In the late spring of 2017, Susan Lynn Osborne and her teenage son, Evan Chartrand, vanished from their home in Holtville, Alabama. They were last seen on May 29, 2017, living with Susan's husband of four years, Jerry Marshall Osborne. For two months, Susan's family, who resided out of state, were unable to get in touch with her, a silence that was highly out of character for a woman who typically communicated with her loved ones every day or two.
This prolonged and unsettling lack of contact prompted them to report Susan and Evan missing on July 29, 2017. The circumstances surrounding their disappearance were immediately troubling to those who knew them best, as Susan would never have willingly abandoned her young daughter, who lived with her father but whom Susan saw regularly. Her car was also left behind at the residence.
When law enforcement began their investigation, they spoke with Susan's husband, Jerry, who offered an explanation for their absence. He claimed that Susan had decided to leave him and that another man had come to the house to pick her and Evan up. He further stated that this same man returned the following day to collect furniture and other belongings. However, this account was met with skepticism by Susan's friends and family. Adding to the suspicion, it was discovered that shortly before she went missing, Susan had learned that Jerry had a past as a male escort, a secret he had kept from her. She had confided in her best friend about this discovery via email, expressing her turmoil but also indicating she had perhaps decided to work through the issue with her husband. Since the day she was last heard from, there has been no activity on Susan's phone, social media, or credit cards. Similarly, Evan's prescriptions were never refilled, and he missed a scheduled oral surgery appointment.
The investigation into the disappearance of Susan and Evan uncovered a series of strange and disturbing details. Neighbors reported seeing Jerry Osborne burning multiple pieces of furniture on his property during the summer of 2017. When police conducted a welfare check at the home, they found Jerry in the midst of a significant remodel; he had repainted walls and replaced the flooring. He explained the renovations were necessary because Susan had allegedly spray-painted vulgarities on the walls before she left. Critically, the home's extensive security system, which had cameras at every door, could offer no clues, as Jerry had replaced the entire system on June 1, erasing all footage from the time his wife and stepson were last seen. Investigators did, however, discover approximately twenty possible bloodstains inside the residence, which were collected for DNA analysis. In the years since they vanished, there have been no arrests made, though Jerry Osborne remains a person of interest. The case is cold, but for the family and friends of Susan and Evan, the search for answers continues. Foul play is suspected in their disappearance, a heart-wrenching end to what began as a quiet life in rural Alabama, leaving a void for a daughter left behind and a family desperate for closure.Last Seen: May 29, 2017
