The Chilling Story Behind the Jamison Family Disappearance

Hi Crime Junkies. I'm your host Ashley. Flowers. >> And I'm Britt. And before we jump in, you guys, today is kind of a big deal. because we have officially hit 500,000. subscribers on YouTube, which is a huge. milestone. And if you've been here a. long time, you probably know that I. started out on Crime Junkie believing I. would always get to be in my comfy. clothes when we record. Not that I'm. like all dressed up or anything, but. like. >> But there used to be pajamas in the. early days. >> I never imagined we would be on camera. every single week. [laughter] But it. means so much to us. It's so many of you.

are showing up to listen to us every. single week. And now so many of you are. tuning in to watch every week. And if. you haven't hit subscribe yet on. YouTube, today is a great time to do it. Because this is a case where truly it. has elements that you won't believe. until you see. And I bet this is a story. that is going to sink its hooks into you. the way it has me. I mean, it's one of. those where nothing makes sense and. there are so many rabbit holes and red. herrings involving real-life struggles.

and supernatural beings that the lore of. this story starts to become bigger than. the facts of the case. But if you ask me, the hard, cold facts. tell a story of a family looking for a. fresh start. A family who was this close to getting. it when something or someone intervened. And if that's true, then someone is. getting away with murder. Because these. undetermined deaths are no longer being.

actively [music] worked. Making me wonder if there will ever be. justice for the Jameson family. October 17th, 2009 isn't when the. Jameson story begins. [music]. But that is when everyone around them. first realizes that something's wrong. Because October 17th is when the Latimer. County Sheriff's Office gets a call.

about an abandoned pickup truck on. Panola Mountain, which is a small part. of the larger Sand Bois Mountain in. Latimer County, Oklahoma. This truck had. been spotted there a few days earlier, but today was the day that someone. noticed a dog trapped inside the locked. truck. By the time Sheriff Israel. Beacham and a few of his deputies. arrive, it's already dark and they have. to break a window to get the small. emaciated dog out. Now, it's clear that. she had been in there for days and was. on the verge of honestly death. But, the.

dog was maybe one of the least strange. things found in the vehicle. According. to The Oklahoman, the keys are still in. the ignition, even though the car was. locked. Someone's Blackberry was left. behind along with a few coats and other. items of clothing like a purse, $32,000. in cash in a bag under the seat, and IDs. belonging to Sherilyn and Bobby Jameson. Then there's a seven-page letter signed.

by Sherilyn to Bobby, who it becomes. clear is her husband. Now, I have. highlighted some of these parts, but I'm. going to have you read it. Bobby Jameson, I'm writing you this letter with a. spirit of truth and shame. I am asking you forgiveness for ever. coming into your life for everything. that I have done to you that has hurt or. offended you. I also ask that you forgive me for the. things that I have done to you that has.

offended God and the Holy Spirit. You have broken my heart and called me. names like [ __ ] [ __ ] and. I rebuke you and pray for your soul. You are a very toxic person. You need to find happiness. You contaminate everyone that you are. around. It breaks my heart and saddens my soul. that you have turned into the monster. that you are. Thank God for It kind of cuts off. >> Yeah, like it the copy Yeah. Maybe you. and me both.

That with the force that you beat me on. the spine that I did not have a heart. attack or being paralyzed from the neck. down. [music]. You have tried to take my life on more. than one occasion. I would not wish my daughter to be. raised in foster care because of you. being in prison for attempted murder and. her mother [music] dead. You have put me in the corner so many. times that you have brought the worst. out in me. There is no need to keep writing. I will.

pour my pain out in my own journal. Thank you for my daughter. That's all. God intended to happen. We were never. meant to be together. I fear for your soul. Signed, Sherilyn. Now, Beecham and his team know very. little about the James and family at. this point. So, what this letter means. or why there's so much cash in the car, they don't know. I mean, all that. attempted murder talk in the letter are. like.

That would have me scared that this is. some kind of like family annihilator. situation. >> That would be worst case scenario, but. they haven't found anything to prove. that. Like there's no letter from Bobby. back to her. There's no suicide note. Though, deputies have been able to piece. together that it was Bobby who brought. them up there. It turns out he's spoken. to a realtor about some land that was. for sale up there on the mountain. And. the realtor said that she usually takes. people to go out and like look at the. properties because they are pretty hard. to find. This is a super undeveloped.

rugged area, like rugged terrain. >> Mhm. But Bobby was pretty insistent that he. was going to take his family, his wife. Sherilyn and their 6-year-old daughter. Madison up there alone. Like if she. could just give him the coordinates, they'd be fine. So, she did. But that. was back on October 8th. Now, when they. look at the Blackberry that was left. behind, it has GPS and the coordinates. for the land are in it. It looks like. they got up there on the 8th at around. 2:15 p.m. But I'm not sure everything.

that comes after fits in with a plan for. Bobby to do something to his family. Because based on the GPS, it looks like. they spent a little time just kind of. like walking around and exploring. I. mean, they were looking at nearly 40. acres. And at one point, they actually. ended up taking a photo of Madison that. has become infamous in this [music]. case. The picture was taken at 2:51 p.m. on. the 8th and she's in front of this. cluster of rocks like in the woods. Now, it's clearly a candid photo. Her.

