268:; however, they later suspected Steve after uncovering a series of his journals describing violence toward women and, specifically, his wife. Detectives interrogated Steve on August 1, 1997, falsely claiming to have evidence proving he had murdered his wife; in response, Steve terminated the interview. He later said the journals had comprised song lyrics he had written for his band, and that they were unrelated to Bechtel or her disappearance.
31:
256:
By 3 a.m. on July 25, 1997, an extensive search for
Bechtel was underway from law enforcement, as well as Steve and the couple's friends and family. By July 27, police were receiving roughly 1,000 calls per day with tips and potential leads in Bechtel's disappearance; additionally, various lakes and
225:
Lander, around 2:30 p.m. Following her time at the photo store, she stopped by
Gallery 331, where she spoke to the proprietor, Greg Wagner. Wagner noted that Bechtel seemed hurried, and repeatedly glanced at her watch during their conversation. Wagner's was the last confirmed sighting of Bechtel.
224:
On the morning of July 24, 1997, Bechtel told her husband, Steve, that she was planning on running several errands in town after teaching a children's weight-lifting class at the Wind River
Fitness Center. After teaching her class, she stopped at Camera Connection, a photo store near her home in
314:
was discovered by a doctor hiking near the Popo Agie River and was turned in to the police. It was noted to be similar to a watch
Bechtel had owned at the time of her disappearance; however, law enforcement was unable to determine whether or not the watch belonged to her.
334:, a convicted murderer on Wyoming's death row, has also been cited as a suspect in the case. According to Eaton's brother, he had been near the area where Bechtel disappeared at the time of her disappearance. However, Eaton has refused to discuss the case.
236:
she was enrolled to compete in. According to an eyewitness driving on Loop Road through the forest that afternoon, a woman resembling
Bechtel was seen running along the road wearing black shorts similar to those she had worn earlier that day.
276:
for the time of
Bechtel's disappearance, which was corroborated by friends who agreed they had spent the afternoon with him rock climbing. However, on the advice of criminal defense attorney Kent Spence, Steve refused to submit to a
271:
In 1998, local police stated that
Bechtel was not a central suspect in the case but that they had wanted to clear him of suspicion to follow other leads, which they could not do after his lack of cooperation. Steve provided an
328:, and I believe what happened to her happened on the day she disappeared. In my mind, there is only one person I want to talk to, only one who has refused to talk to law enforcement, and that's her husband."
838:
810:
348:
with
Bechtel's sisters, who pleaded with him to provide information regarding her disappearance. Steve denied any involvement in his wife's disappearance during the program.
407:
292:
of the area on the day of
Bechtel's disappearance, but the satellite images provided no information. In January 1998, satellite images taken by the Russian space station
184:. Despite extensive investigative work and media portrayals, her case remains unsolved. She was declared legally dead in 2004 at the behest of her husband, rock climber
846:
1077:
880:
1138:
240:
At 4:30 p.m., Steve returned home after having spent the day with a friend and found his wife absent. At 10:30 p.m., he called police to report his wife
1113:
382:
169:
387:
463:
1118:
281:
test. Additionally, a woman driving through the area from where
Bechtel disappeared claimed to have seen a truck matching Steve's.
1128:
1047:
1003:
1108:
1098:
783:
331:
623:
285:
260:
Investigators initially believed Bechtel to have fallen victim to the elements or potentially been attacked by a
429:
161:
197:
58:
1123:
1103:
229:
579:
371:
434:
1031:
991:
657:
205:
98:
342:
Bechtel's case received significant media attention. On February 3, 1998, Steve appeared on
1133:
213:
212:. In college, Bechtel was a competitive long-distance runner and hoped to try out for the
8:
1082:
885:
471:
344:
909:
943:
628:
365:
359:
1071:
532:
228:
After leaving the photo shop, it is believed by authorities that Bechtel drove to the
1053:
1043:
1009:
999:
914:
839:"Amy Wroe Bechtel disappearance takes new turn; Prime suspect on Wyoming's Death Row"
662:
377:
353:
1036:
815:
320:
173:
938:
177:
76:
508:
241:
108:
87:
1057:
1013:
1092:
265:
245:
209:
185:
128:
965:
307:
298:
were also obtained by the FBI, but they also revealed nothing of note.
