Dateline: Unforgettable - Who killed Mark Stover and why?

The upcoming episode of Dateline: Unforgettable will cover the murder of celebrity dog trainer Mark Stover.

The case, which dates back to 2009, has gained significant limelight over the years as Stover was a well-known figure among celebrities like Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Nirvana's Krist Novoselic. There was a significant amount of mystery surrounding the case, to the point that his dead body was never found.

Oakes, 42, testified during his trial that he was the one behind the murder, but claimed that it was an act of self-defense. He said:

"He caught me totally by surprise and shot me in the vest, and he was not wearing Kevlar, and he was shot."

The judge did not buy his story, and as it turned out, neither did the jury. Oakes was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and sentenced to 26 ½ years in prison.

As the mysterious case unfolded, it turned out that Oakes killed Stover due to a heartbreaking love affair spanning many years. Linda Opdycke, the ex-wife of Stover was the key to the mystery here. Oakes started dating Linda after her complicated divorce with Mark.

Mark Stover allegedly did not take the divorce very well and crossed certain lines while dealing with his ex-wife. Linda, who claimed that Mark had previously displayed obsessive behavior, became the target of the dog trainer, who allegedly stalked and harassed her for quite some time. Stover was once also arrested for stalking and put on one-year probation.

Later, friends and family of Mark claimed that he moved on. He even got engaged to Teresa Vaux Michel, but the saga with Linda was far from over. Even though Mark left Linda alone, the latter was allegedly not done with him, or so Mark believed.

After claiming that drugs were planted in his car, Mark began fearing for his life. He even hired a private investigator to get to the bottom of this. Private investigator Hearon recalled:

"He told me that he suspected that Linda Opdycke and/or her father were out to get him...He told me he 'would not be surprised if they want to have me killed."

His fear soon turned real when he disappeared from his Anacortes-area home in October 2009. According to the defense, Mark Stover was obsessed with getting his and Linda's wedding photos back.

Oakes allegedly went to meet him at his home to convince him that the photos no longer exist. According to Oakes, this turned into a fight and he ended up shooting Stover in an act of self-defense.

However, his possessions included a firearm, a bulletproof vest, and a getaway bag with camouflage clothing, weights, and rope. This indicated that the murder was pre-planned. Though Linda was never formally charged, many allegedly believe that she was behind the murder.

While it is unlikely that we'll ever know exactly what happened that night, detective Dan Luvera said:

"I believe Mark Stover let the dog out probably through this carport door... Ding comes outside, in this driveway area where I believe Michiel Oakes shot Ding several times...Mark comes out the door to see what's going on with Ding... I believe Mark Stover got shot right where we're standing and quickly retreated back into the house..."

Oakes was found guilty of Mark Stover's murder and sentenced to 26 ½ years in prison. The upcoming episode of Dateline: Unforgettable, which airs on August 2, 2022, will cover the case in detail.