arms are like crossed. Her mouth's like. a little bit open like maybe she was. about to smile or say something or was. in the middle of saying something. And. this is important to me because. authorities found this phone in the. truck. Meaning that the Jamesons had the. phone with them while they were out and. walking around. They know exactly where. this picture was taken, but they had. come back to the truck. >> Right. Even the way the truck was. facing, [music]. it's on this like narrow one-lane road. with a 3-ft drop on either side and it's.

pointed like they were about to head. down the mountain. >> Like they were leaving. >> Yes. So, what stopped [music]. them? Now, there's nothing in the. immediate area around the truck that. would suggest something happened to the. family there. No sign of a struggle, no. blood, but I will say there had been big. rainstorms the last few days there that. could have washed away evidence if there. was any to find. Either way, all signs. point to bad and authorities need to get.

boots on the ground and find the. Jamesons because they're already days, if not a full week, behind and this. isn't going to be an easy search. This. area on the mountain, I said, rugged. terrain." And I do not mean that. lightly. This isn't a developed area. with fully built homes or walking. trails. This is middle of nowhere. country. And the people who live up. there are living off the grid. In fact, that was Bobby and Sherilyn's plan. [music] They were going to buy some land. and live out of a shipping container and.

home school Madison. Which honestly, when I heard the story years ago, back. when I first learned about this case, like I couldn't even wrap my head around. that. Off-grid, I don't know, these days. is kind of sounding more like the way to. go. But like they were excited about. this plan. So over the next week or so, massive searches start getting underway. to find the family. They're combing the. mountain up from the base through the. north side into an area called. Smokestack Hollow. And not only are they. dealing with the harsh environment as it.

normally is, but those rainstorms that. they had earlier make it so that they're. slogging through mud and wet brush along. the way. But they search and search, and there is. just not so much as a sign of this. family or what happened to them on the. mountain. But that might be because the biggest. clues are actually buried in what was. happening with the Jamesons before they. ever even got to the mountain.

In the parks and forests you love, there. are stories waiting to [music] be told. I'm Dilia D'Ambra, the host of Park. Predators, a true crime podcast that. reminds you sometimes the most beautiful. places hide the darkest secrets. Listen. now wherever you get your podcasts. Bobby and Sherilyn met around 2002, and. they were married in an out-of-state. wedding in 2004. [music]. But many people didn't approve. I. actually spoke to a source who knew.

Bobby before and after Sherilyn, and. they say that Bobby completely changed. after getting with her. Before they said. he was smart and creative, but they. watched as he seemed to slip into. addiction alongside Sherilyn. Now, she. had bipolar disorder, major depressive. disorder, and ADHD, all of which she was. prescribed meds for, though she didn't. always take them. And the addiction she. had to painkillers may have at least. started as a way to self-medicate. Then.

in 2003, Bobby suffered a bad back. injury, like from a car accident, and so. he began managing the chronic pain with. pills, which was a slippery slope. Before he knew it, he was addicted to. pills, too. With neither of them working, money was. getting tighter and tighter. Their nice. lake house in Eufaula, Oklahoma was. getting tougher and tougher to afford, and their financial troubles were. putting a lot of stress on an already. strained marriage. It seems like Bobby and Sherilyn may. have turned to lawsuits to solve some of.

their money problems. We know that Bobby. sued the people involved in his car. accident, that was resolved in 2007, and. there's other documentation showing that. he and Sherilyn were plaintiffs in a. pair of civil suits. Then Sheriff Beecham told The Oklahoman. that just before Bobby and Sherilyn. disappeared, they were planning to sue. the Eufaula school district, but he. didn't know what for. I'm assuming it. had something to do with Madison. People. online do a lot of guessing, but the. truth is that we weren't able to talk to. anyone who really knows what that was.

about. But there is one more documented. lawsuit that I found really interesting, because it was ongoing at the time that. they disappeared, and the person that. Bobby was suing was his own father, Bob. Jamison. The claim started in 2008, and it all. boiled down to this gas station Bob. owned. Bobby claimed that he worked for. his dad at the gas station for free. because his dad always told him that he. would give him an ownership stake of the.

station when he sold it. But apparently. that never happened. >> [music]. >> And then it just got uglier from there. We spoke to Bobby's uncle, Jack, and he. told us that Bob warned him Sherilyn. was, quote unquote, dangerous. And Jack. took that to mean physically because Bob. told him this story about her pulling a. gun on someone. But, she may have seemed. dangerous in other ways to him, too, because I spoke to someone who said that. Sherilyn was spreading rumors that Bob. was in the mafia, which from Bobby's POV. made his dad the dangerous one. And one.

point during the ongoing legal battle, he filed for a protective order against. his father claiming that he had tried to. kill him on at least two occasions. Once. in November 2008 when Bob allegedly hit. him with a car, and again in April 2009. But, I don't know what happened in that. second incident. But, a protective order. was issued following that in May of. 2009. This is just 5 months before the. Jamesons went missing. So, maybe because of all of this going on or.

