Food For Thought

The Intriguing Jamison Family Mystery That Remains Unsolved

In October 2009, the Jamison family – living in Eufala, Oklahoma, mysteriously disappeared. Their puzzling disappearance left behind a trail of uncanny and inexplicable cues, along with a criminal case that remains unaccounted for and unresolved to this very day. The baffling and mysterious case of the Jamison family disappearance till today is one of the most creepy, intriguing and bewildering criminal cases of disappearance and missing persons in American record and history, with no evidence or corroboration to back it up.

They were never found alive, and their dead and decomposing bodies were discovered 4 years later. However, their fate and what happened to them in real life remain unidentified and unknown to date.

The Disappearance of the Jamison Family

The Jamison Family of Eufaula, Oklahoma, and consisting of parents Bobby Dale Jamison and Sherilyn Leighann Jamison and their 6-year old daughter, Madyson Normy Star Jamison; mysteriously disappeared on October 8, 2009, with no indication of where they might have gone. Following an inquiry into their missing disappearance, the claim of a witness living in the nearby mountains of South Eastern Oklahoma was taken as evidence.

The witness claimed that at the time he had only seen the family in the area and nobody else, making the listing of possible suspects in the Jamison family mystery case even more difficult. Probing and questioning later revealed that the Jamisons had been in the area on the lookout for a Forty-acre plot of land that they had decided to purchase.

The First Jamison Family Mystery Breakthrough

A first major break in the Jamison family mystery case occurred eight days on October 16. The family’s abandoned truck was discovered in Latimer County, a quarter-mile away from their last known and seen location, Oklahoma, by scouting hunters. The car had been left as it is along with various items inside. The police recovered Bobby’s wallet and Sherilyn’s purse, jackets, their personal ID’s, Bobby’s cell-phone, GPS, maps and around $32,000 in hard cash. Along with the items, Jamison’s family dog – Maisie, although extremely malnourished, was found surprisingly alive in the backseat of the truck.

How and Why the Family came to acquire so much money and cash still remained a question to be answered. Initial suspicion revealed that the family came into possession of so much money possibly as a result of dealing with drugs. However, no possible reason for them to take their daughter and family dog along with them for the above reason was tabulated.

There had been no evidence or visible sign of physical scuffle and struggle. According to reports of the Former Sheriff department, they were possibly forced to stop the vehicle upon seeing someone they knew and had gotten out of the truck to meet with them. They had either left the vehicle willingly or by force. The discovery of the truck created and left behind more puzzling mysteries and probing questions.

For substantial evidence in the Jamison family mystery case, the security footage outside the Jamison Family’s home was also collected.

 Jamison Family Mystery

The security footage showed the family members willingly collecting together their luggage and putting it in their truck and leaving their home, which meant the family had decided to leave the home of their own accord. However, how they mysteriously disappeared, later on, remains unclear and uncertain even today.

The GPS history showed that the family had been in the farther up hills prior to the time and location of them being discovered. After following the trail, the police recovered a set of unaccounted for footprints. With no new evidence or substantial break in the Jamison family mystery case, the Sheriff Department enlisted the help of the locals and volunteers for an air and ground search party in the nearby forests. Unfortunately, as a result of nothing being found, the search was subsequently called off, and the case along with its leads went cold.

Jamison Family Mystery: Bodies Discovered

The Jamison family mystery case went cold for a long time, with no new leads or evidence. A second major break in the case occurred on November 16, 2013. More than four years later, hunters on the lookout for deer hunting locations, discovered the skeletal remains of 3 human bodies – what appeared to be of 2 adults and one child. Police officials upon further searching recovered pieces of adult clothing, shoes, adult teeth, and bones as well. The remains were discovered around 3 miles from where their truck had been found. Forensic and medical testing revealed that the bodies were that of the Jamison Family Members

As a result of excessive body decomposition, Official Medical Examiner ruled out the cause of death as unknown. According to initial reports trauma could or could not have been a major factor. However, as a result of the rate of body decay, it was impossible to rule out so. There was also the possibility of animal scavenging and posthumous damage. The death was finally ruled out under ‘SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES’.

The Jamison family mystery case was once again reopened with new evidence and a different set of eyes. The police also discovered that a briefcase of the Jamisons and 22-Calibre handgun belonging to Sherilyn had gone missing and was never recovered later on.

Investigation revealed that the Jamisons had been unemployed at the time of their disappearance as both of them had been suffering from disabilities. Bobby Jamison had suffered a major disability as a result of being in a car accident. The $32,000 cash that they had on hand, was possible all the money they had collected from their disability settlement and cheques. However, statements of parents of both families revealed that they were not aware of any disability settlement that would account for the amount of money that they had on hand.

The Top Theories Regarding the Jamison Family Mystery

Ever since the disappearance of the Jamison Family and the discovery of their bodies, theories were put forth by a number of sources and officials. With no credible evidence to back them up, they were immediately removed from the legal forum.

