Case Details

Photo URLs:

This person was missing Missing Since 07/24/1997

Missing Since:

Missing Since 07/24/1997

Missing From:

Missing From Lander, Wyoming

Classification:

Classification Endangered Missing

Gender:

Female

Race:

Race White

Date of Birth:

Date of Birth 08/04/1972 (52)

Age:

Age 24 years old

Height and Weight:

Height and Weight 5’5 – 5’6, 110 pounds

Clothing/Jewelry Description:

Clothing/Jewelry Description A yellow or gold tank top, blue or black shorts, Adidas Trail Response sneakers, a Timex Ironman Triathalon watch and a small double wedding band on her left ring finger.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Amy has pierced ears. Some agencies hyphenate her last name, as in “Wroe-Bechtel,” or refer to her as Amy Wroe. Her hair was shoulder-length at the time of her July 1997 disappearance. She wears size 8 shoes and gas-permeable contact lenses. Amy has scars on both shins and knees, a checker-shaped scar on her lower back, and a scar on her left cheek approximately half an inch by two inches in size; the scar is only noticeable when she is cold.

Details of Disappearance:

On July 24, 1997, Amy Bechtel left her apartment in Lander, Wyoming, to run errands. She was last seen around 2:30 pm at a photo shop. Later, her car was found abandoned near Shoshone National Forest. Her wallet was missing, but her keys, sunglasses, and to-do list were in the car. There were no signs of a struggle.

Amy’s husband, Steve, became worried when she didn’t come home. Police investigated, focusing on Steve because of unsettling entries in his journal – including a poem about murder and hiding a body. A witness reported seeing a truck like Steve’s speeding away from the area with a blonde woman.

Friends gave mixed accounts of the couple’s relationship; some said it was good, others said Steve was jealous and controlling. Steve refused further questioning by police and a lie detector test. He maintains his innocence.

Another suspect is Dale Wayne Eaton, already on death row for murder. Investigators think he might be a serial killer responsible for other deaths in the region. Eaton’s brother said he was near Lander when Amy disappeared, but Eaton won’t talk about it.

Amy was a bright, athletic young woman with big dreams. Her disappearance remains a mystery, and foul play is suspected. Her family still hopes to find her.

Agency:

Fremont County Sheriff’s Office 307-332-5611

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