Kansas Lostnmissing

#Missing Zachary Bochy, 31, El Dorado, KS. Feb. 13, 2019.

3/4/19
EL DORADO, Kan. (KAKE) -
Family and friends are concerned with the well-being of Zachary Bochy. He went missing on Feb. 13, 2019, in El Dorado.

He’s originally from Oklahoma and is known to hitchhike. He may use the last name McCulley.

ZACHARY BOCHY

Missing from: El Dorado, Kan.

Missing since: Feb. 13, 2019

Age when reported missing: 31

Height: 6’2’’

Weight: 170 pounds

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Blue

Distinguishing marks: Tattoos on arms, hands and neck.

If you have information that could help the case, contact the El Dorado Police Department at (316) 321-9120.

KAKE News will feature the story of a missing person every weekday in our newscasts at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you have a person you’d like for us to share a story about, please contact Anchor Annette Lawless at alawless@kake.com.

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MISSING IN KANSAS: Zachary Bochy

kake.com

Zachary Bochy went missing in February 2019.

3 weeks ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

2/26/19
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - Police and the local Alzheimer's Association are giving tips to the public after a Silver Alert ended in tragedy on Sunday.

74-year-old Juanita Stecher was found in rural Reno County and authorities said no foul play was involved.

KSN spoke with one of the people who found her and she said her family prayed over Stecher before police arrived.

With social media and technology continuing to develop, the way law enforcement gets information out there is getting faster, even with Silver Alerts.

"I think more people are aware of what a Silver Alert is and how we can use those," said Captain Brent Allred with the Wichita Police Department. "With social media now days and getting the information out, I think they've just grown in popularity with law enforcement."

Captain Allred said the agency only issues about five or 10 alerts per year, but people are seeing those alerts everywhere, making them seem more frequent.

"They get disoriented, they don't know where they're at, they get stuck." Captain Allred said. "Unfortunately, bad things can happen, so we need to find these individuals as quick as we can."

The big question for those with Dementia is when to consider taking precautions so that your loved one doesn't wander off.

Breana Tucker at the Alzheimer's Association said it's never too soon.

"It can happen with all stages of the disease, even the early stages," said Tucker.

Tucker said six out of 10 people with Alzheimer's or related Dementia will wander off.

"[They] wander by foot, wander by car, maybe public transportation," said Tucker.

Her tip for keeping your loved one safe is to have a plan in place just in case.

"Can we maybe have a GPS locator in the car or or maybe one of those Tiles?" Tucker said. "Can we have an alarm system in the home for those who maybe wander by foot? It's always good to have a back-up plan."

Another way to keep your loved one safe is to get a Safe Return necklace or bracelet. The person's photo and information is connected to the jewelry's serial number and can help police get the information out quickly in the case of a Silver Alert.

For more information about Safe Return, click here.
www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/safety/medicalert-safe-return

The Kansas Attorney General's Office is who oversees the issuing of Silver Alerts in the state and puts guidelines in place. For more information about Silver Alerts in Kansas, click here.
ag.ks.gov/public-safety/alerts/silver-alerts

To visit the Alzheimer's Association website, click here.
www.alz.org/

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A look into Silver Alerts, what you can do to protect your loved one

ksn.com

Police and the local Alzheimer's Association are giving tips to the public after a Silver Alert ended in tragedy on Sunday.

4 weeks ago

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Kansas Lostnmissing

Our condolences to the loved-ones of Juanita Stecher.

CHENEY, Kan. (KSNW) - UPDATE: Authorities have canceled the statewide Silver Alert for 74-year-old Juanita Stecher.

Officials with the Kansas ...

4 weeks ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

#StillMissing Randy Leach, then 17, disappeared in April 1988. Leavenworth County, KS.

2/21/19
LEAVENWORTH COUNTY, Kan. — A Leavenworth County couple, worried they are running out of time, is urging Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly to help them find their son.

