Dark Crossroads
A podcast about all things true crime & paranormal
Welcome to Dark Crossroads Podcast! We bring you gripping stories and intriguing discussions in the fascinating world of the paranormal, true crime and the unknown. We offer a captivating range of episodes that will leave you questioning the boundaries of reality.
At Dark Crossroads Podcast, we pride ourselves on delivering thought-provoking content that keeps our listeners on the edge of their seats. Our episodes explore supernatural phenomena, unsolved mysteries, and unexplained events, providing a unique platform for those interested in the uncharted and enigmatic.
Whether you're a devoted follower of the paranormal or just searching for something off the beaten path, Dark Crossroads Podcast invites you to join our growing community of curious minds. Immerse yourself in our immersive storytelling and engaging discussions, and let your imagination run wild. Check us out at the link below and embark on a journey that will challenge your perception of the world around you. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for all bonus content!
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Dark Crossroads
Gone Without Trace: The Mysterious Disappearance and Search for Luke Stout
When the familiar becomes shrouded in mystery, and a family's heartache echoes through time, the story of Luke Stout emerges from the shadows. The haunting disappearance of a 24-year-old man whose absence left an indelible mark on his loved ones. His broken bicycle, discovered behind a local CVS, serves as a silent sentinel to the day his path veered into the unknown. With every piece of the puzzle, from the cryptic figure of Dylan to the poignant efforts of a mother's undying love, this episode is a reminder of the human connections that bind us even in the darkest of times.
Our exploration is more than a recounting of facts; it's an active search for clarity in the murky waters of an unsolved case. As we unravel the Stout family's unwavering commitment, revealed through their continued vow to unearth the truth, we invite you to become a part of the narrative. Your unique perspectives and any information can shed light on this ongoing investigation, potentially guiding family members toward the closure so desperately needed. Dark Crossroads Podcast isn't just a place for stories—it's a beacon for those who believe in the power of community and the relentless pursuit of answers.
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Welcome to Dark Crossroads Podcast, hosted by Roxanne Fletcher. This is your stop for all things true crime and paranormal. From the infamous story of the New Bedford Highway Killer to the chilling tale of the Black Eyed Children, dark Crossroads Podcast is a truly deep dive into the stories that frighten and fascinate you. All links to the show will be provided in this episode's description, and don't forget to let us know what you think of today's episode. The following is a case that was sent in to us as a request to cover. I'm just putting this here to give them recognition, but also to remind you, guys, that you can request any cases or stories that you want read on the podcast or anything else. Just email us to darkcrossroadspodcast at gmailcom, or you can find us on all social media.
Speaker 1:Luke Stout was a 24-year-old young man who loved video games, comic books, skateboarding and, most of all, he loved his family. He lived in Buckhannon, west Virginia, where he grew up with his three older brothers. He was also very close to his mother, elizabeth, who he had remained living with so that he could take care of her. She was terminally ill at the time and relied on all of her boys to help her On the morning of July 18th of 2012, Luke took his broken green bicycle and walked down the driveway. He was taking it to his friend's house where they were going to fix it up. His friend, dylan, said that he was sending someone over to pick Luke up and Luke should meet them at the end of his driveway. Luke's mother and brother watched Luke walk down the driveway and out of sight and from this point on, luke was never seen or heard from again.
Speaker 1:Luke was born on July 6th of 1988. He was the youngest of four boys, four brothers that his mom often referred to as the four musketeers. Luke was always a very selfless kid, wanting to help his mother and his friends and always thinking of others. At the age of 16, he got a job and began working in an effort to help his mother out financially. That's a pretty admirable character trait for a young man and because of his help, the family was able to stay in their home and have food on the table.
Speaker 1:Luke's family lived in Buckhannon, west Virginia. It is in the Upshur County and sits along the Buckhannon River. It's a small town with just over 5,000 residents. Buckhannon consists of less than three square miles and sits at the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. You can imagine. Like most of West Virginia, the area is very rural and is surrounded by forests, rivers, mountains and undeveloped land. It is a known area for mining and is also home to the 2006 Sago Mine Disaster. On January 2nd in 2006, lightning struck the mine, igniting the coal and causing a massive explosion. Twelve people lost their lives and there was only one survivor. Buckhannon is still in an active mining area of West Virginia and is also known for a series of abandoned mines.
Speaker 1:Like many children growing up in West Virginia, luke and his brothers absolutely enjoyed the outdoors. However, luke was also known to like video games, playing the guitar, and many have said he was a pretty good artist also. In July of 2012, he lived with his mother, primarily because she had become terminally ill and he wanted to be there for her every step of the way. He loved his mother and when he traveled for work doing construction, he was always calling her to check in on her and even buying things to bring home for her. Luke also had three older brothers and all of the boys were known to be close to their mother.