in spite of it, it seems that by the end. of the summer, at least, Sherilyn had. gone off her meds, and [music] clearly. the effects were having a major impact. Now, she had another child, an older son. from a previous marriage, and he told. author Jake Anderson in his book The. Vanishing at Smokestack Hollow that. Sherilyn had started physically abusing. him. So, in August, he was removed from her. care and sent to live with his dad. Then in September, Sherilyn attempted.

suicide and was hospitalized for 3. weeks. That same month, something strange. started happening. The shipping. container that the family planned to. live in was sitting near the driveway at. their lake house property, and Sherilyn started spray painting it. with messages. Things like, "Three cats. killed to date by people in this area.". And "Witches don't like their black cat. killed." And did she claim to be a. witch? So, this is the thing. I've heard.

a lot of different things, but her. friend Nikki told people that she did. this because a cat of hers had died. She. thought it was the neighbors, >> [music]. >> and she just wanted to scare them to. like make people think that she was. someone that they wouldn't want to mess. with. I didn't see any sign of her actually. practicing witchcraft. In fact, in the. time leading up to their disappearance, there is evidence that they were. gravitating to more traditional. religious outlets, but still with a. really dark focus. You see, inside their house. investigators found pamphlets and books.

about death and the end of the world. There were Bibles around the house that. had highlighted verses that talk about. the apocalypse. Deputies learned that recently the. Jamesons started going to this. Seventh-day Adventist Church, and a. month before they disappeared, they'd. apparently reached out to the pastor. asking for help with a really concerning. problem. [music]. He said Sherilyn told him that Madison. was speaking to two children, and then. Sherilyn's sister Marla, who had died 2. years earlier.

And Bobby told the pastor that he was. looking for some kind of like special. bullets to kill demons, and he was. reading a Satanic Bible to learn how to. get rid of spirits. So, is [music] is. Bobby like humoring Sherilyn, or is he. like all in on on believing this? >> It seems like he really believes it. Because as easy as it would be to write. this all off as just like nonsense from. someone who is off their meds, there are. some weird things that I have to tell. you. So, we talked to Sherilyn's friend.

Nikki. I I mentioned that earlier. And. she says that they told her about the. spirits, too. And she says that she. definitely believed that the Jamesons'. house was haunted, because every time. she visited them over the summer of. 2008, there was just this heaviness in the. house that she said made her sick to her. stomach. And there was one moment in. particular that really freaked her out. Nikki says that she and her husband were.

sitting with Sherilyn in the Jamesons'. living room, and Nikki could see this like huge gray. mist floating down the stairs slowly. And she said literally the hairs on the. back of her neck stood straight up, and. then she just watched it until it. disappeared near the bottom of the. stairs. I'm sorry, like paging Russia and Eva, like did this just turn into a so. supernatural? >> like, what?

>> I don't know. And I Listen, I know. people will roll their eyes, whatever. This is These are people's own. experiences. But it's really hard. to write off the next thing, which. brings me all the way up to October 8th, the day that the family goes missing. Police docs show that Bobby called the. realtor, whose name is Peggy, to ask. about the land for sale at around 8:00. a.m. >> Mhm. Per a written statement from her, Bobby. told her that they were really. interested in living off the grid. They. spoke for like 2 hours, and in this.

conversation he talked about Madison and. how smart she was and how he was excited. to home-school her, and he assured Peggy. that he knew what they were getting. into. And she said that he sounded excited, but nothing really jumped out at her. It. was like many of the conversations she. had with people about selling land. So, that call ends at 10:00 a.m. At 10:30, things get weird. The Jamesons had a surveillance system. set up around their home. And when.

police pulled the footage from that. morning, it shows the family loading up their. truck from like [music] 10:30 to 11:00. Except they're not really loading much. It's like the most eerie thing, Brett. Now, there were only clips of this video. that live online today. As far as I. could tell, the full video that captured. like multiple angles during this time. has never been released. And when we tried to FOIA them, we were. told that the original no longer exists.

because apparently a flood at the. department where it was stored ruined. it. But in the little bit that was released. to the media and that has survived, you. can see Bobby and Sherilyn. walking back and forth [music] to the. truck over and over and over. But no one can figure out why. Like the. truck doors appear to be open, but it's. not like they're loading it up. Most of. the time they're walking back and forth. with nothing in their hands.

Though at one point, authorities say. that they see Sherilyn take what looks. like a brown briefcase type thing, like. a bag to the pickup truck. Now, I don't. see a clear moment of that in the short. clips we have. If it is included in what we're looking. at, I'm thinking it might be right here. at this moment. You can kind of see like. I don't know if you see that, like a. shadow, right? Like on the side of. Sherilyn by like by her legs. >> Yeah. But the footage just like isn't great.

quality. So like it's it's really hard. to tell. Now this video has become. hugely sensationalized because this idea. has kind of gotten perpetuated that the. way they were walking was like they were. in a trance. Which makes for good TV when you've got. talk of witches and demon killing. bullets. But I'm a little reluctant to go all in. on that based on what I've seen. >> I mean yeah, I mean I can hardly tell. anything from this like kind of really.

short loop of footage. Right. And I. don't know what's been manipulated or. cut. >> Right. Or even if like these are like. consecutive. >> Right. We can't even see timestamps. So. I don't know what to make of it. But, what I know is that after a full half. hour of this, that's when they set off. to make the about 1-hour drive to the. coordinates that they've been given. But, they make a few stops first to go. look at some other land, which suggests. to me that this idea of buying the land. and the reason they're going up there.

isn't some ruse. >> Right, like it's a legit. Even more. evidence of that is the fact that on. their way up the mountain, they stopped. at the home of this guy named Dan. Clemmons. He lived on the mountain just. a quarter of a mile from where the. Jamesons' truck would be found. And in. Dan's written statement, he said that he. talked to the family for like 45 minutes. before they headed up to the property. He was. like telling them, you know, about what. it's like to live up there, whatever. >> land type stuff. >> Yeah, and he told them to stop by on. their way out, but he says they just. >> [music]. >> never did.

