is the case of Tammy Jean Daniel. Sources - Tammy Jean Daniel – The Charley Project Tammy Jean Daniel - 1986 — WV Missing Persons Project Missing: Tammy Daniel | Stanaford, WV | Uncovered Missing Person / NamUs #MP21070 | NamUs...

 In 1991, investigative journalist Danny Casolaro was found dead in a West Virginia hotel room while pursuing a conspiracy he called The Octopus . Ruled a suicide, his death left missing notes and questions that remain unanswered decades later. Sources - Danny Casolaro - Wikipedia True Story of ‘American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders’ Danny Casolaro And The Story Of 'The Octopus Murders' The Dea...

What started out as a normal night out in Charleston, West Virginia. Left one woman dead on the edge of a river. This is the case of Lynn Priestley. Sources - Lynn Parker Priestley (1955-1990) - Find a Grave Memorial Cold Case Files: 30 year old Charleston murder case still haunts the city WV - WV - Lynn Priestly, 34, Charleston, 21 March 1990 | Websleuths MSM links - WEBSITE - Home | Mountainstat...

The case we have for you today is one of the craziest missing children's cases to come from the Mountain State. It's about a five-year-old boy who went into the woods with his cousins and sadly was never seen again. Sources - The strange disappearance of J.R. Shoemaker from Kirby in Virginia — StrangeOutdoors.com Victor Dewight Shoemaker Jr. – The Charley Project The Disappearance of Victor Shoema...

The case we have for you today is about a couple that went out for a late night drive. No one knows where they were going - only that it ended up in a fiery blaze near wolf creek Virginia. More than 48 years later, there are still no answers. This is the case of Karen Lynn Noble and Jeffery Lee Scott. Sources - BHS Class 1975 Wolf Creek Murders - Find a Grave Virtual Cemetery ‘Age of innocence’ lo...

In July of 2012, a man vanished from Buckhannon, West Virginia—leaving behind more questions than answers. Whispers of a murder-for-hire plot and countless theories have surrounded this disappearance for years. This is the case of Luke Stout. Sources - Facebook Luke David Stout – The Charley Project Missing Person Details (8) Why Have We Not Found Luke Stout? | Unsolved in West Virginia | A Paul -...

Mark sits down with Alexandra from the YouTube channel A Paul - Unsolved in WV to break down two cases one from Raleigh County and one from Kanawha County. These are the cases of Angela Cherice Gwinn Stephens and LaRoy Gorman. Follow Alexandrea - Youtube - https://youtube.com/@ayebeepee?si=jPyjO6SvQqdyIiNE Facebook - Facebook MSM links - WEBSITE - Home | Mountainstatemysteri ( mountainstatemysteri...

 Mark and Courtney welcome sisters Brenda and Linda, daughters of Sergeant James Lee Haynes, who disappeared in 1963 after being murdered on Bolt Mountain. For them, this isn’t just a cold case—it’s the lifelong story of a father stolen too soon. In this episode, they share the pain, the resilience, and the relentless search for truth that has defined their family for generations.   Listen to our...

Mark sits down with Alexandrea from the YouTube channel A Paul – Unsolved in WV to break down the mysterious case of Jack Denny. Follow Alexandrea - Youtube - https://youtube.com/@ayebeepee?si=jPyjO6SvQqdyIiNE Facebook - Facebook MSM links - WEBSITE - Home | Mountainstatemysteri ( mountainstatemysteriespodcast.com ) INSTAGRAM - Mountain State Mysteries - A West Virginia True Crime Podcast (@mounta...

The case we have for you today is about a 15-year-old girl that disappeared after attending only half of her classes in the quiet town of Spanish Fork, Utah. This is the case of Kiplyn Davis. Sources - Man who refuses to say where he buried Utah girl to serve 5 more years – Deseret News Kiplyn Davis – The Charley Project ‘I just want to find my sister’: Family remembers Kiplyn Davis 30 years after...

The case we have for you today is one that's currently in the headlines. One that may not take place in West Virginia but has ties to the Mountain State. This is the case of Christa Pike. Sources - Tennessee sets Christa Pike's execution 30 years after rival's murder Why woman who's been on death row for 30 years is only just about to be executed Tennessee’s Execution of Christa Pike Would Make He...

