True Crime with Kendall Rae
He Vanished at Electric Forest & His Remains Were Just Found: The Suspicious Death of Kevin Graves
Thu, 13 Feb 2025
In 2018, 28-year-old Kevin Graves went to the EDM festival, Electric Forest, in Michigan for the first time. It was during this trip that he suddenly went missing. His family and friends searched nonstop for him, handing out fliers and even putting up a billboard alerting people to Graves' disappearance. But after six and a half years, Graves' skeletonized remains were finally found on the festival grounds; an extremely bittersweet answer to receive. Kevin Graves Documentary -- This episode is sponsored by: Hiya Quince Rocket Money Check out my foundation: Higher Hope Foundation: https://www.higherhope.org/ Watch my documentaries: 530 Days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjUWkmOjNLk Apartment 801: https://bit.ly/2RJ9XXr True Crime with Kendall Rae podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3rks84o Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jC66pr Shop my Merch! https://kendallrae.shop Check out my other podcasts: Mile Higher (True Crime) @milehigherpod YouTube: https://bit.ly/2ROzJcw Instagram: http://instagram.com/milehigherpod The Sesh (Current events, a little true crime, pop culture, and commentary) https://bit.ly/3Mtoz4X @the_seshpodcast Instagram: https://bit.ly/3a9t6Xr *Follow My Social!* @KendallRaeOnyt Instagram: http://instagram.com/kendallraeonyt Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kar4NK True Crime TikTok: https://bit.ly/3VDbc77 Personal TikTok: https://bit.ly/41hmRKg REQUESTS: General case suggestion form: https://zfrmz.com/yg9cuiWjUe2QY3hSC2V0 Form for people directly related/ close to the victim: https://zfrmz.com/HGu2hZso42aHxARt1i67 Join my discord to chat with other viewers about this video, it’s free! https://discord.com/invite/an4stY9BCN C O N T A C T: For Business Inquiries - [email protected] Send me mail: Kendall Rae 8547 E Arapahoe Rd Ste J #233 Greenwood Village, CO 80112
Chapter 1: Who was Kevin Graves and what led to his disappearance?
Hallo, alle und willkommen zurück zu True Crime with Kendall Rae. Vielen Dank, wie immer, für die Einladung heute. Und wenn ihr neu seid, dann willkommen. Ich bin so glücklich, euch zu haben. Also, Leute, heute werden wir einen Blick auf einen Fall nehmen, den ich seit einiger Zeit auf meinem Radar hatte. Und gerade über die Weihnachten gab es eine große...
major break in the case and so i thought now would be a good time to take a look at it bring a little bit more awareness to it as a lot of the talk around the case has sort of simmered down although with the most recent update i feel like it's gotten a little bit Das war's für heute. Bis zum nächsten Mal. Because of the major discovery.
And this family, I mean, they have been through so much since 2018 when Kevin disappeared. And even with this new discovery, there are still so many unanswered questions. And this family has done everything they can to keep Kevin's name out there. And I just hope that this family can finally get some answers after all of this time. And hopefully those answers come soon.
I will warn you though, this case is frustrating and when it comes to law enforcement, don't even get me started. I mean, there were times looking into this case that I genuinely could not believe the words I was hearing coming out of the lead investigator's mouth. Es gibt viel zu sagen hier, also fangen wir an.
Und wie immer werde ich anfangen, dir mehr über Kevin Graves zu erzählen und wer er war. Kevin Gary Graves wurde in Michigan geboren und geboren zu seinen Eltern Gary und Kathy. Und er hatte eine Schwester Kelly, die sechs und eine halbe Jahre älter als ihn war. Er hatte auch zwei Halbsiblinge, einen Bruder und eine Schwester aus seinem Vaters erstes Verheirat.
One thing that I really respect this family for is they have always kept it real when it comes to describing Kevin. I mean, they've expressed that he wasn't perfect, of course, because who is? And he had his fair share of poor choices, especially when he was younger, as a teenager. And I mean, what teenager did not make poor choices, right? I mean, I feel like every teenager did.
