In the autumn of 2009, a strange and unsettling mystery began to unfold in the rugged terrain of the Sans Bois Mountains near Red Oak, Oklahoma. Bobby Jamison, a 44-year-old male, his wife Sherilynn, and their six-year-old daughter Madyson, set out on October 8th to look at a 40-acre plot of land they were considering buying. It was a trip from which they would never return, sparking a perplexing case that continues to baffle investigators and the public alike.
The family from Eufaula, Oklahoma, seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving behind a trail of bizarre clues and unanswered questions.
Days after they were last seen, their pickup truck was discovered abandoned in a remote area of Latimer County. The scene inside the truck only deepened the mystery. Investigators found the family's wallets, identification, mobile phones, and, most curiously, a bank bag containing about $32,000 in cash. Also inside the locked truck was the family's malnourished but still living dog, Maisy. There were no immediate signs of a struggle, and it appeared as though the family had intended to return to their vehicle. An extensive search of the mountainous region was launched, involving hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement, but no trace of the missing family was found.
For four long years, the fate of the Jamison family remained a complete enigma. Then, in November 2013, deer hunters stumbled upon the skeletal remains of two adults and a child in a remote spot less than three miles from where the family's truck had been found. Eight months later, in July 2014, forensic testing confirmed the remains belonged to Bobby, Sherilynn, and Madyson Jamison. The discovery, however, brought little resolution. Due to the severe decomposition of the bodies, the medical examiner was unable to determine a cause of death, ruling it as inconclusive. One of the skulls, believed to be Bobby's, had a hole that was initially considered a possible bullet wound, but further examination suggested it was likely the result of decomposition and animal activity.
In the absence of clear evidence, numerous theories have emerged. Investigators have considered the possibility of a murder-suicide, pointing to a troubled letter written by Sherilynn to Bobby. Another prominent theory is that the family ran afoul of drug dealers, given the large amount of cash in their truck and reports of their strange, trance-like behavior captured on a home surveillance camera just before they left. Other speculation has included the family getting lost and succumbing to the elements, or being targeted by a local cult. Even family members were looked at, as Bobby had a contentious relationship with his father, Bob Dean Jamison, and had previously filed a protective order against him. However, investigators ultimately cleared him as a person of interest. To this day, the case remains cold. No arrests have ever been made, and there are no official suspects in the haunting disappearance and death of the Jamison family.
