Dateline "What Lies Beneath"

[michelle]

This is a very interesting case. It boggles my mind. I remember when this first happened. I wonder what really happened??? http://www.stempienrutherford.com/contact.html

[OneLostGrl]

Wow! I had never heard of this case before. It is indeed very interesting!
I wonder what happened?!?

[michelle]

Originally Posted by OneLostGrl

Wow! I had never heard of this case before. It is indeed very interesting!
I wonder what happened?!?

I have no idea but I am watching it now on Dateline and it is so sad. Lana was beautiful, when they found her she was naked. Her boyfriend has never been found.

[LinasK]

We had a thread going about this case, check the Cold Case Forum???

I think Chuck's disappearance is awfully fishy(no pun intended)...

[michelle]

Heres a better link with more info.... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15209681/

[nanandjim]

I watched this Dateline segment before. I also find it quite strange that her husband's body was never found. There are several disturbing clues.

[michelle]

Originally Posted by nanandjim

I watched this Dateline segment before. I also find it quite strange that her husband's body was never found. There are several disturbing clues.

It could be possible he is alive somewhere.

[nanandjim]

Originally Posted by michelle

It could be possible he is alive somewhere.

Yep. I also think that this is a possibility. I mainly think that this is a possibility because they were not robbed. It doesn't make sense that someone would just murder them. I guess that someone could have accosted them solely to rape her and then thrown them both overboard or that he got drunk, made her strip and pushed her overboard and then committed suicide.

Who went to the trouble of manipulating the GPS data? Was it Chuck or was it strangers? Who owned those blue floaties that were tied to the boat? How did the GPS knob get screwed into the bottom of her tennis shoe? Were her clothes found on board? If not, where were they? Why weren't they robbed? Was it just some psychopaths out to rape and murder two people?

[michelle]

Originally Posted by nanandjim

Yep. I also think that this is a possibility. I mainly think that this is a possibility because they were not robbed. It doesn't make sense that someone would just murder them. I guess that someone abducted them solely to rape her and throw them both overboard or that he got drunk, made her strip and pushed her overboard and then committed suicide.

Who went to the trouble of manipulating the GPS data? Was it Chuck or was it strangers? Who owned those blue floaties that were tied to the boat? How did the GPS knob get screwed into the bottom of her tennis shoe? Were her clothes found on board? If not, where were they? Why weren't they robbed? Was it just some psychopaths out to rape and murder two people?

That too me is a HUGE clue, it took some force for that to get in her shoe like that.

[nanandjim]

Originally Posted by michelle

That too me is a HUGE clue, it took some force for that to get in her shoe like that.

Wouldn't it seem like someone had to screw it into the shoe, using force?? Also, I just read on her website that the blue floaties that were seen trailing from the boat by the guy who called the boat in were missing when the coast guard reached the boat. Where did they go? Could someone have been on the boat and then left before the boat was found??

[lilsister]

from the charley project.....


Charles Rutherford Jr.


Above Images: Rutherford, circa 2005



Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: August 11, 2005 from Presque Isle, Michigan
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: March 17, 1971
Age: 34 years old
Height and Weight: 6'2, 205 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair, hazel eyes. Rutherford's nickname is Chuck.

Details of Disappearance

Rutherford was last seen at approximately 12:30 p.m. at the Presque Isle Marina in Presque Isle, Michigan. He and his live-in girlfriend, Lana Ann Stempien, were planning to travel across Lake Huron to Mackinac Island in 27-foot Wellcraft Cabin Cruiser named Sea's Life. A photograph of Stempien and their boat is posted below this case summary. At 2:07 p.m., Stempien called a relative on her cellular phone and said she and Rutherford were a few hours from Mackinac Island. That was the last contact with her. The next morning, when the couple had not arrived on the island, they were reported missing.

That same day, Sea's Life was found idling in neutral, ten miles from Mackinac Island. The radio was playing, the running lights were off and the swim ladder was up, and there was a 20-foot line floating off the back of the boat. The boat was empty and there were no signs of Rutherford or Stempien anywhere. The couple's cellular phones and life preservers were still on board. One of the knobs from the instrument panel had come off and was found embedded in the sole of Stempien's shoe.

Two weeks after Rutherford and Stempien disappeared, Stempien's body washed ashore near Hammond Bay, several miles from where her boat was found. She was naked except for a thin gold necklace, a ring and her Omega watch, which her loved ones say she never wore in the water, as it was expensive and not waterproof. There was an elevated level of carbon monoxide in Stempien's blood and investigators theorized she became overcome with fumes from the boat motor while swimming. The cause of death was ruled as drowning. The couple's loved ones stated both Rutherford and Stempien were strong swimmers and trained in boat and water safety, and were not risk-takers. Coast Guard officials stated the water conditions on the day they went missing were fine were boating but may have been too rough for swimming. The water temperature that day was approximately 68 degrees.

Some of Stempien loved ones suspect foul play was involved in her death. There were reports that Rutherford and Stempien were having relationship problems prior to her death, but other witnesses characterized the couple's relationship as strong and loving. Authorities stated there was no evidence of a struggle on the boat or any trauma to Stempien's body, and it is likely that she and Rutherford drowned accidentally. Rutherford is still missing and his disappearance remains under investigation.


Left: Lana Stempien
Right: The Sea's Life

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Michigan State Police
906-643-7582



Source Information
The National Center for Missing Adults
The Detroit News
WXYZ Action News
Click On Detroit
The Traverse City Record-Eagle
The Detroit Free Press



Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004.

Last updated February 22, 2006; details of disappearance updated. Charley Project Home

[kato]

Greta had an hour long "Crime Scene" special about this case maybe about a month ago.

[Tristan]

I find this case baffling.

Does anyone know the answers to the following questions?
(I haven't seen them addressed anywhere.)

1. Was Lana raped?
I'm guessing the body was too decomposed to tell.

2. Were Lana's clothes found on the boat?
If not, where were they?

3. Just how hard (or easy) is it to "disappear" and never be found.....
creating a new identity and a new life.

It just seem that that would be incredibly difficult to pull off.

I'd love to hear some theories from anyone following this case.

[mysteriew]

Originally Posted by Tristan

I find this case baffling.

Does anyone know the answers to the following questions?
(I haven't seen them addressed anywhere.)

3. Just how hard (or easy) is it to "disappear" and never be found.....
creating a new identity and a new life.

It just seem that that would be incredibly difficult to pull off.

I'd love to hear some theories from anyone following this case.

They still haven't found Olivia Newton-John's boyfriend and he disappeared from a boat. There are theories that his disappearance was staged.

It isn't him, but does anyone else see a resemblance to John "Woody" Woodring?
http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/ori...woodring4.html