Und wenn ich das sage, möchte ich es klar machen, es gab nichts Schreckliches. Aber ja, sie waren immer sehr ehrlich, dass er nicht immer die besten Entscheidungen gemacht hat. Aber das eine, was ich am meisten über Kevin gehört habe, ist, dass er nur jemand war, der ein Goldes Herz hatte. Wenn Kevin etwas gemacht hat, hat er es bis zum vollsten Ausdruck gemacht.
Und es war immer mit den besten Intentionen. Und er war nur jemand, der Entscheidungen aufgrund seines Herzens gemacht hat, nicht unbedingt aufgrund seines Herzens, was ihn sicherlich in ein paar Träumen getroffen hat. Und persönlich sind Leute wie das die Typen der Leute sind, mit denen ich am meisten gravitate. Die Leute, die so in Kontakt mit ihren Emotionen sind.
Und ich fühle mich so, wie ich in vielen Fällen bin. Ich denke wirklich oft mit meinem Herzen, nicht mit meinem Kopf. Und es hat mich nicht immer in die besten Situationen getroffen, aber es ist etwas, was ich mich nie über mich selbst verändern würde. Und ich denke, es ist ein großartiger Persönlichkeitsstil, den Kevin hatte.
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Chapter 2: What happened at the Electric Forest festival in 2018?
Now, when it came to his own school experience, Kevin didn't necessarily thrive in the traditional school model, which, again, is another reason why I think I would be good friends with Kevin, because I am the exact same way. And I find that people who don't thrive in the traditional school model are some of the most interesting and creative people and loving people out there. Not that you can't
Vielen Dank für's Zuschauen. And when he started teaching Kevin, you know, the ropes of all of that, it was clear that's where he really shined. His dad said that he was the kind of guy that you could teach something one time and he would just never forget it. In his early adulthood, he had mechanic jobs, carpentry jobs, construction jobs, you name it.
In fact, after Kevin went missing, and I loved this detail, his most recent employer said that if he ever returned, they would welcome him back with open arms, that he would always have a job there, which, you know, Which says a lot about how much they cared for him and how good he was at his job. And that comment, that support meant a lot to his family.
Now at the time Kevin went missing, he was only 28 years old. And in his 20s, he had gotten really into EDM music. Kevin had a girlfriend and she was also very into EDM music. So I think that was probably something they bonded over quite a bit. Now, his girlfriend is someone that you're going to hear me talk about quite a bit throughout this episode.
However, I'm just going to upfront say that when it comes to his girlfriend, there is a lot of drama and she doesn't seem to be someone who wants to be publicly named when it comes to coverage. And she hasn't been named a person of interest. So I have decided that I won't be sharing her real name. There are a couple of people in this case that I won't be mentioning by name, but I've made...
Untertitelung des ZDF, 2020 So you're going to hear me refer to his girlfriend as Kate throughout this episode. So Kevin and Kate had been together for about two to three years. And they also lived together along with her two kids that she had from a previous relationship in a home in Highland Township, Michigan. And as I just mentioned, Kevin and his girlfriend were very into EDM music.
And in 2018, that is what brought them to the Electric Forest Music Festival. And it was actually his first time going and he was really excited about it. Kevin's dad had been helping get Kate's car up and running because it was having some issues. And since this festival was about two and a half hours away, they obviously needed a way to get there.
Now, as for the music festival itself, I'm sure a lot of you out there are probably somewhat familiar with Electric Forest or, you know, other music festivals. I had to... Ich mache ein bisschen Forschung an Musikfestivals. Ich bin noch nie zu einem gewesen. Ich habe einfach zu viel Angst. Ich kann also kaum ein Konzert beherrschen.
Also kann ich mir nicht vorstellen, dass ich an einem Festival mit tausenden von Leuten bin. Aber es sieht wirklich, wirklich lustig aus. Besonders von dem, was ich von Electric Forest gesehen habe. Es sieht aus wie ein Blast.
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Chapter 3: What were the mysterious last communications from Kevin?
