MI MI - Charles Rutherford, 34, & Lana Stempien (fd dec.), Aug 2005 - Detroit Boaters

New Posts

Only4 Justice, I have a couple of questions: 1) How far was Rodgers City from Mackinaw Island? The article says she called her parents at 1:45p.m. and said they'd arrive in a couple of hours I believe. 2) Could it have been a murder-suicide, where Chuck decided if Lana couldn't marry him, then noone could have her and jumped in after he pushed Lana overboard?

Middle of the afternoon seems an unlikely time for a 3rd-party attack, but I am curious about the discrepancy in the color of the bumpers. Perhaps Chuck arranged for a 3rd party to attack her.
 
I could be way off the mark here, but if his parents were in Lake Huron, perhaps they are the "third party". Maybe Chuck killed Lana and somehow contacted his parents and they met him there and helped him escape??? I don't know. I'm just throwing some theories out there. I find it odd that they decided they didn't need the aid of the lawyer, and now they're not saying much. Just my opinion. And, like I said, I could be way out in left field. But, it looks like foul play to me. And, I think Chuck is involved somehow.
 
LinasK said:
Only4 Justice, I have a couple of questions: 1) How far was Rodgers City from Mackinaw Island? The article says she called her parents at 1:45p.m. and said they'd arrive in a couple of hours I believe. 2) Could it have been a murder-suicide, where Chuck decided if Lana couldn't marry him, then noone could have her and jumped in after he pushed Lana overboard?

Middle of the afternoon seems an unlikely time for a 3rd-party attack, but I am curious about the discrepancy in the color of the bumpers. Perhaps Chuck arranged for a 3rd party to attack her.
Click to expand...

LinasK, Rogers City is 2 hours away from Mackinac Island. So, Lana calling and saying they would be there is a couple of hours sounds right.

Your theory of a murder-suicide is a good one, and I believe it may be a possibility. I am absolutely convinced Lana did not go into that lake willingly.

Since I have been on Lake Huron many, many times, I can tell you that even if someone did dock their boat to Lana's boat, it would probably not been seen. The lake is very big and there are not many boats out there. Another possibliity I have thought of is that they met some people while docked for the night before, who may have followed them and did them harm. But, then why was Lana naked, but not sexually assaulted (as far as we know.)

I have known Lana for many years. This has caused her family a great deal of pain, as expected. I hope answers are found.

Thanks for replying!

_____________________________________________________

The above is MY opinion and I AM entitled to have one!
 
wondering22 said:
Bumping UP - featured on Dateline tonight.
Click to expand...


After January's feature, two sisters came forward, they saw the vacant boat near shore, with another boat speeding away from it. Quite interesting.
 
wondering22 said:
After January's feature, two sisters came forward, they saw the vacant boat near shore, with another boat speeding away from it. Quite interesting.
Click to expand...
I wonder if it was actually speeding away from the boat or it was near it and really has nothing to do with Lana's boat. Would Chuck have been able to arrange for someone to pick him up being so far away from home? If someone picked him up, I imagine it would be a stranger. Assuming they know of what happened, I believe they would have come forward by now.
 
They definitely said the boat was empty, near the shore, and there was another boat speeding away from it .... the impression I got, but that THEY DID NOT EVER SAY... was more like, something potentially really premeditated, with accomplices.

That was my IMPRESSION, and I could be totally mistaken; however, after listening to part of the interview with the black gentleman who described seeing him beating her up on the street, and how bizarre & violent his behavior was... well, his words were very credible to me, but I didn't catch the entire interview.

Maybe there will be a transcript? Or a TV rerun, sometime?
 
I didn't see this interview with the man. It sounds like you're saying this man implied that Chuck violently beat Lana when they were ashore somewhere. Was there evidence on her body to suggest this when she was pulled from the water? If indeed something like this happened, surely there would be trauma to her. Why didn't this man call police if he saw something violent happen? Like I said, I didn't see this interview, so maybe I am missing something.
 
dulcinea said:
I didn't see this interview with the man. It sounds like you're saying this man implied that Chuck violently beat Lana when they were ashore somewhere. Was there evidence on her body to suggest this when she was pulled from the water? If indeed something like this happened, surely there would be trauma to her. Why didn't this man call police if he saw something violent happen? Like I said, I didn't see this interview, so maybe I am missing something.
Click to expand...

Sorry, the time he saw the beating was on the street, and he said he was amazed by the hostile violence. It had nothing to do with the boat; I don't know how much earlier, how many weeks/months, whatever, that he saw them fighting and saw her beaten.

Also, another thing stated on that program is that she'd told....... two other people, CANT REMEMBER WHO, that if any ever "happened" to her, that he'd be an immediate POI... evidentally quite a few people, but I don't know on how many occasions, had witnessed his behavior when he was ANGRY with her; one time it was in a dinner club, and two policemen escorted him out.

