Erin Leigh Foster
Born(1982-02-28)February 28, 1982
DiedApril 3, 2000(2000-04-03) (aged 18)
Sparta, Tennessee
EducationWhite County High School
Known forRemains discovered after missing for 21 years
Jeremy Lee Bechtel
Born(1982-11-07)November 7, 1982
DiedApril 3, 2000(2000-04-03) (aged 17)
Sparta, Tennessee
EducationWhite County High School
Known forRemains discovered after missing for 21 years

Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel were two American teenagers from Sparta, Tennessee, who disappeared in April 2000. Their bodies were found in Foster's vehicle in 2021 by Jeremy Sides, a volunteer civilian cold-case investigator and YouTuber.

Disappearance

Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel were residents of Sparta, Tennessee.[1] Bechtel spoke to his father Ronnie Bechtel by telephone on the evening of April 3, 2000. Foster was seen by her brother Will the same evening.[2]

Foster and Bechtel attended a party that night but returned to Foster's parents' home before leaving again.[2][3] Both teenagers were probably last seen around 10:00 p.m. in Foster's black Pontiac Grand Am.[4] Foster was 18 at the time of her disappearance, while Bechtel was 17.[5]

Searches

No one saw them alive after the evening of April 3, 2000, prompting rumors and speculation of their whereabouts including false reports of sightings.[2] Searches were undertaken locally, and also in Pensacola, Florida, during 2005 and 2006 following reports that Foster was living and working there.[3][4]

Discovery

On November 24, 2021, scuba diver Jeremy Sides searched a lake near the location of the party attended by the teenagers.[4] Sides found a submerged vehicle, but it was not Foster's Grand Am.[4] On November 30, using sonar technology, Sides found a vehicle located thirteen feet below the surface of the Calfkiller River, next to Highway 84,[1] before running out of daylight.[4] The following day, on December 1, 2021, Sides returned to the vehicle he had seen in the river and went diving to film the car.[4] The license plate was confirmed to be that of Foster's Grand Am.[4] He called White County Sheriff Steve Page to report his discovery and to confirm that it was Foster's car with two human remains found inside.[2][3] The remains were later confirmed to be Foster and Bechtel, found in the vehicle after missing for 21 years.[1][2][6][7]

Police have theorized that Foster lost control of her vehicle while driving on Highway 84, which did not have a guardrail along that section in 2000.[2] As of July 2022, the police investigation was not closed, but police indicated there was no evidence of foul play.[5][3]

Burial

Both Foster and Bechtel were buried in 2022.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ismail, Levi (February 11, 2022). "Case of 2 missing White Co. teens solved after more than 20 years". WTVF. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Peiser, Jaclyn (10 December 2021). "Two teens went missing 21 years ago. A scuba-diving YouTuber solved the cold case". The Washington Post. Gale A686196232.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Kellar, Liz (July 22, 2022). "After 20 years, Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel laid to rest after YouTube star finds car". Knox News. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Balloch, Jim (December 9, 2021). "A 'baffling case' with few leads 12 years ago, 2 Sparta teens disappeared". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Hoskison, Mandy (December 9, 2021). "Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel cold case: What we know after car found by YouTuber". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Erin Leigh Foster". Sparta Live. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  7. ↑ "Jeremy Lee Bechtel". Sparta Live. Retrieved 2022-08-21.

35°55′55″N 85°27′43″W / 35.93205°N 85.46196°W / 35.93205; -85.46196

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