In the winter of 1999, a 69-year-old woman named Marcus "Maxine" Stalnaker vanished from her home in Lewis County, West Virginia. On the evening of December 1, 1999, she was last seen with her daughter, Mary Friend. The two women had spent part of the day running errands, which included getting new tires for Mary's car. Mary dropped her mother off at home around 5:00 p.m. and then returned to her own residence later that evening. This was the last time either woman was seen.
The following day, Mary failed to show up for her job at a local dry cleaner's, and concern began to grow. Kevin, Mary's husband and Maxine's son-in-law, was working out of state at the time and became worried when he couldn't reach either woman by phone. Upon his return home on December 3rd, he found the house empty with no signs of a struggle or forced entry, yet all of their personal belongings had been left behind.
Five days after the women were last seen, on December 6, 1999, Mary's gray 1987 Chevrolet Celebrity was found abandoned. The vehicle was located along Route 19 near Gore, West Virginia, not far from the former Harrison County Bureau of Emergency Services office. The discovery of the car, however, provided no immediate answers as to the whereabouts of Maxine and her daughter. Tragically, Maxine's Doberman was found deceased under her house, though the cause of death was not publicly disclosed. A second dog, a border collie that belonged to the family, was later found at a former residence of Mary and her husband, about ten miles away from their current home. In 2002, a significant break in the case seemed to occur when a fisherman discovered a purse at Stonewall Jackson Lake containing identification for both Maxine and Mary. Despite searches of the lake at that time and again in 2007, nothing further was found.
Years later, in September 2013, a major development occurred when three men, including Mary's son and Maxine's grandson, Joseph Edward Metz, were charged with kidnapping, robbery, and murder in connection with the disappearances. The other two men charged were David Martin Hughes and Charles Steven "Steve" Freeman. Authorities alleged that Hughes had ordered the other two men to kill the women because he believed they had a journal containing incriminating information about illegal activities. However, the legal proceedings that followed were complex; the charges were dismissed, then reinstated, and ultimately dismissed again in August 2015 due to a key witness being deemed not credible. The case was dismissed without prejudice, which means the charges could be filed again if new evidence emerges. To this day, the bodies of Marcus Maxine Stalnaker and Mary Friend have never been located, and their disappearances remain a painful mystery for their loved ones and the community. Although foul play is strongly suspected, the case is officially unresolved, leaving a void of unanswered questions.Last Seen: Dec 1, 1999