201:
62:
375:
in 2013, and was also the subject of an extensive article featured in
311:
278:
165:
936:
325:
30:
996:
The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wilderness
388:
233:
181:
248:, was discovered parked on a turnout at Burnt Gulch in Lander.
244:. At 1 a.m. on the morning of July 25, Bechtel's car, a white
273:
289:
261:
294:
811:"Sheriff believes Amy Wroe Bechtel was victim of killer"
937:
Di Salvatore, Bryan; McNamer, Deirdre (March 1, 1998).
742:
740:
324:, Sheriff Sgt. Roger Rizor stated: "I believe it was a
689:
606:
604:
602:
491:
489:
160:(August 4, 1972 – disappeared July 24, 1997; declared
861:
764:
752:
737:
725:
713:
701:
677:
599:
587:
486:
1035:
381:in 2016. Bechtel's disappearance is discussed by
1090:
907:
90:for 27 years, 1 month and 28 days
784:"Possible Clue Found To Woman Missing 6 Years"
655:
176:approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of
983:
808:
533:"Amy Joy Wroe Bechtel – The Charley Project"
1139:Sportspeople from Santa Barbara, California
836:
583:. January 7, 2013. Investigation Discovery.
363:in 1998, as well as the television series
458:
456:
454:
452:
989:
1091:
998:. New York: Grand Central Publishing.
651:
649:
647:
449:
369:. It was later profiled on the series
232:to practice the course of an upcoming
1114:July 1997 events in the United States
1029:
867:
770:
758:
746:
731:
719:
707:
695:
683:
624:"A Mystery Divides Family in Wyoming"
610:
593:
572:
509:"The Doe Network: Case File 1838DFWY"
495:
424:
422:
301:
257:mines were searched with no results.
570:
568:
566:
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
908:Tresnowski, Alex (March 23, 1998).
873:
644:
337:
13:
802:
419:
204:, in 1972. She graduated from the
14:
1150:
1065:
656:Billman, John (August 18, 2016).
549:
196:Bechtel was born Amy Joy Wroe in
118:5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
881:"Amy Wroe Bechtel case timeline"
288:requested satellite photos from
251:
219:
172:while presumably jogging in the
29:
1119:Missing person cases in Wyoming
958:
930:
901:
830:
776:
137:
809:Tuttle, Greg (June 21, 2007).
616:
525:
501:
408:List of people who disappeared
351:The case was profiled in both
1:
1023:
837:Over, Ernie (March 6, 2013).
318:In a 2007 interview with the
191:
16:Unsolved Missing Persons Case
1129:University of Wyoming alumni
1078:Timeline of the Bechtel case
74:July 24, 1997 (aged 24)
7:
1109:History of women in Wyoming
918:. Vol. 49, no. 11
401:
10:
1155:
1099:1990s missing person cases
284:In late August 1997, the
147:
122:
114:
104:
94:
83:
70:
40:
28:
21:
413:
230:Shoshone National Forest
1032:"Suddenly She Was Gone"
345:The Geraldo Rivera Show
208:, and met her husband,
1074:at the Charley Project
1042:. New York: Pinnacle.
1030:Scott, Robert (2009).
464:"Amy Joy Wroe Bechtel"
435:California Birth Index
990:Billman, Jon (2020).
206:University of Wyoming
151:Duane and JoAnne Wroe
99:University of Wyoming
992:"Chapter 2: Wyoming"
632:. September 28, 1997
577:"Amy Wroe Bechtel".
214:2000 Summer Olympics
174:Wind River Mountains
158:Amy Joy Wroe Bechtel
1083:Casper Star Tribune
886:Casper Star Tribune
474:on October 29, 2017
468:The Charley Project
35:Portrait of Bechtel
966:"Amy Wroe Bechtel"
849:on October 9, 2017
788:The Denver Channel
629:The New York Times
537:charleyproject.org
513:www.doenetwork.org
366:Unsolved Mysteries
302:Later developments
1049:978-0-786-01996-0
1005:978-1-5387-4756-8
698:, pp. 104–5.
