After Attending A Bowling League Practice In 1993, She Vanished And Has Now Been Missing For Over 30 Years
In 1993, Stephanie Crane of Challis, Idaho, was just 9-years-old. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom who cared for both her and her three younger sisters. Stephanie was also extremely close with her father, who worked in mineral mining.
Known as a bit of a tomboy, she loved going hiking, fishing, and hunting with her father. Additionally, she was a member of a youth bowling league.
But, after Stephanie got dropped off for bowling practice on October 11, 1993, she mysteriously disappeared.
That day, Stephanie’s mom gave her some money to buy a snack and brought her to the Challis Bowling Alley. She was slated to practice with some classmates for their bowling league.
By 4:45 p.m., the practice came to an end, and everyone began to head home. At that point, the mother of one of Stephanie’s classmates claimed to have watched the 9-year-old walk away from the bowling alley.
Another parent reportedly offered Stephanie a ride, but she supposedly claimed to have forgotten her backpack at the Challis High School soccer field.
So, Stephanie was last seen at about 6:00 p.m. that evening, walking along Highway 93 toward the high school. After that, she was never seen or heard from again.
About two hours later, at 8:15 p.m., Stephanie’s mom, Sandi, contacted the Custer County Sheriff’s Office and filed a missing person report.
Stephanie’s disappearance sparked an extensive search that spanned 7,000 square miles in two different counties. It began at 9:00 p.m. and lasted until about 12:30 a.m. Then, the following day, searches resumed at 7:00 a.m.
Custer County Sheriff’s Office – pictured above is Stephanie
However, even with the assistance of police, tracking dogs, federal investigators, boat crews, and volunteers, no evidence of Stephanie’s whereabouts was ever uncovered.
It was determined that a yellow pickup truck with red pinstripes had been in the high school parking lot at the time she went missing. But, the vehicle’s model and license plate number could never be confirmed as the truck was gone once investigators began searching for it.
Stephanie’s peers in the bowling league were also interviewed by authorities, but accounts differed as to where she was heading after bowling practice. Some people stated that she was going to watch a soccer practice at the high school. Others reportedly claimed to have seen a man in his mid-thirties watching them.
While a sketch of this man was reportedly drawn up, though, no leads came of it.
Authorities believe that Stephanie was abducted by a stranger, and over the years, they have received many tips. Unfortunately, none of these leads have ever led to any arrests.
One theory suggests that a man named Keith Glenn “Mark” Hescock might have been responsible for Stephanie’s disappearance. He was a hunter from Idaho Falls who was in the Challis region when Stephanie vanished.
Keith allegedly kidnapped a 14-year-old girl on June 5, 2002, and left her chained to a bed in his house while he went to work. Later that same afternoon, she was able to escape and report what happened to authorities.
When police tried to arrest him, he ultimately fled in his car and engaged authorities in a 40-mile high-speed chase. In the end, Kieth exchanged gunfire with authorities and took his own life.
Keith reportedly owned a yellow pickup truck, which may have been similar to the one spotted at Challis High School the day Stephanie vanished. Nonetheless, after his death, Keith took any information he may have had with him.
Investigators were never able to establish any evidence that tied Keith to Stephanie’s case. So, she has now been missing for over 30 years, and her disappearance remains unsolved.
Sadly, both of Stephanie’s parents died before they could ever glean any answers in her case. Her mother passed away in 1997, and her father passed away in 2012 – both of natural causes.
Still, Stephanie’s younger sisters continue the search for answers, and there is a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible for her disappearance.
At the time she vanished, Stephanie was five foot two and had brown hair and blue eyes. She would be 39-years-old today.
If you have any information regarding her case, you are urged to contact the Custer County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 879-2232.
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