Now, we know they arrive at the 40-acre. property at 2:15. 2:51, that photograph of Madison was. taken. And then. poof, the entire family is just. >> [music]. >> gone. All of their stuff just left. behind. Well, all their stuff that is, except. one thing. [music]. The brown bag that authorities say. Sherilyn was seen carrying to the truck. in the surveillance footage is not. [music]. found. I mean, do they know what was or.

what might have been in it? No, that's. like that's the question. And [music] no one is ever going to know. for sure because spoiler alert, to this. day, that bag has never been found. But, Sheriff Beecham told the Oklahoman back. in the day that he thinks the bag could. have had money in it. Now, how much and. what was the money for? >> Mhm. This is where we can spiral. Remember. how there was like almost $32,000 under. the seat like when the car was found?

Yeah, cuz that's like a lot of cash. Right, so like that's the kind of thing. that will make you think that this isn't. something involving foul play, like at. the hands of a stranger, right? Because. like who is going to kill an entire. family and not take the $32,000 in cash. >> Right. Well, now Sheriff Beachum. wouldn't return our calls, but I did. catch a recent interview that he did on. a podcast called I Don't Drink Coffee, where he dives into his theory a little. bit. So, remember the lawsuit that Bobby. filed after he was hurt in the car. accident? >> Yeah. So, Bobby's mom, Star, apparently.

told investigators that he got a $64,000. settlement for that, and that he and. Sherilyn split it down the middle. So, $32,000 each. >> Correct. So, the theory that kind of. gets floated is that maybe someone did. make away with. $32,000 or something around there. >> In the purse or the bag? >> They just didn't know that there was a. whole second bag of money kind of hidden. away in the truck. >> Mhm.

Now, the only issue I have with that. though is that is a lot of cash to just. be sitting on from 2007 when that. lawsuit settled to October of 2009, especially if there really were all. these substance use problems. Not that. it can't be done, but I don't know, they're having financial troubles, yet. they're like just sitting on. >> like cash. >> For how long, Leah? Just it's weird to. me. Yeah. Now, others have speculated. that maybe it was drugs that was in the. brown briefcase. [music] And that's. usually from the camp of people who see.

the surveillance footage, and they don't. think that they're in a trance, but. rather they think they may be drugged. out, which is what a psychologist at the. sheriff's office brought in believed and. told them. Which is just as, if not. more, plausible. [music] I mean, you. think about it, like how this all played. out. There's a half an hour between when. Bobby gets off the phone with Peggy and. then when he is seen on the camera. And. I say that because like she doesn't make. any indication that he is speaking. strangely, that he's sounding. intoxicated.

>> Right, like it's a very normal. conversation with her with like a. possible buyer. >> saying if he if you're going to say then. like a half hour later he's like in a. trance or so drugged out that he's. acting weird. Like there's a short. window of time where like something. might have happened like after he got. off the phone with Right, there's like. this gap. >> Right, and he could have taken. something. So like she doesn't know what. he's like. high or not, right? Like. >> Right, for sure. Like I mean, he could. have been high functioning. I think the. thing that I take issue with is there's. to me a big difference between having an.

hours-long conversation with someone and. like I said and then behaving in a way. that some people would characterize it. as being in a trance, right? Like there. has to be like something that happened. >> be a shift between those two times. >> Right. Ghosts, is it drugs? Otherwise. like whatever, which makes me go back to. questioning even the basis of this. Like. that video. Again, I'm not seeing weird movements or. actions from the short clips that we. have. I like I'm kind of taking law. enforcement at their word here that the.

way they were moving was super weird. If. there is a a world where their movements. over the full video weren't all that. weird and and this is something that has. just gotten blown up over the years, then they might have been in perfectly. fine condition and then nothing weird. happened after the call with the. realtor. They were just. >> [music]. >> getting ready to leave. And I like to. say like getting ready to leave with. like a small child Yes. >> which is not the easiest, most. clear-cut, direct thing to ever do. Totally fair, but but but usually if. I've got if I'm thinking about like the.

stuff that like holds me up with Joe, it's like I'm It's stuff. It's. >> It is. It's the stuff. It's the it's the. not having stuff that I think is. >> is the weirdest part of it. >> Odd, yeah. But if we are talking drugs. in Oklahoma in 2009, meth is what. everyone was concerned about. Use and. production was rising at the time and. locals actually told us that the. northern part of these mountains in. particular are known for illegal. activity like drugs and dumping. So, weird behavior, large amounts of cash,

for a moment even the police think maybe. this whole property sale thing was a. ruse and they were really going up the. mountain to make some kind of drug deal. But, authorities debunk this one pretty. quickly because they don't find any. illegal drugs in the Jamesons' house or. their truck. And they're not finding any evidence. that Bobby or Sherilyn were illegal drug. dealers or users. It seems like. everything that they were on was. prescription. Though I will say Bobby's.