394:in his 2020 book
155:
154:
1146:
1072:Amy Wroe Bechtel
1061:
1041:
1018:
1017:
987:
981:
980:
978:
976:
962:
956:
955:
953:
951:
934:
928:
927:
925:
923:
905:
899:
898:
896:
894:
877:
871:
865:
859:
858:
856:
854:
845:. Archived from
834:
828:
827:
825:
823:
816:Billings Gazette
806:
800:
799:
797:
795:
780:
774:
768:
762:
756:
750:
744:
735:
729:
723:
717:
711:
705:
699:
693:
687:
681:
675:
674:
672:
670:
658:"Long Gone Girl"
653:
642:
641:
639:
637:
620:
614:
608:
597:
591:
585:
584:
574:
547:
546:
544:
543:
529:
523:
522:
520:
519:
505:
499:
493:
484:
483:
481:
479:
470:. Archived from
460:
447:
446:
444:
442:
426:
393:
390:
338:Media depictions
332:Dale Wayne Eaton
321:Billings Gazette
306:In June 2003, a
141:
139:
54:
52:
33:
23:Amy Wroe Bechtel
19:
18:
1154:
1153:
1149:
1148:
1147:
1145:
1144:
1143:
1124:Lander, Wyoming
1104:1997 in Wyoming
1089:
1088:
1068:
1050:
1038:Rivers of Blood
1026:
1021:
1006:
988:
984:
974:
972:
964:
963:
959:
949:
947:
935:
931:
921:
919:
910:"Into Thin Air"
906:
902:
892:
890:
889:. July 22, 2007
879:
878:
874:
866:
862:
852:
850:
835:
831:
821:
819:
807:
803:
793:
791:
790:. June 24, 2003
782:
781:
777:
769:
765:
757:
753:
745:
738:
730:
726:
718:
714:
706:
702:
694:
690:
682:
678:
668:
666:
654:
645:
635:
633:
622:
621:
617:
609:
600:
592:
588:
576:
575:
550:
541:
539:
531:
530:
526:
517:
515:
507:
506:
502:
494:
487:
477:
475:
462:
461:
450:
440:
438:
428:
427:
420:
416:
404:
396:The Cold Vanish
385:
340:
304:
254:
222:
194:
143:
140: 1996)
135:
131:
95:Alma mater
77:Lander, Wyoming
75:
66:
56:
50:
48:
47:
46:
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1152:
1142:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1087:
1086:
1075:
1067:
1066:External links
1064:
1063:
1062:
1048:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1019:
1004:
982:
957:
929:
900:
872:
870:, p. 115.
860:
829:
801:
775:
773:, p. 114.
763:
761:, p. 112.
751:
749:, p. 110.
736:
734:, p. 109.
724:
722:, p. 108.
712:
710:, p. 105.
700:
688:
686:, p. 104.
676:
663:Runner's World
643:
615:
613:, p. 103.
598:
596:, p. 102.
586:
548:
524:
500:
498:, p. 101.