The police uncovered a security tape of the Jamison Family Home. The footage showed the family pacing back and forth from their car, packing up their belongings, as if in a “trance-like state”. Red Oak, where they were looking to purchase land, was famous for the production of the well-known narcotic – Crystal Meth. Witness statements also recorded that the Jamisons prior to the days following their disappearance looked “emaciated,” as if they had been dealing in drugs.

Statements of friends and neighbours also stated that it was possible that they were involved in taking drugs as they had been going through a lot of emotional problems and following their unemployment, financial problems as well. Dealing in drugs would also account for the large amount of cash that they had been carrying on hand.

A drug deal gone bad would sound like a logical explanation for their disappearance and murder. However, since no evidence of narcotic substance was found in the truck, the theory was immediately crossed out. Moreover, nearby sources claimed that being the best parents they could be, they would never have exposed their child to drugs.

Extreme rains had been reported in the area at the time the disappearance had been reported as a case. Landslides as a reason for their death was also put forward as a probable theory. However, the amount of rain in the area was not enough to be responsible for the death of 3 people.

Moreover, in case of a flood as a result of excessive rain, the probability that they would die so close to each other and that their bodies would be discovered side by side would not be possible and would not align with the common laws of nature. Hence the theory was immediately discarded.

The Top Theories of the Jamison Family Mystery

Another major theory put forth was that it was a murder-suicide. Both Sherilynn and Bobby had been suffering from depression and a long period of desolation and hopelessness. Sherilynn was just recovering from the death of her sister. Both parents had been unemployed for some time. As a result of which money and financial problems at home had been looming large.

An 11-page hostile and vindictive letter addressed to Bobby from Sherilynn was recovered in the truck of the couple. More, the 22. Caliber gun in Sherilynn’s possession had been missing as well. A theory was put forward, stating that the father most probably killed and shot his wife and child and then shot himself out of desolation and sorrow.

However, without the presence of the gun or gun-powder residue on his hand, there was no evidence to corroborate the story. The Jamison family mystery continues to darken.

Another conjecture points to the involvement of Bobby’s father, Bob Jamison Sr. Evidence proved that Bobby and his father had been involved in a legal suit over property rights of a gas-station from which both father and son stood to profit in a large amount. Bobby’s mother, Starlet claimed that her husband had, on many occasions, made threats and violent remarks against the family as well.

The theory was immediately rejected for some reason. Even though it seemed the most plausible explanation at the time. Moreover, the father at the time was known to have connections and ties with the Mexican mafia as well. Bob Jamison Sr. died two months after his son, and the family went missing.

Probing revealed that before the disappearance, Bobby had gone and confessed to his Pastor, saying that he thought his house had been haunted. The couple had confessed that they were haunted by the dead spirit of a family that had lived there long ago. Their 6-year old Madyson also claimed that she was able to speak to and communicate with the spirit of a child that had lived and died there long ago.

Being paranoid about it, Bobby had also inquired from his Parish Priest of “special bullets” that was meant specially for killing these spirits. Sherilynn’s friend, Niki also claimed that both she and Sherilynn had bought a “witch bible” as a joke. Sherilynn’s mother also claimed that the cult was responsible for the disappearance and killing of her daughter, as Sherilynn had been on a number of cult “hit-lists”.

“But in all seriousness, that house was haunted. I don’t want to sound crazy, but whenever I went there I felt a horrible presence, I would leave feeling so down and depressed, it’s hard to describe.”

Officials also claimed that it was possible that the family had gotten off their truck to wander into the woods for a while, only to get lost later on. A possible cause for their death was getting lost in their woods and later dying out of starvation and Hypothermia. Friends and family close to the Jamisons stated that all three of them had grown up in the country-side their whole life. It was highly unlikely that they would decide to wander off into the forest without any reason.

Even if they did, knowing the woods so well, they would not get lost as they would know their way back to the main road. There would be there no reason for all bodies to be lying face down and close to each other. Their dog, Maisie, was a loving and affectionate family dog. They would not leave the dog behind for no reason if they voluntarily got out. Sherilynn was especially extremely fond of the dog, and under no circumstances would she have decided to leave the dog behind. So, that’s something about the Jamison family mystery.

Often it is not the loss, and the absence of a loved one is a tragedy or murder that hurts the most. Instead, it is the absence and lack of knowing what has happened to the victims and how it happened. It is this same feeling of misery and sadness that continues to haunt the extended family members and friends of the Jamison Family.

Israel Beauchamp, Chief Official Sheriff at the time, traveled overseas and quit his position as a result of feeling guilty of not being able to bring justice and peace to the victims and their families.

Several wild theories surrounding the case have emerged. However, the case to this date remains unsolved, and the emotional and psychological trauma continues to torment the family members and the citizens of Eufaula. To this very date, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE JAMISON FAMILY. The disappearance and the Jamison Family mystery continues to remain a baffling and inexplicable mystery.

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