uncle Jack told us that he thought Bobby. was using something other than. painkillers. But, not enough for their home or truck. to show signs of that. >> Right. So, I don't think that it was. drugs in Sherilyn's bag. Now, the only other thing that might. have been in the bag, the only other. thing that has never been found, >> [music]. >> is a .22 caliber gun that Sherilyn. owned. Like drugs or money, we can't confirm.

that she took it up the mountain with. her that day. We just know that it is. totally MIA. It wasn't in the home when they searched. it, and it wasn't in the truck. So, was it money? Was it a gun? Was it some. combination of things in that bag? I. don't know. But, knowing everything you do now, you. might see why many in the public start. honing in on a theory. >> [music]. >> that it was actually Sherilyn, off her. meds, having recently been suicidal,

that picked out this plot of land, wrote. a scathing letter to her husband that. she read all the way up there, and then. once they got to the right place, she. enacted some kind of murder-suicide. plot. Okay, but then. where are they? That's the big hole, right? Why can't. anyone find them after weeks [music] and. then months of searching. Well, and it. doesn't make sense to me at least why. you'd leave your dog locked in the car. Like that's a prolonged death sentence.

for the pup. Like Yeah. Not to get. graphic, but if the dog was shot, like. that's one thing. Like that's like. everybody then. No, I know exactly what. you mean. Like let the dog run free. Leave the dog at home. Or like do a. million other things, but this seems. like the cruelest thing. >> Yeah. And everyone who talked about the. family said that Madison loved that dog. Like she would not have gone anywhere. without it. So it's just like another. part that does not add up. >> Yeah. Other things that don't add up to. me are like the key being in the. ignition and almost all of their things.

being back in the car. Like. if she wanted to take her family out to. the wilderness and end things, then why wouldn't the phone still be. with them? Like why not the keys? They. went back to the truck. They had to have. gotten in and then turned around so they. were ready to go down this one-lane. mountain road. Then something happened to them. Like. that like it doesn't fit for me. >> Well, that's assuming this was a.

murder-suicide. Like what if that. briefcase she had. had the gun, had the money, and she was going to disappear. Well, that would have been a plausible theory. I mean really for either Sherilyn or. Bobby. But. that stops being a plausible theory in. 2013. Because that's when the entire family is. actually found. Not too far from where. their abandoned truck stood four years. earlier.

On November 16th, 2013, this is four. years after the Jamesons disappeared, a. man named Tim Graham is with his wife. and family on their annual hunting trip. to the mountain. They're just looking. for signs of deer when Tim sees. something strange in the brush about. like 50 yards away from a gravel road. He looks [music] like a turtle shell at. first. I mean it's weathered, discolored, and a little stuck to the. ground.

But when he picks it up, he realizes. that it is a skull. And there is a small. hole near the forehead. Now Tim immediately puts it down and. yells to his wife, but then he sees. another one like a slightly smaller one. And then as the family is trying to get. out of there and to go tell someone what. they found, Tim's wife spots a. >> [music]. >> third really small skull. with two front teeth missing. And her. mind immediately goes to the Jamisons. because she remembers seeing missing.

persons posters for the family. Madison's toothless grin is seared in. her brain. And in that moment, she says to her. husband, "Oh my goodness, I believe we. just found that family that was. missing.". And she was right. Now there wasn't much. left out there, just an arm and a leg. bone, a left boot, scraps of another. boot, and a child shoe, but nothing. else. No briefcase, no gun, and after about 7 months of. analysis in June 2014, they're able to.

confirm that they found the entire. family just 2.6. miles from where their truck was found. Like 2.6 like 2 and 1/2 miles away. That's it. Which like I know this sounds. like nothing to us like flat-landed folk. who like live in the Midwest. >> 5 miles for ages. Fields and fields, but. Beecham said that to go from where their. truck was found to where their skulls. were recovered, like as the crow flies,

it would take like a half day for. someone who is in great shape to hike, which makes this location all the more. strange because Bobby was not in great. shape. He had chronic back pain. And I. >> don't know if you've tried hiking with a. 6-year-old recently, but like in this. area that would slow you way down. Most. people don't think there is any way that. they got to that location on their own. And [music] this completely nixes the. murder-suicide theory. Like it has to be. foul play. But for some reason, it like.

it doesn't for some people, right? So. like. let's talk theories like and what works. and what doesn't [music] work. So first, the murder-suicide theory. People still point to Sherilyn's mental. instability and like that hate letter is. what they call it, the one that was in. the truck, as proof that she killed her. family and herself. Okay, but if they. never found a gun and they can't. determine a cause of death, that seems. like it takes away all of the elements. that you need to make murder-suicide.

work. If it was a gun that was used and. if they were shot in the head. >> wasn't there a hole in Bobby's head? Well, yeah, but they officially say that. that hole is from animal activity. But. like I'm with you like you could have. been shot in like the fleshy parts of. your body that like you wouldn't see. from the few pieces that they were able. to collect, but even then like you. should see bullet fragments and [music]. a gun. >> left behind. But I mean, kind of going. back to what like if a gun was used, right? Like that's not the only way it.

could have gone down. Yes and no. Like I. kind of disagree because like unless mom. and dad were in on this together and. like quite literally drinking the. Kool-Aid, you have to do something quick. like a gun. Like I don't think you can. overpower the other parent and kill. Madison without being stopped. You know. what I mean? >> Yeah. And so much of what we know. doesn't make sense with this to me. Like. why are the keys and the phone back in. the truck? Why was the truck positioned. like it was going back down the. mountain? Where is the brown briefcase?