Randy Leach disappeared in April 1988, just weeks before he was set to graduate from high school. His disappearance from a party in rural Leavenworth County has never been solved. His mother’s car he was driving that night, never found.

His disappearance sparked rumors of drugs, satanic cults, and sacrifices to the devil. But Leavenworth County and state investigators downplayed those rumors, saying they could never be substantiated.

The 17-year-old’s parents, Harold and Alberta Leach, believe not enough was done to locate their son in the first few weeks of his disappearance. And while they recognize he probably’s dead, they say they want to know what happened before they are gone.

Their efforts over the past three decades have included pressuring county and state investigators, pushing to get investigative records opened, and even using private investigators. So far there are no traces of their son or the car he was driving.

Now, in a letter to the governor, the couple is asking that Kelly appoint a special independent “master” from out of state to convene a cold case task force.

They’re seeking an executive order to allow the investigation to re-interview witnesses, review all records, and have the power to prosecute if necessary.

“Something needs to be done and we will not accept that this is an ‘ongoing investigation’ and we need to keep quiet,” the couple said in a letter to supporters obtained by FOX4.

They’re asking others to write or call the governor’s office to support their efforts to obtain the order.

Support has come in the form of a letter to the governor from Park University Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Eugene Matthews. Matthews reviewed the findings of FOX4’s “Where’s Randy” investigation, and concluded there were discrepancies and missteps in the investigations that probably cost the efforts valuable time.

In his letter to Kelly, Matthews notes: “My efforts have revealed some information as well as inconsistencies in the investigation.” He goes on to say that law enforcement’s claim that the search is an “ongoing investigation” is blocking efforts to get to records that might help solve the case.

A spokeswoman for the governor says the request will be reviewed before a decision is made, including bringing the governor up to speed on the case facts and status.

It’s not known when a decision on the Leach’s request might be made.

fox4kc.com/2019/02/21/parents-turn-to-governor-to-help-find-leavenworth-county-teen-missing-for-o... ... See MoreSee Less

Parents turn to governor to help find Leavenworth County teen missing for over 30 years

fox4kc.com

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY, Kan. -- A Leavenworth County couple, worried they are running out of time, is urging Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly to help them find their son. Randy Leach disappeared in April 1988, jus...

4 weeks ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

Our condolences to the loved-ones of Juanita Stecher.

CHENEY, Kan. (KSNW) - UPDATE: Authorities have canceled the statewide Silver Alert for 74-year-old Juanita Stecher.

Officials with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation say Stecher was found dead in Reno County Sunday morning.

Authorities said an autopsy will be conducted and no other details have been released at this time.

SilverAlert Juanita L. Stecher, 74, last seen near Central and Maize, Wichita, KS, at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22..

2/24/19
CHENEY, Kan. (KSNW) - The Cheney Police Department has requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Derby woman.

The whereabouts of Juanita L. Stecher, 74, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her. Stecher has short, grey hair and blue eyes. She wears gold glasses.

Stecher was last seen near Central and Maize in Wichita at approximately 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22. She was in a Silver 2013 Chevy Equinox with disabled tag 67754. She called family indicating her car was stuck in the mud, and she was unsure of her location. She may have been near the Cheney area.

If you see Stecher or her vehicle, please immediately contact the Cheney Police Department at 316-213-5831.

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Statewide Silver Alert issued for missing Derby Woman

ksn.com

The whereabouts of Juanita L. Stecher, 74, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her. 

4 weeks ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

Our condolences to the loved-ones of Patrick James Willet, 37, of Edmond, Oklahoma.

2/20/19
After a lengthy forensic investigation, the body of a man found in Pratt County, Kansas on January 24, 2019 has been officially identified as Patrick James Willet, 37, of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Willet was originally found by Pratt County Sheriff’s officers on an abandoned farmstead on SW 20th Street, after a request to search the property for the missing man.

Initial investigation suggests that Willet died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Documentation confirming the official cause of death has not been received by the Pratt County Sheriff ’s Office.

