Katharina Buczek
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.
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