Now, we don't have too much information about the rest of this day, other than they arrived and unpacked all their stuff. The main festivities and performances didn't start until Friday, but oftentimes people will go early to get a good camping spot so that they could be close to the music and all of that. And between Wednesday and Sunday, things seem to be going okay.
at least as far as his family knew. Kevin was someone who really stayed in touch with his family. He would text his mom and sister pretty much on a daily basis, and that stayed true throughout the festival. And if any of you guys have been to one of these festivals, from what I understand, the service is not that great. It can be very spotty, and in some areas you can have no service at all.
Sometimes the entire area has no service at all, which is very dangerous when you think about it. But Kevin still managed to send off at least a daily text, just letting them know that he was having fun and all was well. However, on Sunday, July 1st, his text started getting pretty strange.
At 7.55 that morning, Kevin texted his dad saying something along the lines of, Dad, I love you for your service, I love you and someday I will pay you back everything I owe you. Gary and his father, so Kevin's grandfather, both served in the Marines. And it was something that Kevin always had a ton of respect for. Gary had fought in the Vietnam War.
And I just want to read you something that Kevin wrote to his dad. And it was actually framed with a picture. And I thought it was really beautiful. And it just shows you how much he admired him. Dad, you are such a good friend and father to me. You are my hero. You were so brave to go and fight in Vietnam. You fought for my freedom and yours. You are the bravest man I know.
And I am happy that you are my friend and father. Dad, you are my hero. Now, Kevin admired and respected his dad for his time in the Marines so much so that he even got a Marine Corps tattoo in honor of his father and his grandfather, which... Actually, I learned, is kind of a no-no. And that's because Kevin himself didn't serve in the Marines.
So his dad, when he saw it, was rightfully just a little like... It's not a big deal, but we need to get this fixed. He didn't want him to remove it, but he felt that he should clarify it a little bit by adding the dates of his father's service or something like that. So anyway, going back to the text, it seemed a little weird to them at the time because, you know, he's out at this festival.
It's just a strange time to send such a message. Vielen Dank für's Zuschauen. Und Kathy dachte, dass das seltsam war, weil sie ihn gefragt hat, wie sie es gemacht haben, nicht, was sie gemacht haben. Und so hat sie ihn tatsächlich wieder getreut, um zu fragen, ob alles okay war. Und er hat die gleiche Antwort zurückgegeben. Alles, was er gesagt hat, war nichts.
Wir lernten dann, dass er zwischen 1 und 2 Uhr verabschiedet hat, 200 Dollar von einem ATM. Und letztlich, um 1.55 Uhr, hat Kevin seine Schwester getreut, und hat etwas gesagt wie, Es ist alles gut, Kel. Ich liebe dich am meisten.
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Chapter 4: How did Kevin's girlfriend, Kate, react after his disappearance?
Now, when Gary and his son got there, Kate and her dad were already in Muskegon, which is about 25 minutes south of where the festival grounds were, in Rothbury. But according to a YouTube documentary that was released recently on the case, Kate, her dad, Gary and his son then proceeded to go to the festival grounds where they all began to look for him. Remember though, this was over 2,000 acres.
So Gary and his son ended up staying through the weekend to cover as much ground as they could. And this is a bit of a tangent, but I just wanted to mention again that YouTube documentary. It's made by a small YouTube channel. And there's some great interviews with their family in it. And I definitely want to support them. So I'm going to have that link below.
But I had to mention that there is a song in the documentary that was clearly specifically written for Kevin. And it is beautiful. I mean, it brought me to tears. And so I... Can't play the whole thing for you, but I wanted to play a little snippet of it and I suggest you go take a look at the documentary and they play it towards the end. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it.
It's such a beautiful song, so I just wanted to share.
In the darkness of the night A name echoes through the air Kevin Graves, you slipped from sight But in our hearts you're still there
I couldn't find any information about who created that song, but whoever did, thank you. I'm sure it means so much to their family. Like I said, it's just beautiful. But going back to Gary and his efforts, another thing that he did, which was very smart, was try and go to the bank to see if there had been any activity on Kevin's account.
