FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. (rbs news now) — It has been 12 years since Christopher Ray Douthat vanished without a trace, and investigators now say the case is being treated as a suspected homicide.

Douthat, then 24 and residing in Franklin County, was last seen on October 25, 2013, after cashing a check in Vinton and being dropped off in southeast Roanoke.

His last confirmed location, according to phone data, was shortly before 5 p.m. near the intersection of Garden City Boulevard and Riverland Road.

At the time, law enforcement classified the event as a missing-person case.

But in February 2024, a Franklin County circuit court declared Douthat legally dead, a move that opened up homicide-investigation protocols.

The case is now being led by the Virginia State Police, which took over the investigation in 2018.

Investigators say they believe Douthat is deceased, but point to the lack of a body and no definitive crime scene as major investigative hurdles.

Lead agent Douglas Hubert said the time passed has allowed persons of interest to establish alibis, making evidence gathering more difficult.

Family members say they now believe Douthat was likely murdered.

His mother, Mary Douthat, and his brother, Michael Douthat continue to advocate for recovery of his remains and accountability for those involved.

Anyone with information on Christopher Douthat’s disappearance is asked to contact the Virginia State Police at 540-375-9500, or submit a tip anonymously via the state’s online cold-case database.

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