485:
448:
417:
415:
412:
411:
410:
403:
400:
378:Runner's World
339:
336:
303:
300:
253:
250:
221:
218:
193:
190:
153:
152:
149:
145:
144:
133:
127:
126:
124:
120:
119:
116:
112:
111:
109:Missing person
106:
105:Known for
102:
101:
96:
92:
91:
85:
81:
80:
72:
68:
67:
57:
55:August 4, 1972
44:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1151:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1085:
1084:
1079:
1076:
1073:
1070:
1069:
1059:
1055:
1051:
1045:
1040:
1039:
1033:
1028:
1027:
1015:
1011:
1007:
1001:
997:
993:
986:
971:
967:
961:
946:
945:
940:
933:
917:
916:
911:
904:
888:
887:
882:
876:
869:
864:
848:
844:
840:
833:
818:
817:
812:
805:
789:
785:
779:
772:
767:
760:
755:
748:
743:
741:
733:
728:
721:
716:
709:
704:
697:
692:
685:
680:
665:
664:
659:
652:
650:
648:
631:
630:
625:
619:
612:
607:
605:
603:
595:
590:
582:
581:
573:
571:
569:
567:
565:
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
538:
534:
528:
514:
510:
504:
497:
492:
490:
473:
469:
465:
459:
457:
455:
453:
437:
436:
431:
430:"Amy J. Wroe"
425:
423:
418:
409:
406:
405:
399:
397:
391:
384:
380:
379:
374:
373:
368:
367:
362:
361:
357:magazine and
356:
355:
349:
347:
346:
335:
333:
329:
327:
323:
322:
316:
313:
312:digital watch
309:
299:
297:
296:
291:
287:
282:
280:
275:
269:
267:
266:mountain lion
263:
258:
252:Investigation
249:
247:
246:Toyota Tercel
243:
238:
235:
231:
226:
220:Disappearance
217:
215:
211:
210:Steve Bechtel
207:
203:
199:
198:Santa Barbara
189:
187:
186:Steve Bechtel
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
150:
146:
130:
129:Steve Bechtel
125:
121:
117:
113:
110:
107:
103:
100:
97:
93:
89:
86:
82:
78:
73:
69:
64:
60:
59:Santa Barbara
43:
39:
32:
27:
20:
1081:
1037:
995:
985:
973:. Retrieved
970:Unsolved.com
969:
960:
948:. Retrieved
942:
932:
920:. Retrieved
913:
903:
891:. Retrieved
884:
875:
863:
851:. Retrieved
847:the original
842:
832:
820:. Retrieved
814:
804:
792:. Retrieved
787:
778:
766:
754:
727:
715:
703:
691:
679:
667:. Retrieved
661:
634:. Retrieved
627:
618:
589:
578:
540:. Retrieved
536:
527:
516:. Retrieved
512:
503:
476:. Retrieved
472:the original
467:
439:. Retrieved
433:
395:
376:
370:
364:
358:
352:
350:
343:
341:
330:
319:
317:
305:
293:
283:
270:
259:
255:
239:
227:
223:
195:
164:2004) is an
162:legally dead
157:
156:
45:Amy Joy Wroe
1134:1972 births
939:"Long Gone"
580:Disappeared
386: [
383:Jon Billman
372:Disappeared
170:disappeared
71:Disappeared
1093:Categories
1058:1392107069
1024:References
1014:1163926946
868:Scott 2009
771:Scott 2009
759:Scott 2009
747:Scott 2009
732:Scott 2009
720:Scott 2009
708:Scott 2009
696:Scott 2009
684:Scott 2009
611:Scott 2009
594:Scott 2009
542:2018-07-27
518:2018-07-27
496:Scott 2009
202:California
192:Background
168:woman who
63:California
51:1972-08-04
843:County 10
310:Iron Man
279:polygraph
148:Parent(s)
975:June 15,
922:June 10,
893:June 15,
853:June 15,
822:June 15,
794:June 15,
669:June 15,
636:June 15,
478:June 15,
441:June 15,
402:See also
326:homicide
166:American
1080:at the
950:June 9,
944:Outside
360:Outside
242:missing
234:10K run
182:Wyoming
142:
134:
88:Missing
1056:
1046:
1012:
1002:
915:People
354:People
178:Lander
123:Spouse
115:Height
84:Status
79:, U.S.
65:, U.S.
414:Notes
392:]
308:Timex
274:alibi
136:(
132:
1054:OCLC
1044:ISBN
1010:OCLC
1000:ISBN
977:2017
952:2017
924:2017
895:2017
855:2017
824:2017
796:2017
671:2017
638:2017
480:2017
443:2017
290:NASA
262:bear
41:Born
295:Mir
286:FBI
264:or
1095::
1052:.
1034:.
1008:.
994:.
968:.
941:.
912:.
883:.
841:.
813:.
786:.
739:^
660:.
646:^
626:.
601:^
551:^
535:.
511:.
488:^
466:.
451:^
432:.
421:^
398:.
216:.
200:,
188:.
180:,
138:m.
61:,
1060:.
1016:.
979:.
954:.
926:.
897:.
857:.
826:.
798:.
673:.
640:.
545:.
521:.
482:.
445:.
389:d
53:)
49:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
