5 things to know about Mark Stover murder case

The upcoming episode of Dateline: Unforgettable will dive into the twisted case of Mark Stover's murder dating back to 2009. The Man Who Talked to Dogs is the title of the upcoming episode of the show, which will air on NBC on August 2, 2022. The episode's synopsis is as follows:

"Investigators track down a suspect in the disappearance of a celebrity dog trainer. Keith Morrison reflects on the fractured love story at the centre of this mystery."

The case garnered significant attention back in the day as Mark Stover was a renowned figure in the celebrity world, working with the dogs of Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, Soundgarden's Chris Cornell, and filmmaker Cameron Crowe, among others. The highly confusing case even saw Judge Michael Rickert confess that he had more questions by the end of the trial than he did before.

Read on for five quick facts about the murder of Mark Stover ahead of the upcoming Dateline: Unforgettable episode.

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Five quick facts about the complicated case of Mark Stover's murder

1) Michiel Oakes claimed that he shot Stover in self-defense

When the case reached the courtroom, Oakes claimed that he killed his girlfriend's ex-husband in self-defense as the two men wrestled over a gun. This took place at the dog trainer’s home. He later disposed of the body in the Swinomish Channel.

Despite his claims, Oakes also revealed that he had armed himself, worn a bulletproof vest, and put together a getaway bag with camouflage clothing, weights, and a rope. This suggested that he had planned the murder.

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2) Oakes' defense attorneys claimed that Stover was obsessed with Linda and tried to get his hands on their marriage photographs

It was no secret that Stover did not take his and Linda's divorce very well. He had allegedly stalked, harassed, and threatened her after their divorce. He was even arrested once for stalking.

Stover's obsession with those wedding photos, according to Oakes, lasted a long time. He demanded secret meetings, including two at an Anacortes church. Oakes also emphasized how Stover stated that the former's children would suffer if the pictures were not returned to him.

Oakes said he agreed to meet with Stover at his home on the day of the murder to convince him that the photos he was looking for did not exist. But the meeting ended in a massacre.

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3) Mark Stover had a history of obsessive behavior

Even before their divorce, Linda claimed that Mark was often obsessed with certain things, like money. His behavior and obsession slowly resulted in the downfall of the marriage. Linda said to Van Sant:

"The last few years of being in a relationship with him was incredibly difficult," she explained. "The more the business began making money, the more obsessed he became with money... I would buy maybe a $5 item at the grocery store and he would be in a rage about it...I recognized Mark was really somebody different than I had thought he was."

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4) Mark's body was never found

Though Oakes was charged with the murder and sent to prison, the judge deemed it unnecessary to force him to reveal where he hid the body. The judge believed that that would violate Oakes' right to remain silent.

According to sources, Oakes' body was never recovered.

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5) Before his death, Mark Stover allegedly believed that his ex-wife is trying to kill him

According to family members and Stover's then partner, Teresa Vaux Michael, Mark believed that his ex-wife was out to get him. Teresa said:

"He was very fearful...He told me -- he said, 'She will not rest until I'm dead.'"

Soon, this turned out to be true and Mark Stover was killed in his own house.

Catch the entire case in detail in the upcoming episode of Dateline: Unforgettable.