The staff at the Pratt County Sheriff ’s Office offers their thoughts and prayers to the family, for the tragic loss of Mr. Willet.

A memorial service was held for Willet on Saturday, February 16 at Larrison Mortuary in Pratt.

No other information is available for release at this time.

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Body found in Pratt County identified as Patrick Willet

pratttribune.com

After a lengthy forensic investigation, the body of a man found in Pratt County, Kansas on January 24, 2019 has been officially identified as Patrick

1 month ago

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Kansas Lostnmissing

We hope that she is well.

WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -
Meagan Spackman, who was reported missing since Saturday in Wichita, has been found, her family confirms to KAKE News.

Missing Meagan Spackman, 36, ...

1 month ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

2/21/19
TOPEKA
A bill introduced in the Kansas Senate would require the Department for Children and Families (DCF) to notify the legislature, the governor, and the media when one of the state’s 7,300 foster children goes missing or has to spend the night in an office.

Reports of missing children, kids sleeping in offices and abuse have plagued the Kansas child welfare system for years. In May 2018, a 14-year-old reported she was raped while staying at a KVC office in Olathe.

A bill sponsored by Louisburg Republican Sen. Molly Baumgardner would impose a $500 fine for each day a contractor does not inform DCF of a missing child.

“We can’t address missing kids and we can’t address the problems that are occurring when children spend the night in offices if we don’t even know that it’s happening,” Baumgardner said at a hearing Thursday morning before the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare.

A vote has yet to be scheduled.

Under current policy, Kansas foster care contractors, which include KVC and St. Francis, must notify DCF as soon as a child is missing. DCF then contacts law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The department has two full-time investigators that handle missing children cases.

Eighty-four children are either runaways or classified as missing, according to state officials.

Newly-appointed DCF Secretary Laura Howard has voiced her support for a more transparent system. But Baumgardner said it’s about changing a culture of concealment.

“It really doesn’t matter who is sitting in the governor’s seat. It doesn’t matter who is sitting in the secretary of DCF’s seat,” she said. “We have a culture because we have a large group of employees that don’t change with elections, and the culture is ‘we’re not going to report.’”

DFC initially opposed the bill, saying it could lose more than $55 million in federal funding if it released names of missing children. Rebekah Gaston, director of policy for DCF, said the department’s main concern is confidentiality.

“We don’t oppose notification when it limits the notification to aggregate information or just the basics like age and gender,” she said.

If the bill were amended to ensure confidentiality, DCF would support sharing updates about missing children, according to spokesman Mike Deines.

“We are always looking for ways to be as transparent as possible. Secretary [Laura Howard] does receive daily updates on the missing and runaway children so we’ll provide that information, particularly in the aggregate,” he said. “Our concern is the confidentiality of the children and the families and that has an affect on federal funds.”

“I don’t think that we should be afraid of facts,” Baumgardner said. “I think what we should focus on is that these are our most vulnerable children and we need to make decisions based on facts, not just blanket statements. That’s not good enough for each individual child.”

Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration is pushing for changes in the child welfare system. After The Star reported about one troubled Florida company’s path to no-bid grants, Kelly cut ties with the firm and re-opened the bidding process.

“Governor Kelly has been an advocate for children her entire career. She was the first lawmaker to sound the alarm in the fall of 2017 when children were missing from foster care,” said spokeswoman Ashley All. “She has made increasing transparency in DCF — and other state agencies — a top priority.”

The bill requires DCF to publish information about a child in the county where he or she was reported missing, using the newspaper that carries legal notices. Baumgardner suggested the bill could be amended to simply informing newspapers instead of buying costly space.

Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, said the organization supports the bill.

“One missing child is too many. If we can play a small part in the quick recovery of a missing child, it is our honor to do so,” she said in a statement.
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New bill would alert Kansas lawmakers when a child in foster care goes missing

kansascity.com

Dozens of Kansas’s 7,500 foster care children go missing each year. Under a proposed law, the state would have to inform the governor and the legislature when a child goes missing or stays overn...