The problem, though, was that Kevin and Kate shared a bank account, and since Gary wasn't listed as someone online, Die Bankmanagerin war super nett und hat ihm gesagt, dass es keine Aktivität gab. Sie hat ihn auch ein paar Tage später angerufen, als es Aktivität gab. Es scheint, dass Kate einige Karten geschrieben hat. Und als Erinnerung, Kevin und Kate haben diese Bankkarte geteilt.
Und bevor Sie zu irgendwelchen Schlussfolgerungen kommen, haben alle Berichte, die ich in diesem Fall gesehen habe, gesagt, dass Kate diese Karten auf behalf von Kevin geschrieben hat. Kevin hatte ein paar Lohns raus, und so war sie beruflich mit dem Geld verwendet, um sicherzustellen, dass er nichts verursacht, wenn er zurückkehrt.
Aber es gibt definitiv noch andere Dinge, die es schwieriger zu ignorieren sind. Aber das gesagt, die Dinge mit Kate haben eigentlich angefangen, ziemlich hilfreich zu sein. Sie und sein Schwester Kelley haben sich in der Anfangszeit verabschiedet. Sie haben sich ausgesprochen, die Krankenhäuser und Gefängnisse und überall, wo sie denken, dass Kevin möglich sein könnte.
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Chapter 5: Why is there controversy surrounding the police investigation?
quite confusing some sources only say that kate reported him missing on the third but in that youtube documentary i was telling you about gary and kathy talk about how they reported him missing on the second they did also mention that kate reported him missing too so i'm pretty sure it was both of them either way though that doesn't really change how this report was handled which was
Ganz ehrlich, schrecklich. Im Grunde, lange Geschichte, als Kevins Eltern zuerst den Bericht verabschiedeten, nannten sie die Michigan State Police. Aber sie wurden gesagt, dass sie den Bericht in der Stadt, in der Kevin lebt, in Highland Township verabschieden mussten. Was keinen Sinn macht, wenn er drei Stunden von dort weg war.
But anyway, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, who represents Highland Township, ended up being the ones investigating his disappearance. And he gave his parents the whole, he's an adult, he can leave if he wants, you know, that whole runaround. And so their family desperately fought for his case to be turned over to the state police. But that would have required the police to care.
And as you'll continue to hear throughout this episode, they just didn't. Und bevor ich mehr dazu erzähle, muss ich zuerst erklären, wie das mit Kate zu blockieren gehört. Und ich weiß, dass ich hier viel rübergekommen bin. Ich verspreche, dass das der beste Weg ist, es zu erklären, damit es Sinn macht. Ich meine, zumindest wie mein Gehirn funktioniert.
Also bevor sie sie blockiert hat, als sie immer noch hilfreich war, hat sie seiner Schwester Kelly die Namen und Telefonnummern der beiden Menschen gegeben, mit denen sie zum Festival ging. Justin and Anna. Well, she had communicated with them and generally speaking, felt like they were answering her basic questions.
And around that time, Kelly also spoke to the lead investigator on the case, Sergeant David Bach. And when she was speaking to him, she mentions these two other friends, Justin and Anna. You know, the people that he went to the festival with. And you guys... The investigator didn't even know that he had gone to the festival with anyone else. He thought it was just him and Kate.
Which means not only did his girlfriend Kate not even tell him, but he also didn't even bother to ask. And so around this time, Kelly is realizing that investigators really... Didn't seem to be doing their job. And so she started kind of pressing on his girlfriend Kate a little bit more. And part of that was asking her if she would help them get access to Kevin's phone records.
Now, Kevin was actually on a phone plan with Kate and her mom. And at first she said she would ask her mom. But then they all just get blocked. And to this day, at least to my understanding, and this blows my mind, Kevin's phone records have never been looked into. Not by Kate, not by her mom, and not by police.
And of course, after she just randomly blocks their entire family, that's when the tides really started to turn. And, I mean, I won't speak for their family, but the vibe that I grasped is that at this point they really started to question her a lot. However, and I want to be super clear here, Kate has never been named a suspect in Kevin's case.
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