 For 32 years, this case has haunted a small West Virginia town — unanswered questions, lingering pain, and stories that never quite added up. We’ve told it before… but this time, we’re bringing you something new — straight from someone who’s carried the weight of this mystery for over three decades. This is the case of Angela Cherice Gwinn Stephens. Tommy Gwinn is offering a $50,000 reward for in...

 The case we have for you today feels like something straight out of a Lifetime movie. It’s a story of a couple who seemed madly in love—until everything took a dark turn. This is the case of Jerry Ray Stone. If you have any information on the murder of Jerry Ray Stone. Please contact the West Virginia State Police at (304)872-0800 Sources - Beckley Register Herald Archives, May 4, 1999, p. 7 FEEL...

Today marks 32 years since Angela Cherice Gwinn Stephens vanished without a trace. One month after her disappearance, her car mysteriously appeared at her husband’s workplace—keys hidden under the sun visor. For years, rumors swirled that she might be in a church septic tank. After relentless pleas from her family, the tank was finally searched—proving she wasn’t there. For more than three decades...

When a young man is found dead in his truck, a search for his killer uncovered a love triangle twisted by the lies of a man who couldn't let go. But as the investigators dig deeper, the uncover that the killer isn't the only one who pretended to be someone he's not. The is the case of Talhotblond. Sources - Online Love Triangle, Deception End in Murder - ABC News Talhotblond : MSNBCW : May 5, 2012...

One Monday morning 16 years ago, a restaurant employee arrived for work with no reason to expect anything but another day of preparing and serving pizza, pasta, and calzones, but a horrifying discovery brought squads of deputies and state troopers instead of customers. Soon a helicopter was flying over the business while investigates searched for evidence. This is the case of Harvey and Valarie Lo...

 A few weeks ago, we got an email from a relative of the Sodder children — and what she had to say stopped us in our tracks. For decades, certain details about this case have been misreported, repeated so often they’ve become part of the story itself. But she told us there’s more… and it changes everything. This is the new information on the Sodder children. MSM links - WEBSITE - Home | Mountainst...

 The case we have for you today is about a devoted mother who had plans to return to school and build a better future for herself and her children. But on what seemed like an ordinary day of running errands, she vanished without a trace. This is the case of Melanie Metheny. Sources - Melanie Renee Metheny – The Charley Project Cold Case Files: Kanawha County mother of three, Melanie Metheny, now m...

In the summer of 1977, Sister Roberta Elam was enjoying a peaceful afternoon on the grounds of her convent in West Virginia - until her life was tragically cut short. She was found murdered, a crime that shocked both the religious community and the nation. Was this a random act of violence, or did someone closer to sister robin have a darker secret? Sources - Murdered: Roberta Elam | Wheeling, WV...

In this emotional episode of Mountain State Mysteries, Mark Covey sits down with Christy and Pat, the sisters of Brenda Gail Lambert, who vanished under mysterious circumstances. Together, they recount Brenda’s life, her disappearance, and the lingering questions that have haunted their family for decades. From sharing heartfelt memories to discussing the unanswered leads in the case, this candid...

The case we have for you today is about a mother who disappeared on the night of her son's birthday party in 1992. This is the case of Brenda Gail Lambert. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Brenda Gail Lambert, or know someone who might, please contact the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department at (304) 487-8364. SOURCES - Cold Justice Investigates Disappearance Of Brenda Lamb...

The case we have for you today is one about a beloved small-town doctor who died in a mysterious house fire, suspicion quickly fell on his caretaker's son. He's arrested, convicted, and sent to prison. But years later, new evidence emerged - challenging everything the town thought they knew. Sources - Charles Jason Lively | WV Innocence Project | West Virginia University Ebb "Doc" Whitley Death: W...

In 1972, a young man was found dead along route 19 outside of Beckley, Wv. No ID. No Family. Just a pair of jungle boots and a story about heading south to join the military. Over 50 years later, he's still known only as John Doe. Who was he-and why has no one came forward? If you have any information on the identity of John Doe please contact the West Virginia State Police at (304)872-0800 Source...