Speaker 1:Earlier in the year of 2012, luke had let his car insurance lapse and while he had a vehicle, he could not drive it. It is not sure whether he was making a responsible decision on not to drive or if he had lost his license, but his car did remain parked and he knew that he could not drive it. Luke had a bicycle and he knew he would have to rely on this as a mode of transportation. His bicycle, however, needed a lot of work. On the afternoon of July 18th in 2012, he told his mother and one of his brothers who was at the home that day that he was going to be taking the bicycle to the friend mentioned before and they were going to work on it and fix it up. He had told his mother that Dylan had the right tools needed to fix his bike and he was going to help Dylan fix his bike and then they would fix Luke's. That is the general overview of that the bicycle story. It gets a little more confusing than that, but truly all of that is irrelevant.
Speaker 1:And when it comes to Luke's disappearance On that warm July day, luke made his way down the driveway carrying the broken green bike until he was out of sight. When his brother and mother were not able to ever get a hold of him again, his brother began looking around town for him. Luke's mother also got out and physically, despite being terribly sick, looked for her son. The police weren't interested in taking a report, at least not yet At the time. They were thinking that Luke was a 24-year-old young adult and he could have possibly made the decision to leave the area. An interesting aspect of Luke's story is that no one is really 100% sure who his friend Dylan actually was. His mother had said that he had several friends named Dylan, but they have been unable to determine who he was meeting with that day and none of the Dylans have come forward with that information either. This definitely doesn't look good on Dylan's part, whoever he may be.
Speaker 1:A few days after Luke's disappearance, the brothers found his bicycle behind a CVS pharmacy. It was leaning up against a trailer and it was still broken. When the brothers called the Buchanan police, they were advised to just take the bicycle back home with them and wait for Luke to return. They didn't investigate or search the area for any clues. At this time they did not believe anything had happened to Luke Stout.
Speaker 1:Now Luke's family knew this was extremely out of character for Luke. Maybe there are many 24-year-olds who just head off and do their own things for a while without contacting their mother. But Luke was not one of those people. Luke had never stayed out of touch with his mother. Luke's mom, elizabeth, was absolutely desperate for answers. She knew in her heart that something was very wrong. She began trying to get the attention of local police and media. A few local media outlets would pick up her story after some time, but not many. Inside. She was broken. So, taking a look at the road Luke and his mother lived on, which was Hickory Flat Road, there are many houses next to one another. While not necessarily considered to some to be a neighborhood, the area did look like there were many houses nearby. A Google Maps search also shows some type of business, with many trucks near the home where Luke and Elizabeth lived. Almost directly next door, there was also one small creek and a nearby pond, but nothing else in the way of bodies of water, at least directly there on Hickory Flat Road. Of course, west Virginia as a whole is very rural and full of water sources, but not directly there on Luke's road. No one claims to have seen anything that day. No one saw Luke at the end of the driveway, no one remembers him driving by and no one remembers seeing him get picked up.
Speaker 1:In August, luke's story got a little interesting and people started talking. This is because a young man's body was found in the area, a young man by the name of Joshua Oberg. Joshua had been missing since January of 2012. Shortly after his body was discovered, two men were arrested for his murder. Jesse Lee Heater, age 29, and Robert Eugene Siren III, age 30, were charged with taking a payment of $5,000 to kill him and get rid of him in a murder-for-hire plot. The man behind the plot, a local restaurant owner, rodolfo Correa Vila Gomez, also known as Chino, did eventually plead guilty to this crime. Apparently, joshua had been having an affair, or at least had cheated, with Chino's wife.
Speaker 1:When this all came out, some other things came to light also. A couple months before Luke disappeared, he had come home after an altercation with none other than the infamous Chino. Allegedly, chino had shoved a gun at Luke's head hard enough to leave an imprint of a gun barrel. When Luke came home and his mom saw this, she urged him to file a police report against Chino. The police refused to document the incident. It's also important to think about that.
Speaker 1:There are two versions of what happened here. The first version is that of Luke's side. Luke claims that he was assaulted by Chino and that no one would listen to him. It hasn't been officially confirmed if Luke was indeed having an affair with Chino's wife, but it was confirmed that they did know each other. The other side of the story is that Luke found himself in some trouble one night and obviously was arrested. He was drunk when the police brought him in and he began running his mouth about Chino. He told the police the story of his attack and the police advised him to come back and file a report when he was sober, but Luke never did that. Law enforcement has not commented on which version is accurate, although one side does paint a favorable picture of law enforcement while one does not.
