Salt Lake City (ABC 4 News) When a Salt Lake woman vanished - police and her family suspected foul play. Ten years later, they still don't know what really happened to Janis Marie Stavros. And police say without a break - they may never know what happened to the 43-year-old woman.
Here is what we know about her final hours of life. Her daughter, Meghan Laudie, who now lives in Colorado, says her mother and her boy friend Robert B. Butcher, Jr. left a family gathering at ten the night of January 2nd, 2001. They apparently went to her home at 29th East and 32nd South. Butcher told police that Stavros was still sleeping when he left to work the next morning at six. Laudie says she tried to get in touch with her mother and couldn't reach her at the house. However, everything Stavros owned was there - her purse, wallet, new puppy and cell phone. Laudie knew something wasn't right and so did police. Lt. Justin Hoyal, with Unified Police, says, "Her disappearance is highly suspicious and we believe that foul play is involved with it."
Back in 2001, Laudie says she had hope of finding her mother. Today the 31-year-old accepts that her mother is gone. "I don't believe my mom is actually alive. I don't believe we are going to find her." Both police and Laudie believe Butcher is somehow involved. Laudie says, "All logic points to him." However, Hoyal is quick to point out Butcher has never been charged in connection with the disappearance. I asked him, "Has anything come into police, in the ten year since, that has helped this case?" "We've had, throughout the years, several tips and leads that have come in, unfortunately none of those have ever been substantiated or given enough evidence to be able to charge anybody in this case." And Laudie says they really have nothing to work with. "We don't have enough evidence, we don't have a body, we don't have anything to support a case."
Police say the case is frustrating. "It's very difficult for investigators that are working this, they want to see closure in this. And more importantly for the families. They want to find a resolution for the family members." Laudie says she is frustrated as well, and still feels the pain of losing her mother. "I think having somebody, especially unfairly, taken from you before their time is definitely an added layer of pain and also another level of coping you have to deal with." And Laudie says not knowing what happened to her is also painful. But she says, she still hopes for justice someday down the road. "In terms in getting justice and closure and having someone be accountable for their actions, I haven't given up on that."
http://
updsl.org/