>> Well, and. I don't know. Like what if someone. came across the remains or the briefcase. and just. never reported it. Especially the. briefcase. Especially if the briefcase. had money in it. >> in it. Yeah, I mean, I could see that. for this area, but it seems more likely. to me that it would have been left in. the truck and then someone rifled. through that once they'd seen the truck. unoccupied for a couple of days and they. just like make a quick grab for the. briefcase, maybe miss the fact that. there's other money under the seat. But.

like in that case again, they're not. like running off with stuff like where. they are where the remains are, you know. what I mean? >> Right. But like whatever someone taking. the brown bag solves, it solves none of. the other problems I have with this. story. How did they get to where they. were? Because I don't believe that they. walked. Especially if this was a plan. that just one of them had. Like, "Okay, can you please leave your keys in the. ignition, $32,000 under the seat, and. your GPS behind, and let's just like. take a walk into the wilderness?" Like.

Right. >> No, that is going to raise like all. sorts of alarm bells. >> 1,000%. So, theory number two, misadventure. And. >> [music]. >> misadventure, this idea that they like. somehow got stuck out there and died, it. doesn't work for me for all the same. reasons above. Yeah. But okay, say they. were high or something. They're doing. things that don't make sense. Actually, this is the only theory where. the strange surveillance footage makes.

>> [music]. >> like even a little bit of sense or like. contributes to something I think. In every other scenario, that's the. thing that is like always this weird. outlier. >> But like okay, whatever. Say you're. high, you're acting weird before you. even get there, you spend your time in. the mountains and you're about to leave. and go down the mountain and you're. like, "You know what? Nope. Like let's. just start walking into the great wide. nowhere without our coats or a phone or. anything else that we previously brought. and used with us for the first time that. we're exploring this place." Because. remember, they did bring their.

Blackberry with GPS when they were. walking between 2:15 and 2:50. So, like. they were using their GPS before. But, you know what? Let's just do it without. it for the funsies. Say all that. happened. Here's the thing that doesn't. make sense to me. I don't think they. would all die and end up in the same. place. >> [music]. >> Like, if that's the scenario. Wait. No, because they'd have to like they're all. their their remains are all found. together at the same place, suggesting. they like died at the same time in the. same place. And also, with this theory,

I'm thinking like that means that. they're high from the time that they. leave the house to the time they get to. the mountain. We know that they go to a. couple different Like wait. plots of. land first. They talk to a guy on the. mountain for like 45 minutes before they. get to their like final location. It just like that that feels like it. would flat like that would flag. somewhere along the way, right? I would. think. Again, this does not add up for. me. Which brings me to theory number. three, >> [music]. >> which is foul play. This is the only theory that I think.

works because it's the only one where. most of the pieces we have fit together. The Jamesons have come to the mountain. They looked around. They'd gotten back. in their truck and turned around ready. to go home, but then they were stopped somehow. Maybe it was innocent at first, or maybe. there was. no niceties and they were forced out of. their truck with like the threat of. violence. Either way, I think they get. out so quickly that Bobby doesn't even. pull the key out of the ignition or grab. his phone, and they leave their dog.

inside the car. >> [music]. >> Then, I think they're driven somewhere. else and eventually killed. Which like. you said, this is the theory that. fits the most pieces, but there's still. kind of a. gaping hole in the theory. Like, who would know that they would be out. there then? That is the key to. everything. But, it's a short list. So, remember, barely anyone knew that the family was. even gone. Like they didn't It wasn't.

like abnormal for them to go away for a. couple of days. It's why they didn't get. reported missing before their truck is. found. So, >> [music]. >> it's not like they checked in a lot with. people or had anyone really keeping tabs. on them. So, really there's only like two people. close to them that authorities look at. And then people who were up on the. mountain. Now, of the two people who are. close to the family, there's no evidence. that they actually knew where the. Jamisons were headed on October 8th. But. those are just the two people who might. have had motives. They have to look at. those people. Now, the first is Bobby's.

dad because of the lawsuit and the. protective order. But by the time the. Jamisons went missing, Bob's health was. deteriorated and he was actually living. in like a nursing home or some kind of. like hospice care. [music] And he was so. sick that he could barely take care of. himself, let alone hike a mountain or. hurt his son and his family. And there. is no evidence that he could be tied to. their disappearance in any [music] way. So, authorities rule him out pretty. quick. And Bob actually passed away just. 2 months after they all went missing in. December 2009. So, the second person.

that they look at who had a personal. connection to the family was this guy. named Kenneth Bellows. He actually lived with the family at. their lake house in Eufaula over the. summer. The boarding arrangement was. part of his compensation for helping. them with things around the house since. Bobby's back pain had gotten so bad that. he couldn't do much. But there was a huge falling out because. apparently Kenneth told Sherilyn that he. was a white supremacist and said that. people who had Native American heritage, like she did, should die.