Speaker 1:Elizabeth began to feel like no one was listening to her. Rumors began to swirl about a local police officer that was out drinking at the bars and running his mouth about Luke. Elizabeth became irate and went to the media. It turned out that this individual officer had 11 DUI convictions and motions were made to have him dismissed from the force. In September Elizabeth would be charged with assault of an officer. She was in her hospital bed, hooked up to IVs. When she began arguing with an officer At some point she took out her IV herself and she threw it at him. That same month one of Luke's brothers were charged with assault of an officer as well. Another brother would be charged with domestic violence after punching a family member.
Speaker 1:Elizabeth claims that Luke's disappearance has destroyed her family and is ripping everybody apart. Some use these stories to point out a history of criminal activity within the family, but Elizabeth says all of these incidents have arisen from the stress over Luke's case and the lack of support from law enforcement. In October, elizabeth took her complaints to a city council meeting. The meeting grew heated as Elizabeth begged for more to be done regarding her son's disappearance and what she believed was possible foul play. At this point Elizabeth and the family were certain that Luke was no longer alive. The family was asked to leave the meeting as the council members didn't feel it was the right place for them to air their frustrations with the police. In fact, at one point the mayor said he couldn't discuss the case with them at all as he was unfamiliar with it. At the end of the meeting, as things had heated up, he said that the family's version of events did not match up with the investigation facts, to which Elizabeth replied how could you possibly know that if you are unfamiliar with the case? I mean, if that's an accurate statement, she definitely has an extremely valid point.
Speaker 1:Now let's look at the case of Joshua Oberg. It's hard to tell at the surface. Anyway. If this case does explain what might have also happened to Luke, it's hard to decipher what is small-town gossip and what are actual, true facts. What we do know now is that Joshua Oberg was found buried in a shallow grave near Bull Run Road.
Speaker 1:The two individuals accused of his murder, robert and Jesse, were found guilty. Joshua Oberg had last been seen on January 23rd of the same year, 2012, and he was last seen getting into a car with Robert and Jesse. As investigators kept tabs on the two men, eventually, robert told the whole story of the killing to a confidential informant. He said that Chino had paid them a large sum of money to kill Joshua for having an affair with his wife. The confession also led authorities to Joshua's body. Chino was subsequently arrested and found guilty of several crimes, one of those being unlawful entry to the United States of America. Another is possessing 16 firearms at his residence illegally. Another is second-degree murder and another is conspiracy to commit murder. It was also found out that Chino, who owned a Mexican restaurant in Buckhannon, had been deported twice before.
Speaker 1:Somehow, this man continued to slip through the cracks. Rumors began to swirl regarding a possible connection to Luke Stout. However, none of the men involved in Joshua's case ever admitted anything regarding Luke, and while many people believe that Chino was responsible for Luke's disappearance and the one thing that people often question is the fact that facts came out pretty readily and easily about Joshua once Robert and Jesse were arrested Some have speculated that if they had been a part of Luke's disappearance, they probably would have negotiated and used Luke's case to their advantage. For example, one of them could have asked for a lighter sentence in exchange for leading them to Luke's body or possibly telling them what happened. So it seems interesting that all three men continue to deny having anything to do with Luke Stout's disappearance. Could it be that maybe they are telling the truth, or are they just really good at keeping this one secret?
Speaker 1:Some questions that have also come up about Luke's case are the following why didn't the police take a more active involvement in his disappearance? Is there a reason for this? They haven't really come out publicly to say anything, so people are just left to speculate. Did nobody on his road see him at the end of his driveway? Did anyone see him get into a vehicle? Did nobody happen to drive by at that exact moment? His bicycle was found abandoned behind the CVS store in town, yet nobody saw him put the bike there. No security cameras. Did Luke not have a cell phone that could be tracked? Why has his friend Dylan not come forward? You're expecting your friend to come over and he doesn't show up. Or did he show up and something happened later?
Speaker 1:No matter what, when news of Luke's disappearance hits, you'd think this man would have come forward with some information, or even that detectives would have been able to narrow it down and figure out who this Dylan was. With all the information we do have, there are a few theories that are also possible. Luke just left town With absolutely no evidence showing foul play or harm to Luke. This is a possibility, but with being such a close family person and taking care of his terminally ill mother, it seems relatively doubtful. Plus, people don't believe that he had any money at the time. This was a young man who couldn't even keep car insurance on his vehicle and had to turn to using a bike for transportation.
Speaker 1:Another theory is that maybe there was an accident Surrounded by wilderness. Did Luke wander off and succumb to the elements? Maybe his ride never showed up so he started walking. Maybe he decided to take a shortcut through the woods? There is a lot of wilderness surrounding the area and even some bodies of water. The only question that people have about this theory is about the bike. Did he drop it or leave it behind and someone just randomly found it? But why would they put it behind a CVS pharmacy? And why has nobody come forward saying that they were the ones that found the bike and where they had found it? Another theory is foul play at the hands of Chino and his men. The possibility is there. There is just absolutely no evidence, at least not as of yet. Another is foul play at the hands of somebody else.
