‘48 Hours Mystery’ airing episodes on missing dog trainer

The story of acclaimed missing Anacortes dog trainer Mark Stover and the man convicted of his murder will be broadcast on CBS tonight featuring a first-time interview with Stover’s estranged ex-wife.

“48 Hours Mystery” will delve into the characters and story behind the Michiel Oakes murder trial, which took place in October in Mount Vernon, Wash.

The show “Dateline” already aired its coverage of the case two weeks ago during a two-hour segment.

“48 Hours” will also take up two hours with its broadcast “The Dog Trainer, the Heiress and the Bodyguard,” but will be split between today at 10 p.m. and Feb. 12 at 10 p.m.

Oakes, 42, of Kennewick, was convicted Oct. 22 of first-degree premeditated murder after a three-week trial and a week of jury deliberation in Mount Vernon. Stover disappeared Oct. 28, 2009, and his body was never recovered.

Oakes is the boyfriend and former bodyguard of Stover’s ex-wife, Linda Opdycke.

Oakes claimed in court that he killed Stover in self-defense, then panicked and ditched the body because he thought police wouldn’t believe him.

“Correspondent Peter Van Sant delves into the mysterious love triangle that some believe was at the heart of this murder, and Stover’s troubled past that raises the question – just who is the real villain in this story,” a press release about the show says.

Opdycke granted “48 Hours” an exclusive interview for the show. She denies any involvement in Stover’s death.

Skagit County Detective Dan Luvera also appears in the show and is skeptical about Opdycke’s claim.

Luvera said if he could ask her one question it would be: Where is Mark Stover’s body?