Amy Bechtel
Amy Joy Wroe Bechtel was 24 years old when she disappeared on July 24, 1997, in Shoshone National Forest near Lander, Wyoming.
Amy Bechtel left her home in Lander, Wyoming around 9:30 a.m. on July 24, 1997, with a list of errands she wanted to finish. She spent several hours checking items off that list, and at 2:30 p.m. she stopped at a local photography shop to ask about framing some pictures.
After leaving the shop, she planned to go for a run to map out the route for an upcoming race she was organizing in the Shoshone National Forest. She never made it back home and was never seen again.
Her husband, Steve Bechtel, had been rock climbing with a friend that afternoon. When he returned home and Amy wasn’t there, he assumed she had gotten a late start on her run.
As daylight faded and she still hadn’t returned, he began calling friends, but no one had seen her or knew where she might be. By 10:30 p.m., concerned that something was wrong, Steve contacted police and reported her missing.
Shortly after midnight, Amy’s white Toyota Tercel was found parked along Loop Road near Burnt Gulch in the Wind River Mountains. The car was unlocked, and most of her belongings — including her handwritten to‑do list, her keys, and her sunglasses — were still inside. The only items missing were her wallet and fanny pack.
There were no signs of foul play around the vehicle, and it appeared she had parked to go for her run and never returned.
Steve and several friends spent the night searching the area, fearing she had been injured while running. Despite extensive searches in the days and weeks that followed, no trace of Amy was ever found.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Amy Joy Wroe Bechtel, please contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at (307) 332‑5611