Speaker 1:What could have happened after Luke left his home that fateful July day? Was Dylan involved? Who is Dylan? Was there a fight among friends?
Speaker 1:That day, elizabeth Stout started a Facebook page to help spread awareness. It is called Missing Luke Stout. One thing that is noticeable is that he had several different types of looks Long hair, short hair, clean cut look, shaggy look, and he looks pretty different in each photo. Elizabeth kept up on the Facebook page and posts regularly. It was her wish that she would learn what happened to her son, her Loki, before she died. Unfortunately, elizabeth passed away recently with still no answers on where her youngest son was, but still the family presses on for answers, as they had promised her that they would. Some quotes from Elizabeth on the Missing Luke Stout Facebook page are I love you, baby. Your brothers love you the four musketeers. July 18th 2012 will forever be the worst date in my life For you. My youngest son said goodbye, I love you, and walked out the door for the very last time not to return.
Speaker 1:I, as a mother of a missing child, have thoughts that I am afraid to speak. I, as a mother of a missing child, have a crying soul, even though I may smile. I, as a mother of a missing child, feels guilt others do not understand. I, as a mother of a missing child, cries in silence in the presence of others. Loki, I will never give up. I will stand up and speak for you with everything I have left in me. This has and will always be. This is the promise I made to you from day one and I will keep it, no matter where it leads me. I will not stop until you are found or we have the answers to the questions we seek and everyone involved pays for their part my heart, my soul, my blood, my son. I love you, luke, and you know you can count on mama.
Speaker 1:Luke is described as 5'7 and weighing about 120 pounds at the time of his disappearance. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. He wore jeans and black sneakers with neon green shoelaces. He had a light jacket on because it was supposed to rain that day. He also wore a silver colored prayer ring and had a shoulder tattoo of skulls. As a child, luke had a bone infection that required surgery. This resulted in one leg being slightly shorter than the other and a lower leg scar.
Speaker 1:If you have any information regarding Luke Stout, please call the West Virginia State Police at 304-473-4200. Got was from Wikipedia, also a Medium article written by Jennifer, and also a lot of information was obtained from the when Are they podcast. So, yeah, I just wanted to put all that in there to let you guys know where you can also look for all these resources, and I highly suggest that you go and follow this Facebook page, because it is still active and the family members are still seeking answers, so every like and share is extremely helpful for this family and helping reach the answers that they are so desperately searching for. I also just want to put a little plug in here that we have opened our merch store. We are working on it every day, adding new things. We are currently stocking up on Mother's Day items. There's a lot of cute things in there, so if you want to get your mom, grandmother or yourself a little something, a little treat for Mother's Day, for the true crime or spooky loving mom, head on over to the store. You can find it if you go to our social media or our website. There is a link to our link tree and there you will find a link to the merch store.
Speaker 1:If you guys want to hang out again, don't forget to check back in. All right, I love you guys so much and don't forget to keep being a weirdo, okay, all right, bye-bye, alrighty, so it's that time, guys, to say goodbye, but before I do so, I just want to send a thank you to all of my listeners for your continued love and support and for sending in cases that you want covered and stories that you want read on the podcast. We truly accept all stories, including scary, paranormal and funny. Any cases you want covered or stories that you want read on the podcast, just please send them in to darkcrossroadspodcasts at gmailcom. Thank you for hanging out again today and if you want any more information about the podcast or cases and stories that we cover, then head on over to the website at wwwdarkcrossroadspodcastcom. There you can find all of the information about the podcast, a link to our merch and also our blog covering all of the cases that we cover. You can also find us on all social media platforms.
Speaker 1:Don't forget to like share rate, review, subscribe wherever you're listening to us. You can subscribe to the podcast for bonus information. There is a link in all episodes in the notes that will send you to our subscription page and with that you will get bonus content, discount on future merch and a lot of extra goodies. Every single dollar that comes through donations or through our subscription goes straight into the podcast, helping fund research and it really helps us out and keeps this podcast going. And with all of this said, please don't forget to be weird, stay different and don't trust anyone. Dark Crossroads podcast is brought to you by Problem Wildlife serves all of western Massachusetts and has been humanely protecting your house and your family from unwanted pests for over 20 years. Take back your space with an animal control service that you can trust. They are family owned, fully licensed, and are knowledgeable and dependable. To find out more about their service, simply visit their website at wwwproblemwildliferemovalcom, and their information will be included in our show notes.
