Shivangi Sinha
In February 2017, police in Massillon, Ohio, received a call from a woman reporting a young man named Nicholas Stein as missing. She mentioned that he hadn’t been in contact with his family, and she feared something bad had happened to him. Initially uncertain, the police grew increasingly concerned as their investigation progressed, suspecting foul play. The answers they sought were closer than anticipated. The episode of Investigation Discovery’s ‘How (Not) to Get Rid of a Body’ titled ‘Cemented in Fear’ delves into the case, revealing how the police ultimately caught those responsible for harming Nicholas.
Nicholas Stein’s Family Grew Worried When He Didn’t Contact Them For Days
Nicholas “Nick” Stein had an unstable childhood. Born in Barberton, Ohio, he grew up with his younger brother, Danial Mize. Nick was known for living life with an open heart, always showing love and care to those around him. His kindness set him apart from his peers. When a family friend’s son fell ill, Nick was the only friend who remained by his side, demonstrating his compassionate nature. However, in 2008, when Nick was just 17, the passing of his father deeply affected him, marking a turning point in his life.
Nick’s mother began facing financial difficulties, and the grief from his father’s death weighed heavily on the family. Determined to help, Nick decided to strike out on his own, aiming to build a life for himself and provide for his mother and brother. He reached out to Bryan Gentry, a man he knew who worked in construction and asked for a job. Before long, Nick moved into Gentry’s house in Massillon, Ohio, where Gentry’s girlfriend, Kristen Lain, and another young man, Carl A. Spencer, also lived. Although the living arrangement was unconventional, it allowed Nick to save money on rent while living with the people he worked alongside.
Nick regularly kept in touch with his family, often calling his brother and mother. However, these interactions abruptly stopped in early February 2017. On February 9, a family friend reported him missing, but no answers were found. His housemates claimed that Nick had told them he was stepping out, but he never returned. All of his essential cards and IDs remained in the house. After a year of searching and interrogations, on February 2, 2018, the police returned to the house and dug up the backyard, where they discovered human remains in a plastic container. Nick’s body had been placed inside, and the box was filled with concrete. His cause of death was determined to be strangulation.
The Police Pursued Many Leads to Find Nick’s Killer
When Nicholas Stein was first reported missing, the police explored several theories. Initially, they found a series of letters from his mother’s boyfriend, which detailed disturbing fantasies about murder. When questioned, the boyfriend failed to provide any clear answers. The police even searched the woods near Nick’s hometown, hoping to uncover clues, but found nothing. Nick’s brother, Danial Mize, mentioned that the boyfriend had never liked Nick, and it seemed likely that he could have been involved in his disappearance. However, when the investigation in this direction led to no results, the police were forced to consider other possibilities.
The police then turned their attention to Nick’s housemates, who hinted at a confrontation on the night he disappeared. Upon further probing, they learned that Kristen Lain was not only in a relationship with Bryan Gentry but also with Nick. Nick had been pressuring Kristen to be exclusive with him, and when she refused, he left the house in anger and never returned. While the police grew increasingly suspicious, they lacked any concrete evidence to press charges or obtain a search warrant for the property.
Nick Stein’s Killer Had Covered His Body in Concrete
In January 2018, the police received reports of child neglect at the house and arrested Kristen Lain. She had three children whom she was desperate to see, and the police used this to their advantage. They told her they believed she had more information about Nick Stein’s disappearance and hinted at a potential release in exchange for her cooperation. Initially reluctant, Kristen eventually suggested that Carl Spencer might have more information, as he had expressed romantic interest in her the same night Nick went missing. The police returned to the house, intending to dig up the backyard for evidence, but initially found nothing.
The police went back to Kristen, and this time, she cooperated a little more. She was given a diagram and marked the exact spot where Nick’s body might be found. It was the same location they had already searched. By this time, the police had arrested Carl, and after some pressure, he revealed what had happened. On the night of February 1, 2017, Nick made a comment about Kristen that Gentry didn’t like.
Nick had taken some sleeping pills, and while he was asleep, Gentry and Carl duct-taped his hands and repeatedly punched him. Carl claimed that after Gentry had pushed Nick down the basement stairs, the latter went down to finish the job and kill him. Carl said that by this point, he felt sick and left the house to vomit. The next day, Gentry used equipment to fill a plastic container with concrete after placing Nick’s body inside. He then buried the makeshift grave in the backyard.
Carl Spencer and Bryan Gentry are in Prison Today
As the evidence against them accumulated, all three individuals involved in Nicholas Stein’s death decided to enter guilty pleas. Carl Spencer admitted to charges of involuntary manslaughter, abduction, tampering with evidence, and gross abuse of a corpse. For his cooperation, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison. While incarcerated at the Trumbull Correctional Institution, Spencer got into an altercation with another inmate, which resulted in an additional prison sentence of five to seven-and-a-half years. He is now being held at the Toledo Correctional Institution, with his next parole hearing scheduled for 2034.
Soon after Carl Spencer’s guilty plea, Bryan Gentry also accepted a plea deal. Initially charged with aggravated murder, the charge was reduced to murder, along with abduction, tampering with evidence, and gross abuse of a corpse. Gentry was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Now 32 years old, he is incarcerated at the Richland Correctional Institution. His parole hearing is scheduled for 2033, leaving him with a long time before he can be considered for release.
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