Family Thankful Remains Were Found

Two fishermen found human remains in Rogers County on Thursday. That discovery may seem grisly to some people, but for one family, it's the answer to prayers they've been saying for nearly 14 months.  News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports 29-year-old Blake Sutherland disappeared on January 12th last year, just a few hours after his parents helped pull his truck out of a ditch on an icy road.

They feared the worst and have searched everywhere for his body, but to no avail.  His father says he's had a knot in his stomach for 14 months that disappeared the moment he learned, his son had been found.

The remains were in an old coal pit, covered with rocks.  It appears animals drug some of the bones out and that's what made them visible to the fisherman.

Deputies found Blake Sutherland's wallet with the remains and that was all his father needed to hear.

"My wife and I can have some peace of mind now and put him to rest properly. So, have that peace of mind and can go on with our lives," said Blake's' father, Rocky Sutherland.

Rocky says it was a father's instinct that told him Blake was dead when he hadn't heard from his son for a couple of weeks last year.  He says he can't explain the deep-seated need they've had to find Blake and bring him home.

"I lay awake at night, man, where did I not look, where can I go look now. No telling how many miles we put on the vehicles looking. That's the hardest part, not knowing where he was at," said Rocky Sutherland.

Rocky says he's forever grateful to Rogers County Sheriff's investigator, Chris Bohl, who single-handedly took on and stuck with this case.

"I'm going to say this, Chris is my hero, I gotta say that, he is," said Rocky Sutherland.

Now, that he has his son back, Rocky wants the killers caught and punishment, for all the family has lost.

"Blake, he was real bubbly, loved life, liked being the center of attention and that's what I liked about him. If I needed him, he was there. That's been taken away from me," said Rocky Sutherland.

The key suspect in Blake's death, recently died, but deputies are looking at others who might have been involved.

Anyone with helpful information should call 342-9700.

Related story:

3/27/08 - Human Remains Found In Rogers County

2/22/2007  Missing Man Sought

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