Massillon is a small city in northeast Ohio, steeped in tradition and pride. Known as the "City of Champions," its historic streets, close-knit community, and legendary high school football culture make it feel like the kind of place where everyone knows your name. It was here that 25-year-old Nick Stein came looking for a fresh start—to support his family and build a better future. But in February 2017, Nick vanished without a trace. His phone, social media, and bank accounts activity all stopped suddenly. As investigators dug deeper, attention turned to the people he was living with—three roommates: Kristin, Bryan, and Carl. Bryan had brought Nick to town with the promise of work, but the stories the roommates told didn’t add up. They were evasive, inconsistent, and clearly hiding something. For nearly a year, the case went cold—with investigators following every lead that came in - until one of the roommates, facing prison on unrelated charges, finally talked. What they revealed would unravel a chilling tale of betrayal, violence, and a cover-up buried deep beneath the surface of this quiet Ohio town.
Sources:
”Cemented in Fear” on How (Not) to Get Rid of a Body, Season 1, Episode 1 on Discovery+
”Massillon man was bound and beaten before slaying” by Dave Sereno on CantonRep.com – The Repository on November 14, 2018 (https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/courts/2018/11/14/massillon-man-was-bound-beaten/8376607007/)
“Murder Suspect Sentenced to Prison in Unrelated Case” by Samantha Ickes in The Akron Beacon Journal on June 9, 2018
“Man charged with murder after body found buried in cement in Massillon backyard” by The Associated Press on WKYC Studios on February 5, 2018 (https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/stark-county/massillon-man-charged-with-murder-after-body-found-buried-in-cement-in-backyard/95-514930205)
“Massillon Woman Pleads Guilty in Buried Body Case” by Samantha Ickes in The Akron Beacon Journal on October 11, 2018
“Woman pleads guilty in connection with Wadsworth man’s death” by Emily Channing-Dean on The Wadsworth Post (https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/article_popover.aspx?guid=13f93299-a074-455a-ab00-e2fb1b7550fa)
”Body Fund in Concrete Leads to Murder Case” by Massillon (AP) in The Bryan Times on February 6, 2018
“Love Triangle Gone Wrong: Ohio Man Accused of Killing Friend's Lover, Encasing Body in Concrete” by Chris Harris on PEOPLE on February 7, 2018 (https://people.com/crime/love-triangle-ohio-man-allegedly-killed-friends-lover/)
“Officials Identify Body Found in Yard” in The Springfield News-Sun on February 18, 2018
“Man charged in connection with body found buried behind Massillon home” by Drew Scofield on News 5 Cleveland on February 5, 2018 (https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-stark/man-charged-in-connection-with-body-found-buried-behind-massillon-home)
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