Chandice Cochran, 28, vanished from Sutton, West Virginia on August 20, 2019. Her mother left for work that morning and returned to find the house empty and a handwritten note from Chandice saying she had taken off for a little while and would be back shortly. Most of her personal belongings remained at home, however, and her cell phone was turned off around midnight and never recovered.

Investigators say Chandice was picked up from her mother’s house that afternoon by a man named Kristopher Speas. They reportedly drove to the Birch River area in Nicholas County and went to the home of Sam Kelly, who last saw Chandice and Speas leaving on foot around midnight. The following morning Kelly saw Speas walking alone on Widen-Dille Road, a few miles from Birch River. Speas has told police his memory of that night is hazy from drug use but has denied involvement. A change purse with Chandice’s identification was later found in the woods near Birch River.

Law enforcement has carried out searches related to the case, including a May 2024 warrant on a property on Widen-Dille Road in Clay County, and investigators say they believe foul play was involved. What happened after Chandice and Kristopher Speas left Sam Kelly’s home remains the central unanswered question. If anyone has information about Chandice’s movements that night or has seen her since August 20, 2019, please come forward.