1 month ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

#Missing Alex Head, 31, Chapman, KS. 1/15/19.

2/18/19
Family and friends are concerned about what happened to Alex Head. He was last seen on Jan. 15, 2019, in Enterprise, Kan.

Alex, 31, was last seen driving a 2002 silver Dodge Durango with a broken headlight in Chapman, Kan. It’s believed that he may be heading to Salina.

ALEX HEAD

Missing from: Enterprise, Kan.

Missing since: Jan. 15, 2019

Age when reported missing: 31

Height: 5’10’’

Weight: 135 pounds

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Brown

If you have information that could help the case, contact the Dickinson County Sheriff's Office at (785) 263-4041.

KAKE News will feature the story of a missing person every weekday in our newscasts at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you have a person you’d like for us to share a story about, please contact Anchor Annette Lawless at alawless@kake.com.

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MISSING IN KANSAS: Alex Head

kake.com

Family and friends are concerned about missing man Alex Head.

1 month ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

Our condolences to the loved-ones of Marissa M. Craft, last seen on 12/15/17.

2/20/19
CHANUTE, Kan. (WIBW) -- The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has identified the woman whose remains were found last August in Neosho Co.

Investigators say Marissa M. Craft's body was found in a field near the intersection of Ford Road and 50th Road. At the time, her remains were taken to the Shawnee Co. Coroner's Office for examination and the KBI considered her death suspicious.

Craft, 39, had been missing for eight months before her body was discovered. She was last seen on December 15, 2017, leaving her Chanute mobile home with three men, KBI said. The four of them reportedly got into a white, Dodge truck.

The KBI is working with the Neosho Co. Sheriff's Office and Chanute Police Dept. to determine the circumstances that led to her death.

Anyone with information about her disappearance or death is asked to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office at (620) 244-3888. Callers may remain anonymous.

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KBI identifies body found in Neosho Co. field as woman missing since 2017

wibw.com

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has identified the woman whose remains were found last August in Neosho Co.

1 month ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

We hope that she is well.

WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -
Meagan Spackman, who was reported missing since Saturday in Wichita, has been found, her family confirms to KAKE News.

Missing Meagan Spackman, 36, was last seen at 808 South Water Street, Wichita, KS. 2/16/19.

2/19/19
WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -
A Wichita family is asking for the public's help in finding a 36-year-old woman who has been missing since Saturday.

Meagan Spackman was last seen at 808 South Water Street at around 2 p.m. that day. The apartment complex there is owned and run by the Wichita Mental Health Association, according to a flyer posted by Kansas Missing & Unsolved.

It says Spackman is mentally and physically disabled and can get confused easily, especially without her medications. She stands 5-foot-4 and weighs 165 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.

The woman's mother said on Facebook that Spackman has been without her medications since Friday.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Wichita police at (316) 268-4111.

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Family: Missing Wichita woman is mentally, physically disabled

kake.com

Megan Spackman was last seen at 808 South Water Street at around 2 p.m. Saturday. She stands 5-foot-4 and weighs 165 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.

1 month ago

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Kansas Lostnmissing

Great news!

Missing 88-year-old man found safe

SilverAlert Pearl Williams, 88, Wichita, KS. 2/12/19.

2/12/19
WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -
Wichita police are asking for the public's help in finding...

1 month ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

Great news!

Missing 88-year-old man found safe

SilverAlert Pearl Williams, 88, Wichita, KS. 2/12/19.

2/12/19
WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -
Wichita police are asking for the public's help in finding an 88-year-old man who was reported missing Tuesday afternoon.

Police issued a Silver Alert for Pearl Williams after his son reported not being able to find him. Officer Charley Davidson said it was reported that Williams left his home in the 1700 block of South Spruce, near Harry and I-135, at around 4 p.m. Sunday and has not returned. He was driving a blue 1998 Ford F150 will Kansas tag 959GFB.