So, Sherilyn ended up shooting at him. and kicking him out of the house. But in the end, Kenneth ends up. providing the sheriff's office with a. really solid alibi. And I don't think. they could even prove that he knew where. the family was going that day since he'd. been kicked out weeks before and hadn't. had contact with the family since. So, both dad and [music]. Kenneth cleared, which means that either. leaves someone else who they knew.

personally who just hasn't come up in. the investigation or someone who lived. on the mountain. Whichever it is, there might be someone. out there who has the answer. You see, Israel Beecham has retired from. the sheriff's office. But in his 2020 podcast interview with. the host of I don't drink coffee, he. said in no uncertain terms that he. believes the Jamesons were murdered and. he even thinks he knows who killed them.

He just had no way to prove it. And he. said he thinks someone shot Bobby and. Sherilyn and then just left Madison on. her own to die. >> [music]. >> And when it came to why, all he would say. is follow the money. And that's the thing I keep coming back. to. Why did they have that much money in. their car anyways? I mean, this wasn't. like an uber wealthy couple with cash. just like coming out of their ears. I think it's risky to drive around with.

that much money. Like, you know, maybe. $32,000, maybe more. That's not. something you do unless you're intending. to use that money. Don't you think? >> say without like intention. Like to take. it somewhere, to deposit it, for it to. change hands. >> And we know that they were going up. there to possibly make a purchase. So, who knew that they were coming up. there to make a purchase? The answer is two people. One, the realtor Peggy, and two, Dan Clements, the local.

landowner. And there's something I. didn't tell you about Dan. He actually claims to have seen the. family on two different days. According. to his statement, the Jameson family was. up on the mountain the day before they. got the coordinates from Peggy. Apparently, they had seen the property. online and they decided to just like. drive up and check it out on their own. But according to him, they had trouble. finding it. So, they pulled up to his. place, likely since he was like the.

nearest house to, you know, where the. property was. It was like a quarter mile. away. And they were asking for. directions, he says. And he says he talked to them that time. for like an hour about, you know, building off-grid, like herbal. medicines. And he is the one who ended. up giving them Peggy's number to call. the next day. He's like, "Listen, you. contact her, come back in the morning.". Cuz it was like 6:00 p.m. by that point. Like So, by the time they're done. talking, it's like 7:00. It's like. getting dark. He's like, "It's not even. safe for you to be out here exploring. the mountain in the [music] dark." So,

he says they leave. He says they do stop. by the next day at around noon, where. they speak for another 45 minutes. And. then the family headed up to check out. the land. Now, remember he told them to. stop back by, but he that they never. did. But he says they never did. Right. Now, right away this is a little off to me. because if they are talking to him, he. says they start talking around like. noon. If they're talking to him to like. 12:45, why does their GPS say that they. make it to the land at 2:15? Where are. they for the like hour and a half in.

between? >> Right. >> We're a quarter of a mile from where. their truck is. And you know, were his times just off? Like, maybe. Either way, he apparently. wasn't concerned when they didn't stop. back by and wasn't concerned that he. never heard from them again. And it's. worth pointing out that if all of Dan's. statements are true, like. this makes the murder-suicide theory. even less plausible to me. Cuz like, why. not do it the day before when like. Peggy doesn't even know you're out. there, right? The realtor. Like, they're. spending a lot of time talking to people.

about buying this land. Yes. Finding the. exact location. Like, you don't need any of that if you just. want to go to the woods. Go to the. middle of nowhere for this like. murder-suicide plan. >> Totally. Everything about the. circumstances makes me believe that they. were up there to buy land. Planning for. their future. And on October 8th, something or someone stopped them. Now, based on Peggy's statement to police, someone alerts her to the Jamesons'. truck being there on the 15th. This is 2.

days before this story started. And I guess at the time she was like, "Oh, no biggie. Whatever. The family. probably just wanted to take a second. look at the land. Happens all the time.". So, she didn't do anything. But then, 2 days pass, and it's the 17th at 3:00. p.m. when Dan is first alerted to the. truck being there. And he asked some questions about the. truck, like specific like features or. whatever, and he realizes that the. description sounds like the family that. he had talked to. So, he gets super. worried then and calls Peggy. Peggy.

apparently tries the family. She. couldn't reach them. And so, he called. then another neighbor to ask that. neighbor to go look at the truck with. him. But by the time they go up there. together, it's 5:30 p.m. And that's when. Dan says that he first saw the abandoned. truck for himself. But he doesn't call. police right away. He does his own search looking for the. family first. And Peggy is actually the. one who ends up calling the deputies, who then arrive at the truck at around.

