Amy Wroe Bechtel

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Fremont County Sheriffs Department (WY)

Missing From:

Lander, Wyoming

Summary:

Amy Joy Wroe Bechtel disappeared while jogging in the Wind River Range approximately 15 miles southwest of Lander, Wyoming on July 24, 1997, at age 24. She was declared legally dead in 2004. Her disappearance remains unsolved.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On July 24, 1997, Bechtel taught a fitness class, ran errands, and visited a local photography business to inquire about a photography competition. She was seen at a local photo shop at approximately 2:30 p.m. that afternoon; employees at the store said she seemed to be in a hurry and looked at her watch several times. After her in-town activities, Bechtel is believed to have traveled through Sinks Canyon State Park to the Loop Road, a roadway that traverses the Wind River Range to South Pass. Bechtel purportedly went to the Loop Road to practice the route of the 10-kilometer race she was organizing. The family learned of her disappearance after a call from Steve Bechtel, Amy's husband, to inquire about her whereabouts around 10 p.m. that day. On July 25, 1997, searchers located Bechtel's vehicle, a white Toyota Tercel, at Burnt Gulch, an area along the Loop Road. Her vehicle was unlocked but provided no indication of Bechtel's whereabouts. Investigators found that Amy's sunglasses, to-do list, and car keys were on the seat of her car; only her wallet was missing.

Additional Details:

By 3 a.m. July 25, 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 mines were searched with no results. Investigators initially believed Bechtel fell victim to the elements or was perhaps attacked by a bear or mountain lion; 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 murdered his wife; in response, Steve terminated the interview. He later said the journals comprised song lyrics he wrote for his band, and that they were unrelated to Bechtel or her disappearance. Steve provided an alibi for the time of Bechtel's disappearance, which was corroborated by friends who agreed they spent the afternoon rock climbing with him. However, on the advice of criminal defense attorney Kent Spence, Steve refused to submit to a polygraph test. In 1998, local police stated that Steve 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. In 2004, Bechtel was declared legally deceased by her husband, famed rock climber Steve Bechtel. The Fremont County Sheriff's Office says it believes Dale Wayne Eaton, Wyoming's only death row inmate, may have had a role in the 1997 disappearance of Lander woman, Amy Wroe-Bechtel. Detective John Zerga says Eaton, who was convicted of the kidnapping, rape and murder of Lisa Marie Kimmell in the Lil' Miss case, has always been on the list of suspects. Investigators believe Eaton may be the so-called "Great Basin Killer," the serial killer whom they think was responsible for the murders of at least nine women in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada between 1983 and 1997. As of November 2025, the case remains open.

Case Last Updated:

Oct 01, 2026