Details of the case have baffled investigators, and with more questions answered, more questions are brought to the surface.
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OZARKS UNSOLVED: The mysterious death of Dr. John Forsyth
Dr. John Forsyth’s family has been searching for answers since May when he was found shot in the head 45 minutes from the last place he was seen in Cassville, Missouri.
Details of the case have baffled investigators, and with more questions answered, more questions are brought to the surface.
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By Monday morning, Cassville police were on the case. As they sifted through their notes, they discovered something peculiar. On that same Sunday morning, a mile away from the hospital at the Cassville Aquatic Center, there had been an unrelated search for a missing child.
Detectives had noted all the cars in the parking lot, and one vehicle caught their attention: a black Infiniti. It turned out to be Dr. Forsyth’s car.
Returning to the park on Monday morning, the police found the car still parked there. Inside, they discovered Forsyth’s keys, passport, wallet, a cracked cell phone, and his laptop.
Later investigations would reveal three more phones in his RV. Despite these discoveries, there were no immediate signs of foul play.
Donald Privett, interim police chief of the Cassville Police Department, explained, “There are numerous things to look for foul play. Items discarded inappropriately. Property damage to the vehicle--to the residents. Different types of scuff marks on the ground. Signs of bodily fluids. Blood. There was none. None of that.”
Search dogs were brought in to comb the park, but they only indicated one spot—right next to Forsyth’s car. Yet, this lead did not yield any concrete evidence.
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Adding to the complexity of Forsyth’s life, three days before he disappeared, he had proposed to his nurse girlfriend, who was pregnant with his ninth child.
Nile suggested, “It sounds like he was waiting for the divorce to tell anybody anything.”
His 8th child is up for debate. Forsyth told his brother there was the possibility that he had another child. The family says the relationship between them and the mother of that child has been rocky. They’ve asked for a DNA test.
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The Benton County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office took over the case as the lead agency. Detectives confirmed that Forsyth had suffered a gunshot wound to the head, prompting a homicide investigation.
However, as the family prepared to lay Dr. Forsyth to rest, they realized no one had asked them to identify his body positively.
“We asked them very pointedly how the body was identified. And the lead detective said that he did. And we asked how, and he said by facial recognition,” Richard recalled.
“That was my first thought. Did I carry a casket of rocks or weight?” Nile says. He explains that during the funeral, there were talks between family about who identified the body. That’s when they realized no one had.
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Now, months after Forsyth’s disappearance, the coroner’s report remains finished but unreleased, pending the ongoing investigation. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office remains tight-lipped, and the family reveals that detectives have executed over 20 search warrants, interviewing family members and friends.
Forsyth’s brother Richard, including. The sheriff’s department executed a search warrant of his home and took one of his guns. He has since been interrogated and taken a lie-detector test.
Amidst the dearth of information, amateur sleuths have emerged on social media and in podcasts, attempting to unravel the mysteries surrounding Forsyth’s perplexing disappearance and tragic demise.
Many questions remain unanswered. Was it murder, suicide, or something far more intricate? Suspicion lingers around Forsyth’s brother, while other questions about the white SUV, Forsyth’s abandoned belongings, and his previous abduction continue to baffle investigators and the community.
Privett, a seasoned law enforcement officer, summed up the case, saying, “17 years in this field, and this is one of the strangest cases that I’ve witnessed and personally been involved in.”
As the community grapples with the uncertainties surrounding the disappearance and death of Dr. John Forsyth, they remain steadfast in their pursuit of answers, longing for resolution in this perplexing and tragic tale. If you possess any information that could shed light on this cryptic puzzle, do not hesitate to contact the sheriff’s department immediately at
(479) 271-1008.
As long as there are still questions about the disappearance of Dr. John Forsyth, we’ll continue asking them.
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