7:30 p.m. Here's what I find odd. One, why not call the authorities yourself? Like Peggy's the one that has to do. that. Like the second you hear about. this trapped dog and you're admitting. that you're making this connection to. the Jamesons, like why wait? Two, I find it super weird that he. wanted to wait for a friend to go look. at the truck with him. Like there is no. context in the report for why he did. this. Like. you know, maybe he didn't have a vehicle.

of any kind. Or maybe he wanted someone. else to find it. Right. He's like creating this distance. between like himself and the truck. Like. >> This has me wondering like. was there any way he could have been. behind the first call on the 15th? Like. hey, there's this truck up here like. trying to get someone else to get up. there. then? I don't see evidence of that. I. had literally had the same thought, but. that there that call came from another. landowner in the area who is named. So,

if he was like if there's a world where. he was behind it, he would have had to. get that person to call and there again, like I said, there's no evidence that. that happened. The thing I'll say though is like who. isn't named are the two people on the. four-wheelers that apparently alerted. him to the truck on the 17th. >> Mhm. From what I have, I can't tell if police. ever even identify those men, if they. ever talked to them to verify Dan's. story. My biggest question too is about. the long conversations they had. [music]. They talked for an hour the first day, 45 minutes the next day. So, at any point did it come up that.

they would be traveling up there with. cash? Did it come up that nobody would really. know where they were? >> Mhm. We couldn't reach Dan for this episode, so we couldn't ask him ourselves [music]. what those conversations were. And do we. know was the truck ever processed for. like prints or anything? Like could they. tell if someone else drove it? Or cuz like maybe there's a scenario. where the family left on their own or. otherwise and someone brought the truck.

back to this area later. >> Yeah, so according to police doc, they. did process the truck, but it doesn't go. into detail about what was found. So, I. don't know if they got anything good, I. don't know if they got anything to. compare to anyone, I don't know if it. was like all wiped down. And then. based on what we have when it comes to. Dan, it just says that they thoroughly. checked him with {quote} negative. results. But we looked into Dan Clemons. ourselves when we were reporting on this. case in late 2025 [music] and we found. something pretty interesting. A man with. the same name and the right age was.

arrested in 2017. for killing a man. back in 1997. Now, we haven't confirmed. whether these are the same people since. Dan would not return our calls, but we. showed Sherlyn's friend Nikki this guy's. mugshot and she confirmed that that is. the same man she knew as Dan Clements. who she had interactions with on the. mountain while searching for the. Jamesons. >> So, this '97 homicide, like it is it. similar? Do we know much about it? >> know a ton. All I was able to find was.

that So, like you said, it happened in. '97 and a man named David McCloud was. found shot to death at his ranch in. California. Nothing is taken from the. house, but his killer took his truck and. drove it up to San Francisco. and. must have fled or whatever cuz they end. up arresting this Dan Clements guy in. Oklahoma. This is where like our story. takes place, where he'd been living. under a fake name. And the Trinity. Journal reported that Dan ultimately. pled no contest of voluntary.

manslaughter and got 3 years in prison. as part of a plea deal. I mean, okay. I assume police would have known. about this at the time though. I would. hope so if it was in fact the same Dan. >> right. But, it's not mentioned anywhere in the. reports that we've gotten. All we see. when it comes to Dan is that they. thoroughly checked him with negative. results. >> Which like I still don't even know what. that means, but did they thoroughly. check anyone else on the mountain? I'm.

sure they talked to as many people as. they could. Like, I don't know, I don't. have a list of everyone, but I do know. one person because we tracked her down. Her name is Ann Marie Deuhan. And I. specifically tracked her down because as. we were reporting on this, I heard this. rumor that her and her family moved off. the mountain not long after the Jamesons. went missing. So, people were wondering. if her and her husband might have been. involved. And I actually found this. like, you know, these are rumors now, but I found a tip in the file that. someone had made about them back in.

2010. But our reporter Shara Adams. tracked Ann down and she says that. deputies did question her about the. Jamesons' disappearance. And she just laughed in their face, she. said. She says that her and her family moved. off the mountain in the fall of 2010. because they'd been homeschooling their. children and they wanted to move the. kids like back down so they could go to. school. Though, that's not quite how her. daughter remembers it. When I talked to. her daughter, she told us that her. parents were not good people and that.

they moved off the mountain so abruptly. that they left a bunch of their stuff. But Ann was never named as a suspect and. she denies having anything to do with. what happened to the Jamesons. So, I'm. sure there are even more stories like. that. I just haven't been able to track. down every person who is on the mountain. cuz turns out living off the grid makes. it kind of hard to find you. Off the. grid is off the grid. >> Truly. Now, if anyone on the mountain. did it, I have to believe the motive was. money. Beecham said, "Follow the money.".

But to who? Like I said, he never got back to us for. this episode. But Bobby's uncle Jack. really wants to know what more Beecham. knows that he hasn't shared in all these. years. Maybe all the pieces are there. Maybe they're just held by different. [music] people. The problem is it. doesn't seem like anyone is really. investigating this. It's that weird. catch-22 we often see where the ME. classified these deaths as undetermined.

So, there is no homicide that is being. investigated. All the investigative files we have were. from when this was a missing persons. case. Now, it's just in limbo. Meaning that if Bobby, Sherilyn, and. Madison were killed by someone, that someone has gotten away with. murder. But it doesn't always have to be that. way. So, if you know anything that could. change the status of this case, you can contact the Latimer County.

Sheriff's Office at 918. 465-4013.