I really knew nothing about this case before this show, and I was busy with some other things, and didn't have the opportunity to pay it the attention that your questioning requires.

Hopefully someone familiar with the case and watched Dateline will address your questions.
 
I saw the show.

The man who came forward that saw him beating her was a witness several months prior who saw them outside a bar in Detroit at night and he was in his vehicle driving the same way also as they left. He saw Chuck beating her and she somehow got away, by car I assume, and Chuck was chasing her in his car. The man indicated he'd never seen someone so enraged -- Chuck even hit another car while giving chase, but kept going even with his airbag unleashed with him having to keep knock it out of the way. I'd say I'd remember a sight like that as well.

As far as her telling people that something may happen to her. Her two friends said they'd been watching television when something regarding the whole Laci Peterson case came on. It was then that she confided that she was afraid of Chuck and if anything happened to her, he'd be responsible.

I think he did her in and somehow managed to get someone to pick him up off the boat. There was evidence another boat had been tied to it. I believe he's alive and hiding.
 
LvsAMystry said:
I saw the show.

The man who came forward that saw him beating her was a witness several months prior who saw them outside a bar in Detroit at night and he was in his vehicle driving the same way also as they left. He saw Chuck beating her and she somehow got away, by car I assume, and Chuck was chasing her in his car. The man indicated he'd never seen someone so enraged -- Chuck even hit another car while giving chase, but kept going even with his airbag unleashed with him having to keep knock it out of the way. I'd say I'd remember a sight like that as well.

As far as her telling people that something may happen to her. Her two friends said they'd been watching television when something regarding the whole Laci Peterson case came on. It was then that she confided that she was afraid of Chuck and if anything happened to her, he'd be responsible.

I think he did her in and somehow managed to get someone to pick him up off the boat. There was evidence another boat had been tied to it. I believe he's alive and hiding.
Click to expand...

Thank you SO much, I was unable to pay attention during that segment, and was previously unfamiliar with the case. I hope there's a transcript somewhere, sometime. The new details about her case turned out to be very interesting, with the new witnesses. From the little I know, I'd have to agree with your assessment that he's currently in hiding.
 
Does anyone know if this car chase incident was reported to the police by anyone? Had I been a witness to this I would have been terrified. I can't understand why she would go on a trip alone with him if she really thought he might harm her.
 
LvsAMystry said:
I saw the show.

The man who came forward that saw him beating her was a witness several months prior who saw them outside a bar in Detroit at night and he was in his vehicle driving the same way also as they left. He saw Chuck beating her and she somehow got away, by car I assume, and Chuck was chasing her in his car. The man indicated he'd never seen someone so enraged -- Chuck even hit another car while giving chase, but kept going even with his airbag unleashed with him having to keep knock it out of the way. I'd say I'd remember a sight like that as well.

As far as her telling people that something may happen to her. Her two friends said they'd been watching television when something regarding the whole Laci Peterson case came on. It was then that she confided that she was afraid of Chuck and if anything happened to her, he'd be responsible.

I think he did her in and somehow managed to get someone to pick him up off the boat. There was evidence another boat had been tied to it. I believe he's alive and hiding.
Click to expand...
I saw the Dateline show months ago, and I also got the gut impression Chuck is responsible and in hiding to play the victim. This girl was an expert boater, this was no accident, IMO ...
 
On the recent "Dateline" show, they stated as fact that the boat's GPS had been tampered with, so that no one would ever know where the boat had been that day.

The fact that Lana was found nude is very telling.
According to reports, it was much too cold for a skinny dip, and
the Swim Ladder was NOT down. Very, very troubling.

If her boyfriend had something to do with this, where could he be hiding
without having to use his bank accounts, credit cards, etc??

I seriously doubt this was an accident.
 
dulcinea said:
Does anyone know if this car chase incident was reported to the police by anyone? Had I been a witness to this I would have been terrified. I can't understand why she would go on a trip alone with him if she really thought he might harm her.
Click to expand...

He went to the police, after he saw their photographs on the local television news, as he recognized them immediately.

Another thing her family mentioned, in regards to her nudity, is that whenever she went swimming, she always removed all of her jewelry and particularly an expensive watch she owned - but her jewelry & watch were still on when they found her body.
 
Yes, I saw that, too.

I'm so surprised that there is no more interest in this case....from the media
or from people here at Websleuths.
 
Wow! I had never heard of this case before. It is indeed very interesting!
I wonder what happened?!?
 
OneLostGrl said:
Wow! I had never heard of this case before. It is indeed very interesting!
I wonder what happened?!?
Click to expand...
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.
 
We had a thread going about this case, check the Cold Case Forum???

I think Chuck's disappearance is awfully fishy(no pun intended)...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 151 more.
Total: 3,597 (members: 152, guests: 3,445)

Online statistics

Members online
152
Guests online
3,445
Total visitors
3,597
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,515
Messages
17,970,202
Members
228,791
Latest member
fesmike
Back
Top