FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – A Franklin County man who vanished in 2013 was declared dead in court on Feb. 22, 2024, according to the Franklin Co. Circuit Court Clerk.
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As we reported previously, Chris Douthat was dropped off by his mother at Vinton Roofing at approximately 1:30 p.m. on October 25, 2013. He was later seen at the Vinton Kroger and near Chaps Tavern that day but did not show up to meet a friend at the Bennington Street Food Lion that afternoon.
His disappearance made news headlines for years. Billboards put up by Virginia State Police brought attention to his disappearance in Roanoke and Franklin counties back in 2019.
In 2020, 10 News spoke to Chris’s mother and brother – Mary and Michael – who said no family should have to go through something like that. His brother carried missing person flyers with him everywhere, all the time, and it didn’t matter where.
“You don’t give up hope that somewhere, someday, he will come home,” Mary said in the 2020 interview.
“Whoever is responsible for this. You’re a scumbag,” Michael said in 2020. “We’re going to find out what happened. We’re going to find out what you did and bring justice for my brother Christopher.”