Unsolved Mysteries: What Happened To Lena Chapin’s Son, Colter?

What happened to Colter, the son of Lena Chapin, a featured subject in the Unsolved Mysteries reboot? Now streaming on Netflix, “Missing Witness” examines the 2006 disappearance of Lena Chapin, a 20-year-old mother who allegedly had information that would incriminate her mother in a murder case.

“Missing Witness” isn’t fundamentally about Chapin’s son, Colter, but rather about the events that allowed his grandmother, Sandy, to gain custody of him. In 1994, Sandy left her second husband, Albert McCullough, for his brother, Gary McCullough. Five years later, Sandy began a romantic relationship with Kris Klemp, prompting Gary to request a divorce. Two months later, Gary went missing. In Unsolved Mysteries, Sandy’s eldest daughters Brandi and Robin recall their upbringing, and how Sandy’s behavior affected their teenage sister, Lena. The big twist in “Missing Witness” on Netflix is that Lena told at least two people that Sandy had murdered Gary. She even offered an official confession to authorities in June 2003, approximately five months before giving birth to her son, Colter.

In Unsolved Mysteries“Missing Witness,” the final act explores the theory that Sandy killed Lena for simply having too much information about the McCullough murder. The aforementioned Brandi and Robin theorize that Sandy viewed Lena as a major threat, and somehow plotted with her then-husband to ensure that Lena couldn’t testify in court against them. It’s also suggested that Sandy wanted a son after giving birth to five daughters, with the implication being that Lena’s death would allow Sandy to gain custody of Colter. Despite the damning evidence against the Klemps, authorities haven’t even able to determine what happened to Lena. The couple was found liable for $7 million in the death of Gary McCullough in a civil case, but reportedly haven’t made any payments. “Missing Witness” on Netflix ends with Lena’s sister Brandi stating that she’ll do everything she can to find out the truth.

As revealed in Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix, Sandy Klemp [Wink] is still alive and has custody of Lena Chapin’s son, Colter. They reportedly live in Mount Vernon, Missouri [via Bustle]. Beyond that, little is known. After all, Sandy and Kris didn’t participate in the Unsolved Mysteries reboot, and all parties involved most likely want to protect Colter from the media and online investigators. Also, Netflix recently uploaded un-aired Unsolved Mysteries clips about the case, one of which implies that Lena’s official version of events could’ve been picked apart in court. Specifically, she states that she hid on the passenger seat floor of Gary’s vehicle when he left Sandy, but an investigator suggests that her story is flawed due to the amount of garbage that was found inside the vehicle.

In the present, Lena’s son Colter is reportedly about 15 or 16 years old. One of the final reveals in Unsolved Mysteries’“Missing Witness” episode is that Lena’s sisters aren’t entirely sure if their nephew knows the truth about the friction between his mother and grandmother. According to Terry Dunn Meurer, an executive producer of Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix, Colter has been informed about the basics: “From what we understand, he has been told that Sandy is not his mother, but beyond that, we don’t know what the conversation has been.” So, it’s still unclear if Colter is familiar with his aunts’ critical opinions about Lena’s disappearance, and whether or not he’s been contacted by trusted family members about the Unsolved Mysteries reboot.

About The Author

Q.V. Hough
(1892 Articles Published)

See also  The Good Place: 10 Hilarious Michael Quotes

Q.V. Hough is a senior writer at Screen Rant. He’s also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor.

More From Q.V. Hough