The family reported that this behavior is not normal for Williams.

Anyone who sees Williams or has information is asked to call 911 immediately.

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Wichita police issue Silver Alert for missing 88-year-old man

kake.com

The Wichita Police Department issued a Silver Alert for Peal Williams on Tuesday after his son reported not being able to find him.

1 month ago

Kansas Lostnmissing

#StillMissing Megan Foglesong. Alden, KS. Nov/Dec 2015.

2/5/19
(KAKE) -
On the day that she would have turned 25, people gathered in honor of Megan Foglesong. Megan disappeared more than three years ago in Alden, Kan.

“She was full life, energetic, was pretty happy go lucky,” said friend Aaron Bagby, who went to the Kansas vigil. At the same time, a separate vigil was hosted in Oneida, Ill., where Megan spent much of her life growing up. A group sang a somber “Happy Birthday” and prayed, hoping to keep Megan’s memory alive.

Aaron got to know Megan in the months before her disappearance, in November or December 2015. In a small town like Alden, where about 150 people live, he said a case like this unnerving.

“It's shocking, you know. It's scary,” he said. “To learn anything… to give answers to her family. I couldn't imagine how her mom feels. It would be miraculous. Ease their heartache.”

Yet, not much has turned up over the years. There have been six large searches and some small ones too, said former Rice County Under sheriff Brian Treaster. A search warrant was executed at a man’s home in February 2017 in Alden. Foul play has been suspected, though, investigators cannot say why. The person, who’s home was searched, is in prison for an unrelated crime. To this day, no arrests have been made.

Brian has helped some of those search efforts, even after leaving the department.

“It's difficult not to be able to tell them anything of what's going on or where she's at, or give them the closure that they would like to have, Brian said.

Though the Illinois vigil drew a much larger crowd, Kansas only had three people in attendance: Aaron, Brian and Ashlie Duft, who helped organize it.

“I cannot imagine what her family is going through and what they are thinking at this moment,” Ashlie said. “And just because so much time has gone by not having any closure it's just very devastating.”

They just hope one day someone will help lead them to the woman who brought so much joy to those around her – any clue to bring Megan home.

“Somebody knows something,” Aaron said. “and I pray that that some point that they find it in them to come forward with you know any kind of knowledge that could help ease the family's heartbreak.”

PREVIOUS STORY

The mystery of what happened to a missing Kansas woman continues to rattle a central Kansas community.

Megan Foglesong was last seen in late November or early December 2015 in Alden, Kan. There was an unconfirmed sighting of Foglesong around Thanksgiving that year at Guy’s Liquor in Larned, Kan. She hasn’t posted to Facebook since Nov. 30 that year.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case from the Rice County Sheriff’s Office. KAKE News reached out to the KBI for any update on the case, but we’re waiting to hear from their lead investigator overseeing it.

Friends and family continue to share Foglesong’s story on a Facebook group Bring Megan Home. They fear foul play was involved with her disappearance.

MEGAN RENEE FOGLESONG

Missing from: Alden, Kan.

Missing since: November or December 2015

Age at time of disappearance: 21

Age now: 25

Height: 5’4’’

Weight: 150 pounds

Hair: Sandy blonde, though she has dyed it

Eyes: Green

Other distinguishing marks: Foglesong has several tattoos, including a flower design on her left hip; a heart design that reads “thick thin” on left wrist; infinity design on upper right chest; and dream catcher design on outer left calf.

If you have information that could help in the case, contact the Rice County Sheriff’s Office at (620) 257-7876.

KAKE News will feature the story of a missing person every weekday in our newscasts at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you have a person you’d like for us to share a story about, please contact Anchor Annette Lawless at alawless@kake.com.

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MISSING IN KANSAS: Search for Megan Foglesong

kake.com

The mystery of what happened to a missing Kansas woman continues to rattle a central Kansas community.

2 months ago