KINGSPORT, Tenn. — For months, a family in Kingsport wondered what happened to Jeremy Stout. He was reported missing in May, after he disappeared from a Greyhound bus stop on Cherry Street in Knoxville.
Months later, in November, he was found dead inside of an abandoned church's school building. Jeremy was 38 years old and on Jan. 5, his family laid him to rest.
"You know, he was our first child," said Lisa Stout, his mother. "You just don't expect them to pass before you."
They said they hadn't spoken to their son in six months after he was reported missing. They also said that they held onto hope that he would be found safe as the days ticked by.
"I still had faith that he was still out, and then he come home. This was not what I expected. I expected them to find him a lot sooner, and not to this degree," said Lisa. "That's what's really been hard for me — that there was nothing left of my son."
Jeremy's remains were identified using dental records connected to the case. His parents said they are now wondering how he ended up in the building, and what happened to their son.
"I can rest assured that I will get to see him again, because of his faith in Christ, and that's the most important thing," said Jeff Stout, his father. "There are obviously questions that we still have, as to how he ended up where he ended up, or if there was any foul play involved."
The Stout family said they received overwhelming love and support from the Knoxville community, and said they wanted to thank everyone for their prayers.